Chanju rise to Lieut. Colonel: First female high ranked in Malawi army
Malawi Defence Force (MDF) has promoted Chanju Mwale, who is the first female lawyer in the history of the country’s army, from the rank of major to Lieutenant Colonel.
Chanju, 37-year-old single mother, studied at Kamuzu Academy and then went to Chancellor College to pursue a Bachelor of Laws Degree.
After graduation, she joined the Judiciary as senior resident magistrate and stayed for two years before joining the military in 2004.
Chanju has undergone various courses and trainings, including being deployed to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a military observer from 2010 till 2011 and taking part in military exercises at SADC level.
In 2014, she was awarded the United Nations (UN) Fellowship in International Law (of the sea) a prestigious fellowship which was sponsored by the Nippon Foundation of Japan.
During a published interview, Chanju said the military is a traditionally male dominated institution and proving oneself worthy is an uphill battle every single day.
“We still have a lot of ground to cover for women to be fully incorporated into the system. Mind sets need more adjustments and this applies to both males and females in the service. Changes can, however, be embraced if they stem from management and policy level to trickle down to ranks.
“All in all, I am proud of myself because I worked hard and sacrificed a lot to be where I am. It can be daunting because of the responsibilities I hold as a woman, lawyer and service member.”
Chanju is a mother to daughter Taweneko who is 15 and Shaun who is eight.
“It is not easy to be a single mother and support the two, but I always prioritise them in my expenditures. My parents have been instrumental in the bringing up of my children, offering support whenever I travel on duty.”
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Congrats Chanju and all the best in your new position
Brains and beauty, leave her alone.
Congratulations Chanju, ignore silly comments.
congrats B I G mama!!!!!
Nsanji azibambo bwanji?Let her live het life.Mmafuna udindowo ukhale wanu?Whether she is married or not none of your bussiness.Kaya afa none of your businesss.Its her life.Conglatulation girl,Ive met you b4,she is juli any othet woma.Life has up and downs,even those in marriages have up and downs.She will be a General one day take it or leave it.Whether she marries or not Palibe Problem
Stupid comments from our unusually dull citizens. Why not just congratulate the lady or ignore her. Nsanje and negativity basi Malawians, what is wrong with our people?
and your comment is the most stupid one coz you cant expect everybody to come here just to congratulate the lady. There are so many issues in the story yet you expect people to just comment on one issue? Are you normal? Stop being stupid by failing to appreciate that diverse views in comments make reading more interesting.
That’s the Chanju I knew in form 1 @ KA
As Analyst has highlighted, i join the rest in congratulating her and raise the same concerns. However am very mindful that there are men out there who refuse to understand the importance of Gender. My only worry is that the rising in ranks is not out of carpet promotion interviews as am told most of our Army Officer have never fired a shot, but have done so in the other way round with our female soldiers.
Let the females rise on merit and not after sex encounter.
Mwagunda vyalema lekani mwamupanga promote kwali. .?
Congrats Chanju!! Just to remind you, front line battle ground is not Beaty contest platform!!!
Chanju does not need to be married – she is a successful woman, independent and proud single mother. We are now in a new modern-era where the success of a women is not marriage but knowledge, skills, certificates and a good job. All these things, rather than marriage is what makes success and brings real happiness as well as fulfilment. It is really refreshing that she is a proud single mother of two children, after all, being married many times is a source of impediment and suffering to a lot of women. Girls and women should priotise education and work… Read more »
An atom is unstable until it finds and combines with another atom and become a molecule. A sperm rushes, at astronomical speed; in search for an egg for want of becoming stable. There is no meaningful success in being unstable. Even the 2 kids she has can testify. Since she seems not commited to no man like a soldier who is loyal to no flag, mapeto ake tikaika and all these things you call success will be meaningless. Life is a cycle of stages: You are born, you do school, you work, you marry, you retire from work, then you… Read more »
BY nachisa aka nachisale?
The commendable contents and style are consistent with nachisale’s. No two ways about this.