From North Malawi: Can Monica Chakwera save the First Lady title
A wife to a President is supposed to be what she is: a wife; nothing more.
This, of course, should be the case because, during elections, presidential candidates appear on the ballot paper with their running mates, not spouses.
To mean, spouses—either wives or husbands, are not, legally, part of the presidency. The presidency involves the President and their vice.
Over the past decades—especially when wives of the presidents, trading as First Ladies, started to appear on the scene in 1994—there has been debate regarding their role in shaping and influencing their husband’s style of governance.
Of course, there wasn’t much talk when Malawi’s first, First Lady, Annie Muluzi, and her subsequent, Patricia Shanil Muluzi, were at the State House.
They both managed the Freedom Foundation Trust.
It must be underlined that the two kept quite a low profile figure—always shying away from being on the frontlines.
In fact, even when Bingu wa Mutharika’s first wife, Ethel, occupied the State House until her demise in 2007, her display—just like the previous two, was more motherly, choosing the background than being on the frontlines.
However, much of the public interest in the role of First Ladies in shaping and influencing their spouses’ style of governance hit the spotlight when Callista Chimombo married Bingu wa Mutharika in 2012.
For the first time in the history of First Ladies, Malawians were shocked to see a First Lady go wild spitting vitriol in public, attacking anyone deemed to be political agitators of the Head of State. Callista even called the civil society organisations to ‘go to hell.”
Further, Malawians started reading headlines about huge sum of money from State agencies being channeled to finance unexplained charities ventures run by First Ladies.
With Callista, the office of the First Lady had taken a wrong turn.
The coming in of Getrude Maseko, former President Peter Mutharika’s wife, didn’t helped matters at all. In fact, it only deepened the calls for Malawi to consider regulating the office of the First Lady.
Unlike the loud Callista, Gertrude was quite. However, through her Beautify Malawi initiative, tongues wagged regarding alleged billions coming to her fold—all unaccounted for.
She also made headlines for becoming an overnight billionaire, with a strange accumulation of several unexplained properties in the country, yet she doesn’t have a job.
Arguably, Callista and Getrude have transformed the office of the First Lady from that motherly perception, as displayed by the first three First Ladies, to an avenue of political arrogance, corruption and primitive accumulation.
This is the office that Madame Monica Chakwera, Malawi’s first, First Lady from the North, inherits. She has inherited an office with a complete damaged reputation.
The question is: Which route with the new First Lady take? Will she, like the first three First Ladies, play the background role? Or, like the two previous ladies, go on the political frontlines to use the office for self-enrichment?
For the little we know about Madame Chakwera is that she is from Mwazisi in Rumphi; nothing much more than that—apart from, once, being mayi busa [wife to church leader when Chakwera was heading Malawi Assemblies of God].
From the little than we know, against a background of being a wife to a person who has, for years, been a public figure, it wouldn’t be an understatement to speculate that she is a low key woman.
In the eventual days as we begin to know her better, the only advice we can give her is to learn from the best and the worst examples of her predecessors. She has a choice to build or destroy her husband.
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Kikiki koma ndiye u first lady waphwekatu. Ndi pedegu Monica yemwe?
Role of first lady across Africa is a problem. Most have foundations which clearly creates a conflict of interest with the elected government as the resources donated to the foundation and their use are not generally transparent. Why should a parastatal such as Escom donate to a first lady foundation? Even private company donations are problematic as they are clearly a means to curry favour with the ruling party. The African Union makes matters worst by hosting Summits of First Ladies. First lady entourages on foreign trips can get expensive. First ladies or gentlemen are spouses to presidents and just as I don’t take my spouse to work so they should just get on with their own private affairs. If they want to play a public role then mechanisms to hold them and their finances accountable need to be in place.
Madam Monica Chakwera has been always a mother figure. I being a member of AG, I know how she has been supportive to her husband as a wife. She is a woman.
