Exit Nundwe at Malawi army, Namathanga now Commander

March 17, 2020 Wongani Chiuta - Nyasa Times 80 Comments

Malawi Defence Force (MDF) commander General Vincent Nundwe  has  has been replaced by Major General Andrew Lapken Namathanga as he will be” assigned other duties in the Public Service”, according to  a statement from the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC).

General Nundwe: Out as MDF boss

Namathanga’s appointment as commander of MDF and promotion from Major General to the rank of General is with immediate effect.

He was  appointed by President Peter Mutharika last year as Airforce Commander.

General Nundwe who is credited for ensuring that Malawi remains a peaceful country amid on-going electoral disputes could not be replaced by  his former deputy responsible for operations Lieutenant General Clement Namangale  who will also be redeployed to other public duties.

President Mutharika has since appointed  MDF commander ( Landed Forces),  Brigadier General Davis Sesatino Mtachi  deputy  army commander, who for a long time served  as aide de camp to then president Bakili Muluzi.

Mtachi has also  been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General.

Last year Mutharika appointed appointed Tri-Service Commanders and Deputy Commanders of the army  in line with Section 4 of the Defence Force Act (2018).

Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara says President Mutharika has since appointed  Brigadier General Elias Mpaso as  Army Commander (Land Forces) and has been promoted to the rank of Major General.

Brigadier Francis Blessings Kakhuta-Banda  remains Maritime Force Commander but has been promoted to the rank of Major General.

The President has also appointed Brigadier General Ian Macleod Chirwa  as Air Force Commander and has been promoted to the rank of Major General.

Colonel Harrison Kandula  has been appointed Air Force Deputy Commander and has been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General while Colonel Desmond Chawanda  has been appointed Deputy Army Commander (Land Forces) and promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

The statement further said  Colonel Richard Tobias  Chagonapanja remains Deputy Maritime Force Commander but has been promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

Following the development, Nundwe  is expected to hand over the Sword of Command to his successor at Kamuzu Barracks parade square in Lilongwe at a date to be announced later, according to MDF.

Since 2011, there have been frequent changes in Army command after the then president the late Bingu wa Mutharika appointed Henry Odillo whom President Peter Mutharika sacked in June 2014.

Before 2011, the Army commander was Marko Chiziko who served for close to eight years.

When Joyce Banda became President in April 2012 in line with constitutional order following Bingu’s death, she maintained Odillo for his supposed heroic feats when he stood with her after Bingu’s death.

In 2016 President Peter Mutharika fired commander General Ignancio Maulana and replacing him with his former deputy Griffin Supuni-Phiri.

Supuni-Phiri, who for a long time served as Malawi’s military attache at the Malawi Mission at the United Nations and as aide de camp to then president Muluzi, was replaced by Nundwe as he proceeded to be presidential advisor on national security.

Private practiceLawyer John Gift Mwakhwawa,  a former president of Malawi Law Society (MLS),  observed that the country “will soon have a brigade if not barracks of early retired and energetic Generals and their deputies.”

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80 replies on “Exit Nundwe at Malawi army, Namathanga now Commander”

  1. Kodi APM sakuwona kuti the nxt qualified prson after Nundwe anali Mchungula. He led Mafco and pano ndi chief of staff Koma APM amadana naye. Munthu uja ntchito ya usilikali nde amayiziwa and At most anakamupasa u major general olo ku USA Chief of staff sakhala brigadier

  2. Mbuzi ikakondwatu amalonda satalikila. Paja achimweneso anayamba chonchi atatsala pang’ono kutisiya

  3. Nundwe, you did a good job. Army was whipping routers during demonstrations. Others didn’t know what the army was doing. We salute you

    1. The kind of General who knows thus the duty of the police not MDF idiot! Your president should be a leader and command the police to do its job not become criminals themselves with cadets. Go to the UK and learn how its done.

