KAMUZU WALTER CHIBAMBO (LLM, LLB)

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Kamuzu Chibambo is a lawyer and businessman. He has a Master’s Degree (LLM) in International Business and Trade Law from Erasmus University, Rotterdam in The Netherlands (2001) and a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) from University of Malawi (1982). He was called to the bar in 1983.

He worked in private practice since 1983 to 2012 in different law firms the last one being the one founded by him in 2004. 

In 2000, Kamuzu served as a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Malawi Law Society but his tenure was curtailed when in the same year he proceeded to The Netherlands for further studies. 

Integrity, professionalism and sound financial management are some of his major strengths. That is how Kamuzu is known both by his fellow professionals as well as the business community. 

He retired from legal practice in 2012 and became the CEO and Managing Director of a family business which provides cash movement solutions on behalf of financial institutions as well as international organizations like World Food Programme (WFP), AVA Global, Save the Children Fund and World Renew. 

In matters of faith, Kamuzu has been privileged to serve in various leadership capacities both at church and para church level. 

Kamuzu’s leadership journey started quite early during his high  school days at Dedza Government Secondary School between 1973 and 1977 where he served as a Tuck-shop Prefect. 

Whilst in University of Malawi pursuing his first law degree from 1977 to 1982, he served as its elected President of the Students Union. His executive team was voted in after the immediate past Executive had been a vote of no confidence at the hands of fellow students. As a result of Kamuzu’s leadership acumen, student confidence in the new executive during his term was quickly restored. Books were balanced with all money properly accounted for. Although he took over the student body with empty coffers, the new executive team inherited a healthy credit balance. Surely fixing broken financial systems cannot therefore be new to Kamuzu. 

After faithfully serving his fellow students in that capacity, he subsequently got elected as Chairman of the Students Christian Organization on campus and other campuses despite repeated calls for him to seek a second term as Union President which he turned down.

He is married and is blessed with three children 

Professor Edrinnie Elizabeth Lora-Kayambazinthu has over 42 years of academic and research experience in higher education. She holds a Bachelor of Education (BEd.) from the University of Malawi, Postgraduate Diploma in English as a Second and Foreign Language (ESFL) from University College of North Wales (Bangor), an MA in English Language Teaching (ELT) from Warwick University and a PhD in Linguistics (Sociolinguistics) from La Trobe University (Australia). She has worked for the University of Malawi for over 42 years as a Staff Associate (1981-1983), Lecturer (1984-1997), a Senior Lecturer (1999-2003), Associate Professor (2003-2012) and Professor (2013 to date). She has published a number of articles and essays in refereed journals and is fluent in English, Chitumbuka and Chichewa. She has also in the course of her career, done some consultancy work with various organizations especially in the field of Communication skills and materials development (Malawi National Assembly (Parliament), Konrad Adenuar Foundation) English for Specific Purposes (ESP), gender issues (DANIDA) democracy & governance (DCP), translation and education for vulnerable children (UNICEF). 

Outside her academic career, Professor Lora-Kayambazinthu has leadership, management and governance experience. She headed the English Department at Chancellor College (1997-2003), was Dean for the Faculty of Humanities (2003-2006) and also served on a number of University Committees and University Council for 6 years. She has sat on a number of local and international boards dealing with human rights and governance in matters of policy and program development: Commissioner of Special Law Commission for the review of the Malawi National Constitution (2006-2007), Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRRC) (2007-2016), Emmanuel International (2006-2018), Education Expertise Development Foundation (2013-2019), Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)(1997-2000), ESCOM (2005-2017) and Malawi Rural Finance Company (MRFC) (2007-2013).

Who do you call someone who's happy on Mondays? Retired. Chris Kang'ombe is a retired civil servant with over 35 years working experience in the Malawi Civil Service as a career Administrator.

Chris rose through the civil service cadres serving in different government departments and ministries up to the level of Principal Secretary. 

At that top level, Chris served in the Presidency as the Controlling Officer in the State Residences and the Vice President's Office.

As a Principal Secretary Chris was key in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring evaluation, and an advisor to the political head of a ministry - Minister on relevant technical/professional matters and government systems and procedures/regulations.

The most challenging, inspiring and rewarding sector Chris served in was the Health sector as the Secretary for Health for two separate terms(7 years in total ) . Among others, Chris led the health teams , with support from Development Partners and other health stakeholders, in the implementation of sector wide reforms for sustainable, effective and efficient health service delivery. 

Playing a role in contributing to the common good of the community/ nation is Chris' motivation anchored in his Christian faith to serve/ work wholeheartedly with integrity as serving his God and remain accountable to Him.

Henry Jailos Mdebwe is a Senior Public and Nutrition Manager with over 35 years of experience in programme development, coordination, management, monitoring and evaluation.  He has worked and collaborated with Governments, United Nations and Non-Governmental Organizations in East and Southern Africa, South and East Asia.  