My advise is she should have a translator like other foreign First ladies, e.g China etc. She can speak in Chichewa and somebody translate into english. Chichewa is also a fantastic language. So am convenced she will manage
Mwinithako, reciprocate your mind set. Dirty mind you contribute is Dirty, we know you’re one dpp cadets but some of you have realised what dpp was doing wrong. Pls your chances of putting Malawians into your armpits is chronicles. Don’t be like you’re the best than anybody. The form your own political party since you’re the best. Reformation that’s what we are speaking now. Being a lomwe as you’re, it’s not that other tribals should be like idiots to yours never.
Be mindful that Dr Chakwera’s Wife is a well Educated person/woman. She is a Chartered Accountant and she knows her boundaries concerning her husband political standing in Malawi. She has helped her husband, Dr Chakwera in Assemblies of God leadership for 24 years, but have you heard her any voices or dirty mouthings towards her husband Religious leadership role? No she remained quiet until today, she has occupied the First Lady position of Malawi, so don’t just judge her too soon. She is a well respected woman, but let’s give her a chance before starting to anticipate our evil wishful thinking, it’s too early to do that.
Monica Chakwera will be the first Lady who is most educated compared to all the First Ladies Malawi has seen for the past 5 Governments from 1994.
Let’s give her the benefit of the doubt for now.
Balanced article with good advice but addition of region of origin was unnecessary
Simon chirwa, the region or origin emphasis is also biggest wrong i have picked up. We should deceit from promoting regionalism neh.
Kumainyadira mitunduyi adada Chirwa. Mmaona bwanji aNgoni paliponso pamajiga, pakabaza, paokala, paminibasi, etc Angoni this angoni that.
Inu ngati mukuchita manyazi kungolozedwatu kuti ndinu atumbuka nanga dzina lanu linakakhala Simon Mtumbuka nde mutazikhwezatu. Be proud of your tribe and region aise.
Am Zambian and following events as they unfold in Malawi.It is not appropriate to mention her origin because that will bring tribalism and regionalism
this better than others. will not help us.Tsankho lekani tsopano. Ife tikanena za kukongola muziti tayamba mwano. Write constructive issues.
The writer of this article must be be sacked because he is trying to divide us as Malawians.
I olso have evidence that you are getting kickback from Dpp to damage The current President.
Foseki
Your title of this article is shit we are all Malawians. Iwe you are tribalistic
Dzikokanani wonake time phee kulamulira ife wochewa. Nthi yathu ino.
One of the first ladies anali Malawi? Find out yourself upeza kuti she was a Zimbabwean. Don’t spoil journalism with such stereotypes. Mind you this is 21st century your children will marry according to their choices. Uzakhumudwa atakwatira kazi kapena mwamuna ochokera ku North. Bola usazafe ndi BP
I like the article. It is only sad that Fiko has added some sentiments about regions. However, these First Ladies Trusts if they finally act as conduits for siphoning out money from parastatals, then this must be checked and challenged.
Mike Fiko donot waste your knowledge writing about these idiots.Mind you Northeners are not good people in Malawi.This is their time when Chakwera will be used to ride on them.Chewa don’t mind about school but Nyau.Tumbukas mind much on education to demonstrate their fake legacy that always comes from Nepostic style ochestrated by Kanyama Chiume to send his Tumbuka ethnic groups for good post under Kamuzu Banda.This government will not survive in 2025 believe me.It if a hateful government of personal attack to reduce a tribe of Lomwe to nothing as it assumes.The Lhomwe had already done school including the Sena and Yawos kkk.Ali pena paliponse ,kaya nde mutani kkk
Mwinithako,
Keep crying as a cadet, who are you to show ur hate towards Northerners that way for your information Monica Chakwela is a Chartered Accountant by profession, nde kuganiza kwa ubaka by the writer thinking that hse has never been to school, she went to the Polytechnic and did Bachelor of Accountacy and certified as a Chartered Accountant, u are very stupid to say this govt will not survive in 2025 as if you will be the only person to decide in elections, why didnt u make ur granny win the elections last week if u had the numbers? ulira cadet and unyunya uguga iwe and all cadets in your ranks
A master, mwakwiya msanga. tisadayambetu kulankhula zokwiitsa, Tikudikira NTCHITO ONE MILIONI. Ngati sizibwera ndipamene mudziwe kuti okwera mmwamba savala zobooka.
