Justin Malewezi
Encyclopedia
Justin Malewezi or Justin Chimera Malewezi (born 1944) is a Malawian politician
and a Member of Parliament for Ntchisi
North in the Central Region of Malawi
. Formerly the first Vice President of his country, Malewezi quit the United Democratic Front
and eventually represented the People's Progressive Movement
in the 2004 general election where he garnered 2.5% of the total national vote.
, where he received his Cambridge School Certificate. As a boy, he was called "Visanza", as Ntchisi is sometimes known (a derogatory name meaning rugs). His father was a schoolteacher. After having graduated with a Bachelor's degree
in Biology from Columbia University
in the United States in 1967, Malewezi started his public service life as a science teacher.
He is married to Felista Chizalema, a social worker who kept her job with the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) until Malewezi's second year as vice president. He is a father of four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters, and has three grandchildren. One of his sons is a London-based DeeJay and rapper, Qabanisso, the Managing Director of Abstrakbeatz, a magazine that promotes hip hop music. Malawezi spends much of his time as an activist on HIV and AIDS issues. He was a contributing editor to the book Poverty, AIDS and hunger: Breaking the poverty trap in Malawi, published in 2006. According to People's Daily
, he is also working on a children's book, Grasshoppers on the Moon, and a compilation of essays under the working title "Confessions of a Principal Secretary", where he chronicles his life as a civil servant under the Banda regime.
Out of the government, he committed his time to private consultancy from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, advising the governments of Tanzania
, Ghana
and Lesotho
on education and public sector development. Around 1992, he joined a clandestine underground group of mainly former Banda protestors including Elson Bakili Muluzi
, Aleke Kadonapachi Banda, Edward Bwanali
, Finly Dumbo Lemani and journalist Brown Mpinganjira
. The underground pressure group later became the United Democratic Front
(UDF) under the tutelage of Bakili Muluzi, and dislodged Banda's Malawi Congress Party (MCP) from its 30-year hold on power, in Malawi's first multiparty elections in 1994. Malewezi was President Muluzi's deputy from 1994 to 2004. Having been sidelined by the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) as the party's presidential candidate, Malewezi decided to quit the party on Jan. 1 2004. Malewezi was one of the high profile figures of the United Democratic Front (UDF) to announce their resignation and openly criticise the party's Chairman for hand picking Bingu wa Mutharika
as 2004 presidential candidate. He was one among the five candidates who contested the presidential election.
Malewezi later joined forces with the opposition, People's Progressive Movement
, where he was elected vice president. He attempted to be elected the front runner for the Mgwirizano (Unity) Coalition
of seven opposition parties fighting to oust the Muluzi administration during the forthcoming general elections but the coalition chose veteran politician Gwanda Chakuamba
instead to lead the Mgwirizano Coalition in the presidential race. After the loss, Malewezi ran as an independent presidential candidate, promising to put the economy back on track and referring to his intelligence and undented background in the campaign. If he enters the race again as an independent, he will run against economist Mutharika, who has former President Bakili Muluzi as his chief campaigner, Gwanda Chakuamba, the veteran politician who is marshaling the ticket for the Mgwirizano Coalition
of seven opposition parties, and Brown Mpinganjira
, the former senior minister and Muluzi's right-hand man. Another competitor is John Tembo
, the veteran who has gained experience in politics with the help of the founder of Malawi, Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
Politics of Malawi
Politics of Malawi takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Malawi is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the...
and a Member of Parliament for Ntchisi
Ntchisi
Ntchisi is a town located in the Central Region of Malawi. It is the administrative capital of Ntchisi District.-Demographics:-References:...
North in the Central Region of Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. Formerly the first Vice President of his country, Malewezi quit the United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (Malawi)
The United Democratic Front claims to be a liberal party in Malawi and is mainly strong in the southern region populated by ethnic Yao. Until 2009 the party was a member of Liberal International, which it joined at the latter's Reykjavík Congress in 1994...
and eventually represented the People's Progressive Movement
People's Progressive Movement (Malawi)
The People's Progressive Movement is a political party in Malawi.At the last general elections, 20 May 2004, its candidate for president Aleke Banda won 2.5% and the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition, that won 27 out of 194 seats. Aleke Banda was the close friend of hastings Kamuzu Banda...
in the 2004 general election where he garnered 2.5% of the total national vote.
Education and family
He was educated at Robert Blake Secondary School, popularly known as Kongwe in the Central region district of DowaDowa
Dowa is a town located in the Central Region of Malawi. It is the administrative capital of Dowa District. William Kamkwamba, author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope, was born and raised in Dowa....
, where he received his Cambridge School Certificate. As a boy, he was called "Visanza", as Ntchisi is sometimes known (a derogatory name meaning rugs). His father was a schoolteacher. After having graduated with a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Biology from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in the United States in 1967, Malewezi started his public service life as a science teacher.
He is married to Felista Chizalema, a social worker who kept her job with the United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
(UNICEF) until Malewezi's second year as vice president. He is a father of four grown-up children, two sons and two daughters, and has three grandchildren. One of his sons is a London-based DeeJay and rapper, Qabanisso, the Managing Director of Abstrakbeatz, a magazine that promotes hip hop music. Malawezi spends much of his time as an activist on HIV and AIDS issues. He was a contributing editor to the book Poverty, AIDS and hunger: Breaking the poverty trap in Malawi, published in 2006. According to People's Daily
People's Daily
The People's Daily is a daily newspaper in the People's Republic of China. The paper is an organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China , published worldwide with a circulation of 3 to 4 million. In addition to its main Chinese-language edition, it has editions in English,...