      1. Cant you see that you are too naive? Do you think Namathanga is the army? No think wisely and see the army as the last upholder of the constitution

  6. We are thankful to Mutharika that the army commander who protected HRDC thugs, Nsundwe thugs and allowed the looting and destruction of our businesses has been FIRED.

    1. @Bandani: whilst you’ve all the freedom to speak (foolishly and thoughtlessly, if you may permit me to say so), your crass observations on Gen. Nundwe, simply go to show the kind of myopia that enshrouds some of our fellow Malawians of your ilk!!

  7. Kodi akamati land forces airfoce nde kuti chani? Land forces Yolanda makala ndi airforce yodikila ma floods ku lower shire kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

  8. If I were Nundwe! This would be my time to show what as a soldier is made of. Do you mean our soldiers sakuziona izi? Samva kena kali konse? Kaya

  9. Bwana Nundwe pali zina that was not well handled for instance how could you let your army officers fight the police in the presence of protesters? That was not the way to go what you should know is both army and police are one as you have been saying in all collaborative meetings you have had. So what you could have done was to discipline those army officers and even condemn that publicly because that action made the police loose their value interms of security thats why they have been heavily beaten by the locals. Secondly so can agree with me that the same protesters you were backing they started beating the army officers until when you threatened that you would deal with them and that they should stop forthwith. In this regard, the situation is volatile but at the end of the day you would see that the protesters from hrdc, mcp, utm are there to steal and damage property. We have seen dpp conducting their marches but no single person was beaten, have property damaged, stolen, etc and even MDF and Police they were just at easy as if they were not protecting anyone, thats the way to go. Ndiye inu munatsogoza kubakila these dstructive protesters that was the reason for this fate.

  10. APM is shielding his girlfriend Ansah and Gertrude is just watching. Wake up Gertrude! There are many escapades between the two right under your nose

  12. Dont worry with the decision he has taken, soldiers have duties to protect the boundaries and its citizen but not to fight its own citizen, So let it be, but come 25th we are going there no reverse.

  14. Udindo omweu wongogwilizila mpaka kumachotsa anthu tionana after the 150 days we are supposed to go to the polls have expired. You will be pulled out of the Kamuzu palace like a goat

  16. Construction is very clear, MDF does not kill Malawians it protect Malawians. If that commander does not follow the constitution ask spoon what soldiers did to him. Their will arrest him immediately. Demonstrations is our constitutional rights and we going to state house either he like it or not.that’s our house

  18. Mr Tipex president we don’t change army commanders like pads.You are weakening the force.If you can’t govern just pack up and go.if you are thinking u planning on to use the military to stay in power forget it.

  19. Nundwe reached retirement age. He was biased and served the interests of Mzuzu Corner. He stood by as people looted, beat police offers etc. HAPPY he is out.

  22. Shame on you APM! I guess if you’re as corrupt and unworthy of a leader, it would make a total sense to not agree with those below you but willing to serve their country with integrity and honour and that is equal to Honourable Commander General Vincent Nundwe! I salute you sir for the service you have given to our beloved country!

  24. Pamene nzeru zamunthu zathela zanu Mulungu zimayambira pamenepo. If this battle is YOURS LORD then fight for us.

  26. The more reason this stupid mulakho old man has to go . Trying to cling on to power by promoting his home boy who will be ready to obey his stupid orders. Next will be the judiciary. Your time is up you fool. Once the government changes, we will clear all the mulakhos from government.

