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PAST PRESIDENTS OF MALAWI TILL DATE

This post makes a list of the head of state of Malawi starting from the Monarch to the Governor General and the president of Malawi.

This is a list of the heads of state of Malawi, from the independence of Malawi in 1964 to the present day.

From 1964 to 1966 the head of state under the Constitution of 1964 was the Queen of Malawi, Elizabeth II, who was also the Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Malawi by a governor-general. Malawi became a republic within the Commonwealth under the Constitution of 1966 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by an executive president.

Read: POLITICAL HISTORY OF MALAWI

MONARCH (1964–1966)

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

o.Name
(Birth–Death)
ReignRoyal HousePrime minister(s)
Reign startReign endDuration
1Queen Elizabeth II
(1926–2022)
6 July 19646 July 19662 yearsWindsorBanda

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

The governor-general was the representative of the monarch in Malawi and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The governor-general was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Malawi was granted independence by the Malawi Independence Act 1964, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous dominion and later promoted to independence as defined by the Statute of Westminster 1931, the governor-general was to be always appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Malawi without the involvement of the British government. As Malawi became a republic before Glyn Jones, the former colonial governor, was replaced, this has never happened. In the event of a vacancy the chief justice would have served as the officer administering the government.

Status

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeMonarchPrime minister(s)
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1Sir Glyn Jones
(1908–1992)
6 July 19646 July 19662 yearsElizabeth IIBanda

PRESIDENT OF MALAWI

Under the country’s 1966, 1994 and 1995 constitutions, the president is executive head of state.

The first president, Hastings Banda, was elected by the National Assembly and subsequently had himself declared president for life in 1970. He was defeated in 1994, a year after his life term was abolished as part of Malawi’s transition to democracy. Since then, presidents have been elected in direct popular elections for a five-year term. Presidents may be elected any number of times, but not more than twice in a row. In the event of a vacancy, the vice-president becomes president for the balance of the term.

No.Name
(Birth–Death)
ElectedTerm of officePolitical party
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1Hastings Banda
(c. 1899–1997)
6 July 196624 May 199427 years, 322 daysMalawi Congress Party
2Bakili Muluzi
(born 1943)
1994
1999
24 May 199424 May 200410 yearsUnited Democratic Front
3Bingu wa Mutharika
(1934–2012)
200424 May 20045 April 2012
(Died in office.)
7 years, 317 days
2009Democratic Progressive Party
4Joyce Banda
(born 1950)
7 April 201231 May 20142 years, 54 daysPeople’s Party
5Peter Mutharika
(born 1940)
2014
2019
31 May 201428 June 20206 years, 28 daysDemocratic Progressive Party
6Lazarus
Chakwera
(born 1955)
202028 June 2020Incumbent2 years, 351 daysMalawi Congress Party
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