You are right,alidi paliponse anthuwa chifukwa kwathu ku mpoto,ngati kuli anthu amene akutakata ndi u tenant ku ma farm nde ndi omwewa.They come in large numbers looking for ntchito yolima kkkkkk,educated indeed kkkkkk
Foseki
Don’t miss lead people. We are all Malawians.
I know you are you saying the only good tribe is ahlomwe?
My wife is from thyolo Mwalaphanda and apongozi treat me well.
you are still crying, we understand your hate, but just a simple reality here, the party you obviously seem to support will never rule this country again, it it gone and gone for good, let that sink in….
Mwinithako, ndiwe Chitsiru koopsa! Iweyo ndi Mike Fikoyo muuzane kuti ati ndife zitsiru! Notherners anakulakwilani chani? Iwe umaona ngati tonse tikhale alhomwe? Tikayamba kubwezela musati MCP and or anthu a kumpoto ndi pipa,mukutiyamba dala, munapanga lease Malawi? Muli ndi title deed? Zitsiru inu, za mfiti! Mkumaona ngati dziko ndi lanu nokha? A gwape achabe, inu tisakanapo ndipo tipezana, ndipo tithandizane in this way or the other. Ufumu wakuthelani pumulani bwino ngati simutha kutelo, ndiye zanu izo. Koma zonyoza mtundu zithe! Zitheretu! Za Galang’ande inu!
Dont waste your time writing about Tumbukas. Lhomwes some wen to school bu THIEVES at every company or privare sector. If you carefully check the lhomwes papers you will see that they are very few educated ones as most of them have FAKE papers and believe you me. Some are called doctors today and yet if you see their papers you will laugh.
Thyologuy!!! Lhomwee with fake papers???? Uja anapezeka ndi mapepala amayeso atachita ngoziyu ankapitanawo ku Thyolo??? Chichokere ku manebu mwalira eeeeee!!! Tikuonatu tsopano!! Mwagundika kuchosa Alhomwe nkumayikamo Gule wamkulu!!! What worse did DPP do than MCP which has returned to power??? History repeats itself!! MCP is back after five years DPP will be back!!!!
Mbwiyembwiye, DPP will never come back in power. If anything, it will be much weaker than it is today. In many areas, it will have disappeared. Ask me in 2024 and you will agree with me. It was formed in State House and it has ended on vacating State House
Anzathu a Kumpoto mumalankhula ngati kumpoto kulibe osaphuzira; kapena ovutika. timangokupatsani ulemu. charted accountant ndiye kuti chiani? mayenso aja amalemba ngakhale munthu opanda MSCE ndikukhozanso ndiye mutivute nawo. Khalani chete.
Khakhakhala
Ask your fellow Lomwe the writer who decided to write about Monica as if she has never been to class, Monica angafanane ndie getrude mutharika? angafanane in Ben Phiri, Kondwani Nankhumwa? angafanane ndi Mchacha, angafanane ndi victor musowa? angafanane ndi Jefu wa jEFU?all these thugs i have listed here never went to any college here apart from fake online colleges, Monica went to Poly to study Bachelor of Accountancy, infact Monica is the most educated first lady among all other thugs who have been to statehouse
You are worse than a dog. A northerner is in the state house umati utani. Cadet takuonetsani nyenkhwe. ndipo tikufinyani heavy mulira kuti chwiiiiiiiiii. Mbuzi yamunthu. Alhomwe munanyanya kuikana mumipando kuona ngati muzavotelana nokha. regible voters in lhomwe the next 50years to come you will never reach 1million. 50+1 yakuonesani nyenkhwe. mukunyung’unya
I feel that this article was written without thorough research on how a first should and can operate. Your basis on the first being one of 2 options is off putting. Just because Malawi has a “sit in the background” First lady, then a thief, doesn’t make them the only options. Look at the roles of Jeannette Kagame, former first lady Michelle Obama, and Monica Geingos of Namibia. Being first lady does not mean, be quiet and do nothing, or steal and take advantage. They are and can be great advocates for change, and great influences in their country. As a journalist, please approach an open article such as this with an open mind, and do some research because this is just a disappointing read.