Whilst in retirement, Mr. Mdebwe still remains active championing various public causes promoting shared happiness. He is currently a Director serving on the Board of the Compatriots. Mr. Mdebwe doubles two leadership positions at his former school, Dedza Secondary School: first, he is a Chairman of the newly established Board of Governors for the school since March 2024; second, he is a Publicity Secretary for the Sapere Aude (Dare to be Wise) Alumni Trust to which he has made various contributions since 2021. 

Professionally, Mr. Mdebwe worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Field Epidemiologist in Malawi and Botswana from April 2022 to March 2023. From 2019 to 2020, he worked as a Monitoring and Evaluation Manager with Human Dynamics, an Austrian Technical Support Organization on a European Union funded Afikepo Nutrition Project in Lilongwe, Malawi; he served as Nutrition Technical Advisor on Nutrition International and Amref Health Africa joint nutrition project based in Nairobi, Kenya covering Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Mr. Mdebwe also worked with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as staff for 12 years and as a consultant for four years (2001-2017). As staff, Mr. Mdebwe is a former Nutrition Manager with UNICEF Philippines Country Office in Manila from September 2011 to December 2014. He also served in the same capacity with UNICEF Afghanistan Country Office in Kabul from March 2006 to October 2011. From July 2002 to February 2006, Mr. Mdebwe served in the position of Child Survival Programme Officer with UNICEF Malawi Country Office in Lilongwe. 

Before joining UNICEF, Mr. Mdebwe served with the Ministry of Health and Population in Malawi for 16 years, thus from November 1985 to May 2001 in the following positions: Deputy National Nutrition Officer at the Capital Hill, Lilongwe from October 1992 to April 2001, Assistant National Primary Health Care Coordinator at the Capital Hill, Lilongwe from January 1990 to September 1993; District Health Inspector for Salima District Health Office from February 1986 to December 1989, Area Pubic Health Inspector for Kasungu East based at Mtunthama Health Centre from November 1985 to January 1986. 

During his tenure at the Ministry of Health, the UNICEF and the Non-Governmental Organizations, Mr. Mdebwe coordinated and collaborated on various relevant projects and programmes with the Offices of the United Nations Resident Coordinators, the WHO , the World Food Programme (WFP), International Labour Organizations (ILO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) senior Government officials of the host countries, bi- and multi-lateral organizations such as USAID, European Union, JAICA, the World Bank, Global Affairs Canada, Sida, DFID, KfW, GIZ, the Commonwealth Health Secretariat in Arusha Tanzania,  just to mention a few. 

Beyond his extended family, Mr. Mdebwe plays a low level philanthropic role to ensure that few needy deserving tertiary students achieve their dream of becoming graduates through the support he provides jointly with his friends. 

Stain Mabangwe is the resident Pastor of Christ Embassy Church for Bangwe Zone which covers Nguludi, Ntenje,Chigumula, Chiswe, BCA,Mpingwe, Namiyango, and Bangwe township. He is also a seasoned Accountant with a bias towards credit control management with forty years’ experience.

Pastor Stain was born in 1962 in Chitengu Village,T/A Bvumbwe in Thyolo. He is married to Ann Mabangwe with four children and six grandchildren.

He was selected to Dedza Government Secondary School in 1980 where he got his MSCE IN 1984. He enrolled with Polytechnic 1985 where he obtained his diploma in accountancy in 1987 (Royal Society of Arts) elementary to advanced level. He has been working for reputable companies like Mobil Oil, Grain and Milling and Dulux Paints, companies that sent him abroad for further managerial studies and duties.

Presently He is holding two offices as Pastor and Credit Control Manager for Silkon Paint Limited in Blantyre. 

Lenia Bonongwe has 35 years post qualification experience as a Human Resource practitioner in the Reserve Bank of Malawi and the Malawi Civil Service Commission. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration obtained from the University of Malawi in 1980 and a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management obtained from the University of Manchester in 1996. 

In her 30 year career in the Reserve Bank, from 1980 to 2010, she worked in the areas of Administration, Procurement, Human Resources and Banking and Payment Systems. As Director (Head of Department) over a period of 18 years, she provided strategic leadership to staff and select internal committees; contributing to the Bank’s Strategic Plan and budget, formulation and implementation of Business Plans and budgets, monitoring departmental budget performance, staff performance, training needs assessment. She was key in the three main restructuring and organisation development efforts of the Bank from 1999 to 2010. She also served as the Banks representative in the SADC Human Resource forum. 

She was appointed Commissioner in the Malawi Civil Service from 2011 to 2016 and was one of twelve Commissioners charged with statutory mandate, according to Section 187 of the Republican Constitution, “to appoint persons to hold or act in offices in the civil service, as well as the power to confirm appointments, to promote and to remove such persons from office, and to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in any office” .

She has been a member of the boards of Press Transport, African Enterprise, NEDBANK (Malawi), Lilongwe Water Board and is currently a Trustee of Living Seed Team (Malawi)