Exit Nundwe at Malawi army, Namathanga now Commander
Malawi Defence Force (MDF) commander General Vincent Nundwe has has been replaced by Major General Andrew Lapken Namathanga as he will be” assigned other duties in the Public Service”, according to a statement from the Office of President and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).
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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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
Mbuzi ikakondwatu amalonda satalikila. Paja achimweneso anayamba chonchi atatsala pang’ono kutisiya
Nundwe, you did a good job. Army was whipping routers during demonstrations. Others didn’t know what the army was doing. We salute you
Building Msundwe Barracks inu muli pomwepo. KUNYUZA USILIKALI BWANJI
Nundwe protected mtambo more than Malawi and Malawians whose peace and properties were being smashed by mtambo. What kind of a General was he? A General for the northern region only? Akagwere ukoo!
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.
Ndiye mupite kunseu mukaone zosaona Team A ndimeneyo mr Mtambo Mwaswera
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
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.
@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!!
It’s a fact, Nundwe protected HRDC thugs and Chakwera’s Nsundwe boys
Say it again, did you say fired!!!!!! Fired!!!!! Fired!!!!!
Kodi akamati land forces airfoce nde kuti chani? Land forces Yolanda makala ndi airforce yodikila ma floods ku lower shire kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
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
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… Read more »
Much much sense…
Nundwe condoned to with the looting… and it was very very surprising.
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