Vuto lothawa school thus y mkumalimbana ndi anthu aku mpoto,mulira komaso mkadali kulirabe si ife tinakuwuzani kuti utelala ndi wabwino kuposa school
That’s the problem with us the Northerners. Kukonda kudzikuza, kuzitukumula. The bible says humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up but He resists the proud
and u dont the writer of this story that his aim was to demean this first lady simply because she is from north? u must be an idiot as well for only commenting what fits ur eyes, Monica is a chartered Accountant but the writer decided to hide that just to humiliate her, shamless thugs!!!
In 2020 you still want a woman to be in the background and keep her mouth shut and be in the kitchen playing wife??? Its 2020 now. Be woke. I feel sad for the wife of this person who has written this article. Such old fashioned stereotypical thinking. Gone r the days where women were under the glass ceiling. We are independent now.
You totally missed his point.
I doubt if you are happily married
Elizabeth, marry me and see what I will do to you and not for you.
Believe me, this should come from someone who has had bad relationships
Mbwenumbwenu army kkkkkkk
Stop. Divinding malawian iwe ngulu mwana wodya njoka
Here comes Mike Fiko again with his mediocrity views , ofcourse Mrs Monica Chakwera is from North Malawi , so why not telling us where Getrude , Calista, Shanil, Ethel and etc former first Ladies came from?????
My friend Fiko, if u continue like this then expect BP on your side to shoot coz u have hatred with people from the North as if they are not Malawians.
But let me tell you the truth as my name suggest, check your DNA if u can then u ‘LL agree with me later that your grandfather/pa was from Mzimba and married your grandma from Thyolo / Mulanje then they gave birth to either your Mother or Father.
Learn to be Objective my Friend.
This is a good piece meant to advise our first lady to learn from history. People are just used to bringing politics in everything they read and that’s why they think this article is offensive and divisive. Its not. Keep on writing Mike. In fact those directly concerned will benefit from your article. Its also good that you have written it this early. Of all the good advice you have provided, why just pick your mention of the word ” North”? If anything, let people join you in preventing a continuation of what has been happening instead of waiting for it to happen and start condemning her.
I will comment at the end…………still digesting
I wonder how any man who can write such a disgusting article treats his wife or daughters. Mr Mike Fiko. We are in a different age. First Ladies and all women have equal rights and suffrage, they can do whatever they like. Stop being so premitive. Let’s let our women prosper. Vulani chimidzi. Am sure Dr Chakwera picked up on this in America. Also stop being nepotistic.
My understanding is that Fiko did not insinuate that women should be inactive or kungogona. No. What he says is that First Ladies should not be thieves and abusive. For example Calista was in the news castigating CSOs, etc. Gertrude was also in the news for wrongful enrichment and there are examples. Even the current mismanagement of DPP is, in the wider context, alleged to be due to her involvement. So First Ladies should not be be in the kitchen. Rather they should support the President- not use of vulgar language or wrongful enrichment
I like the time when Malawi had the First Gentleman
What a stupid tittle to an article. I know you won’t publish my comments but I am addressing you and not the public so really it doesn’t matter if you publish my comments or not.
How does such idiotic headlines pass the publicity authorisation of the editor. Very backward mentality. At a point when the country needs unifying and guess who comes up with trash? Nyasatimes! Unbelievable.