  27. Zikutuluka pang’onopang’ono was thinking Kuti mphamvu zokanila Kuti kulibe Kubota zikuchokera Kuti manga mayiwa Jane Ansah ndi mec chilimbitsa mtima Iwo kusachoka ndi chani, cabinet minister inaphwasulika why pano mayankho ndikuwapeza Kuti bwanawa sachoka apa mpaka yesu adzabwere and Za constitutional court ija palibepo anatengapo Iwo ma judges anachepa nzeru ndi mphamvu. Limbani mtima a Malawi kusintha asintha APA ndi DPP yokhayokha no more demonstrations they will shoot you to death.mutharika is not going anywhere than to be there on tippexed presidency good luck Mutharika osunga Israel sagona or kuodzera✅

  28. Our MDF is very disciplined and every officer accepts duties as assigned with professionalism. Nobody is indispensable

  29. mutharika long planned this move by appointing these people as sub commanders that time

  30. Koma ya m’pando wa upulezidenti ndiwokomadi even wen u can’t perform kuyetsetsabe usachoke basi 😡😡😡

  31. More proof that Mutharika is evil, paranoid and nepotistic. What are you afraid of APM? If you were doing a good job you would have nothing to fear from ALL Malawians. Clearly education has not emancipated you from the pettiness of tribalism. From a half Chewa half Yao Malawian.

    1. Musadandaule akuluakulu palibe akudziwa ma plan aChauta. Mfumu Pharaoh anawalimbira mtima zedi ana a Israel.Koma mapeto ake anakathera munyanja. Mulungu wathu ndi wa dongosolo. Kungatalike bwanji zonse zitha. Awakantha Chauta anthuwa ndi Moto wa Mzimu Oyera. Anthu osadziwa Chauta awa. Khulupirirani anthu a Mulungu. Osalimbana with these uncircumcised Phillistines. They are dead already Chaka Chino sichitha.

  32. All those peter has promoted to appease will be vetted by the incoming Government. Poti ndi usilikali sakana koma ndikakhala one ndikani give me three months more Sir. Chain Sir.

  37. Nundwe turo kweniso dyera, our lives are now in danger. There is no one to protect us, god of all nations, isaac and jacob rescue us.

  38. Eeeyiiiiiiii,Namathanga’s wife is a commissioner at Mec
    Namathanga is from Thyolo
    Namathanga sister cash gate R.I.P
    Namathanga mdf commander cadet dpp
    How he has changed ranks at the army remains a mystery
    My Malawi my Nation.
    Ayi zikomo.

    2. Mathanga and Namathanga are two different names and personae….and Namathanga is from Phalombe, joined the Army in 1980, long before DPP came to power….

  42. Koma mfitiyi ikufuna mwanzi wambiri kuteleku akuti wafoola asilikali mfiti iyi chachikulu chitomusata asaah ndithu atoona ngati wabisala kkkkkkkkkk utoyesa malawi 🇲🇼 ndi munda wako etiiii koma abale Malawi wake siwapanoyi utozionangabe wekha 😈😈😈😈😈

  43. Nepotism at its best kuchosedwa northerner Nundwe comes in Namathanga muhlako a Malawi ndifedi a tendered or opusa

    1. Can you find out who is the Chief Justice? Andrew NYIRENDA.
      Can you find out who is the Speaker of Parliament? Gotani HARA.

  44. Nanga army inkhale yoperekeza a demonstrations.. Nundwe has been useless any credible commander can’t do that…

  46. So you just want to make sure that demonstrators are shot to kill when they go to the streets. Truth be told, it’s a stupid move. This is your doom

  47. This is shocking. Are you just going to leave or are you going to stand for what Malawi believes and needs right now. You have the peoples support, 10% my support.
    Lets take this country back.

  50. It won’t change anything. The army will remain professional. They will not be used as cadet condoms the way Malawi Police is used.

    2. Dpp cant win with UDF without tippex and double tally sheets and Jane! Its MCPUTM chance even bushiri hinted

      1. Koma Pitala iweeeeeeee!!!!!even mwamuchotsa Nundwe and you think that MDF ikhala mbali yako wawuponda,this shows kuti wakula and ukuyenela ukapume

      2. no elections this year shortly gatherings will be forbidden due to corona virus therfore no more campaining mukhaula muona.APM akhala akulamulirabe mufune musafune.

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