, he is also working on a children's book, Grasshoppers on the Moon, and a compilation of essays under the working title "Confessions of a Principal Secretary", where he chronicles his life as a civil servant under the Banda regime.
Career in politics
Malewezi advanced from teacher to the position of headmaster and, in 1976, he became chief education officer. Before holding the sensitive post of secretary to the treasury, the chief government technical advisor on money matters, he also held posts as permanent secretary in various ministries, including education and health. In 1989, he was appointed secretary to the president and cabinet (SPC), becoming former President Ackim Kankhwala Hastings Kamuzu Banda's advisor.Out of the government, he committed his time to private consultancy from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, advising the governments of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
on education and public sector development. Around 1992, he joined a clandestine underground group of mainly former Banda protestors including Elson Bakili Muluzi
Bakili Muluzi
Elson Bakili Muluzi is a Malawian politician. He was the President of Malawi from 1994 to 2004 and was Chairman of the United Democratic Front until 2009.-Presidency:...
, Aleke Kadonapachi Banda, Edward Bwanali
Edward Bwanali
Edward Bwanali is a former Malawian politician. Bwanali was foreign minister of his country from 1994-1996. Bwanali died in 1998.-References:...
, Finly Dumbo Lemani and journalist Brown Mpinganjira
Brown Mpinganjira
Brown Mpinganjira is a Malawian politician. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Bakili Muluzi from 1999 until 2000. He then broke with Muluzi over the latter's attempt to have the constitution changed so that he could run for a third term of office. Mpinganjira formed his...
. The underground pressure group later became the United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (Malawi)
The United Democratic Front claims to be a liberal party in Malawi and is mainly strong in the southern region populated by ethnic Yao. Until 2009 the party was a member of Liberal International, which it joined at the latter's Reykjavík Congress in 1994...
(UDF) under the tutelage of Bakili Muluzi, and dislodged Banda's Malawi Congress Party (MCP) from its 30-year hold on power, in Malawi's first multiparty elections in 1994. Malewezi was President Muluzi's deputy from 1994 to 2004. Having been sidelined by the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) as the party's presidential candidate, Malewezi decided to quit the party on Jan. 1 2004. Malewezi was one of the high profile figures of the United Democratic Front (UDF) to announce their resignation and openly criticise the party's Chairman for hand picking Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika is a Malawi economist who is President of Malawi. He took office on 24 May 2004 after winning a disputed presidential election...
as 2004 presidential candidate. He was one among the five candidates who contested the presidential election.
Malewezi later joined forces with the opposition, People's Progressive Movement
People's Progressive Movement (Malawi)
The People's Progressive Movement is a political party in Malawi.At the last general elections, 20 May 2004, its candidate for president Aleke Banda won 2.5% and the party was part of the Mgwirizano Coalition, that won 27 out of 194 seats. Aleke Banda was the close friend of hastings Kamuzu Banda...
, where he was elected vice president. He attempted to be elected the front runner for the Mgwirizano (Unity) Coalition
Mgwirizano Coalition
The Mgwirizana Coalition is an electoral alliance in Malawi.At the last general elections, 20 May 2004, the coalition won 27 out of 194 seats.Member parties of the coalition are:*Malawi Democratic Party*Malawi Forum for Unity and Development...
of seven opposition parties fighting to oust the Muluzi administration during the forthcoming general elections but the coalition chose veteran politician Gwanda Chakuamba
Gwanda Chakuamba
Gwandaguluwe "Gwanda" Chakuamba Phiri is a prominent Malawian politician who is currently the leader of the New Republican Party . He is from the lower Shire Valley area in southern Malawi....
instead to lead the Mgwirizano Coalition in the presidential race. After the loss, Malewezi ran as an independent presidential candidate, promising to put the economy back on track and referring to his intelligence and undented background in the campaign. If he enters the race again as an independent, he will run against economist Mutharika, who has former President Bakili Muluzi as his chief campaigner, Gwanda Chakuamba, the veteran politician who is marshaling the ticket for the Mgwirizano Coalition
Mgwirizano Coalition
The Mgwirizana Coalition is an electoral alliance in Malawi.At the last general elections, 20 May 2004, the coalition won 27 out of 194 seats.Member parties of the coalition are:*Malawi Democratic Party*Malawi Forum for Unity and Development...
of seven opposition parties, and Brown Mpinganjira
Brown Mpinganjira
Brown Mpinganjira is a Malawian politician. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Bakili Muluzi from 1999 until 2000. He then broke with Muluzi over the latter's attempt to have the constitution changed so that he could run for a third term of office. Mpinganjira formed his...
, the former senior minister and Muluzi's right-hand man. Another competitor is John Tembo
John Tembo
John Zenus Ungapake Tembo is a Malawian politician and the President of the Malawi Congress Party , the strongest opposition party in Malawi. Tembo comes from the Dedza District in central Malawi, and he is a teacher by profession...
, the veteran who has gained experience in politics with the help of the founder of Malawi, Hastings Kamuzu Banda.