Be professional, have standards.. out of all the stupid things I have seen this year, this takes the cup.. horrible!!
why specifically call Mrs Chikwera from the north while no place of origin was mentioned about Mrs two Mutharikas and Muluzi?? why stereo type the innocent woman….
Fiko, is there anything wrong if she comes from the north, Is a northerner not a Malawian? Please Nyasatimes bosses try to sit down with this fiko guy he always writes trash
This is a useless article. Let the first lady alone. She is a noble woman.
I have read this article twice, the author is feeble minded, can’t really figure out what he is driving at. This is the mentality that we voted out on last week
Mr Fiko, you have a very dangerous mind set.
If you are looking for an uneducated First Lady who takes a back sit and doesn’t know her place then you need to look somewhere because Mrs Chakwera is not that kind of a woman………. next time please do your research…… you have just demonstrated how inadequate your journalistic skill are .
So the other First Ladies just dropped like manner from heaven????……..not once have you mentioned there home/Region of origin…… was that a deliberate omission??????
Your headline is both offensive and divisive……. Your mentality Mr Fiko is what Malawians resoundely voted against on June 23rd, you need to wake up and smell the coffee, the winds have changed, times have changed, we are in a New Malawi where this kind of tabloid reporting will not be tolerated!
For your information, she is a Chartered Accountant who spent a good 10 years working as Head of Finance at one of the European embassies in Lilongwe until her retirement in 2018.
The first lady Monica has been a good person,she supported her husband leading assembless of God church for more years.She will continue to do that.Next time do not use the word north Malawi,Mr Fiko.God has chosen her to be the first lady of Malawi.Do not bring regions here, what kind of journalism is that? We are tired of these stories of regionalism.Just mention the first lady Mrs Monica Chakwera ,we will know her.You have mentioned other four former first ladies of Malawi,u did not mention their region.These things of regionalism zagwetsa DPP.
I’m trying to figure out the intent behind the headline…………shaking my head!
She is much more than being ” from the North “, (Not that there is anything wrong from being from the north and I’m sure she is sooooooooo proud to be from the North),
Am sure that madam chakwera is strong woman. she has contributed to the rise of chakwera [behind every successful man there is a strong woman.]
heeeeeeeee northern region peoples
I find the title of this article disgusting. Why does it matter where she comes from? I thought that was the politics of tribalism and division that was defeated in the elections. We are all Malawians. I hope Mrs. Chakwera will be judged based on her character and not where she comes from. She is the First Lady for all Malawians, from Nsanje to Chitipa, yes including Thyolo and Mulanje.
Ma first lady akunenedwa kuti anali amatatawo were once member of parliament (MP) ndiye nokhanso mukuziwa kale kuti MP ndi munthu wamatata ndiye sitingawayelekeza ndi munthu oti moyo wake wakhala ali mayi busa kapena opanga zinthu zosakhala za ndale .
You dont know that Monica is a Chartered Accountant who has been working as Head of Finance in many organisations, dont take advantage of her humiity honestly
And why do you have to mention the north?. If she is a good person she is a good person regardless of where she comes from.
Monica is from where her husband comes from as per Tumbuka tradition.His Excellency paid lobola as you may be aware that kulibe chikamwini kukaya.
I was searching for this comment and luckly its right at the end. ATumbuka ndi “pakalowa mbewa” amafuna zabwino zonse zikhale Kwao. Anakokera Joyce Banda kuti ndiwawo poti analowoledwa pano akuti Monica Chakwera ndiwawo, mwina kapena sanalowoledwe sitingaziwe. Nde anakanoti bambo a Obama anali Mtumbuka, amayo amoyo, sitikanamwa madzi. Komatu mtundu waObama ku Kenya ndi a Lomwe ndi makhaze koma a Lomwe olo kuzitukumula…..kkkkkkk lol!