Lazarus Chakwera
| Lazarus Chakwera | |
|---|---|
| President of the Malawi Congress Party | |
|
Assumed office 10 August 2013 |
|
| Preceded by | John Tembo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
5 April 1955 Lilongwe, Central African Federation (now Malawi) |
| Political party | Malawi Congress Party |
| Spouse(s) | Monica Chakwera |
| Children | Nicky Violet Marlyn |
| Alma mater |
University of Malawi University of the North University of South Africa Trinity International University |
Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera (born 5 April 1955) is the President of Malawi's Main Opposition Party, Malawi Congress Party (MCP). He is serving as the leader of opposition in the national assembly. He was the Malawi Assemblies of God President from 1989 to 14 May 2013.
Chakwera was born in Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi on 5 April 1955. He was born to a subsistence farmer in the outskirt of Lilongwe city. Two of his brothers born before him died in infancy due to high infant mortality rate. His father, believing that he would live gave him the name Lazarus as the Bible character who was raised from the dead.
He is an only son with surviving sisters. Lazarus Chakwera is married to Monica and together they have four children and grand children.
In 1977 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) Degree from the University of Malawi. He got his honours degree (BTh) from the University of the North, Sovenga, South Africa. In 1991 he got his masters (MTh), from the University of South Africa. The Trinity International University, in Deerfield, Illinois, USA awarded him a doctorate (D. Min) in 2000. The Pan Africa Theological Seminary awarded him Professorship in 2005.
He has worked as an instructor at the Assemblies of God School of Theology from 1983 to 2000 where he became the Principal in 1996. He has been the co-director and a lecturer at All Nations Theological Seminary. Since 1989 to date he has been at the helm of Malawi assemblies of God presidency On 14 April 2013 he took many by surprise when he declared his intentions to run at a Convention of an opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) as a president while still maintaining the Assemblies of God Presidency. His landslide victory at MCP convention went down in history of Malawi as the first of its kind of any political party in Malawi.
Lazarus Chakwera's interest in politics became known to the public on 9 April 2013 when rumours of his interest to join the presidential race of the MCP were on the online media. The rumours were confirmed later to the public on 14 April 2013. Chakwera later submitted his nomination papers while still at the helm of the Malawi Assemblies of God. The MCP convention slated for 27 April 2013 was later postponed. to 10 and 11 August where he was elected as the president of MCP and he will represent the party in the 2014 general election.
Chakwera later announced his resignation as the Head of the Malawi Assemblies of God, the resignation would be in effect from 14 May 2013. This he said, would enable him to concentrate on front-line politics. He claims that he is still God's minister who is serving God's people in a different context other than the church.
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