Chakwera finally moves to Kamuzu Palace 

President Lazarus Chakwera has now moved into a 300-room Kamuzu Palace, the official residence of the Malawi Head of State.

His Special Assistant, Sean Kampondeni, has confirmed the development.

The delay to occupy Plot Number One was caused by renovations that were being undertaken at Kamuzu Palace.

His moving to Kamuzu Palace comes a month after his election.

Since his election as President of the country, Chakwera had been operating from his private residence in Lilongwe’s Area 6.

The Persian-style brick-built palace, dominating a hill above Lilongwe, is part of a 200-acre estate which includes a school and a supermarket. It was built in 1975 by former President for Life Hastings Kamuzu Banda, known for his luxurious tastes, but he stayed there only briefly.

Kamuzu’s successor, Bakili Muluzi, himself criticised for over-spending, refused to occupy the palatial residence , calling it an “obscene extravagance”, and lived in Blantyre.

The State House then was housing Parliament until Bingu wa Mutharika had moved in and later Joyce Banda who renamed it Kamuzu Palace and Peter Mutharika continued to live in it until he was evicted by Malawian voters in the fresh presidential elections.

Landlocked Malawi is one of the world’s poorest nations; most of its 18 million people live on less than $1 a day.