Commander of the Defence Force (Malawi)

Commander of the Defence Force
Incumbent General Paul Valentino Phiri since 13 July 2023
Reports to	Minister of Defence
Appointer	President
Formation	15 May 1971
First holder	Graciano Matewere
Website	Official website

The Commander of the Malawi Defence Force is the highest-ranking military officer in the Malawian Defence Force and is responsible for maintaining control over the three service branches of the military.

List of officeholders

No.	Portrait	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		General Graciano Matewere (born ?)	15 May 1971	9 April 1980	8 years, 330 days	[1]
2		General Melvin Khanga (born ?)	9 April 1980	10 June 1992	12 years, 62 days	[1]
3		General Isaac Yohane (born ?)	10 June 1992	10 December 1993	1 year, 183 days	[1]
4		General Dismus Maulana (born ?)	10 December 1993	15 June 1994	187 days	[1]
5		General Manken Chigawa (?–1995)	15 June 1994	18 April 1995  X	307 days	[1]
6		Major General Owen Binauli (?–1998)	26 April 1995	30 September 1996	1 year, 165 days	[1] [2]
7		General Kelvin Simwaka (born ?)	30 September 1996	16 January 1998	1 year, 108 days	[1] [3]
8		Lieutenant General Joseph Chimbayo (born ?)	16 January 1998	13 July 2004	6 years, 179 days	[1] [3]
9		General Marko Chiziko (born 1952)	13 July 2004	22 July 2011	7 years, 9 days	[1]
10		General Henry Odillo (born ?)	22 July 2011	4 August 2014	3 years, 13 days	[1] [4]
11		General Ignasio Maulana (born ?)	4 August 2014	31 July 2016	1 year, 362 days	[5] [6]
12		General Griffin Supuni Phiri (born ?)	25 August 2016	9 August 2019	2 years, 349 days	[1] [7]
13		General Vincent Nundwe (born ?)	9 August 2019	17 March 2020	221 days	[8]
14		General Peter Namathanga (born ?)	17 March 2020	25 September 2020	192 days	[9] [10]
13		General Vincent Nundwe (born ?)	25 September 2020	13 July 2023	2 years, 291 days	[1] [10]
15		General Paul Valentino Phiri (born 1972)	13 July 2023	Incumbent	2 years, 91 days	[11]

References

1. "MDF Commanders". Malawi Defence Force. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
2. "Malawi: Envoy Dies After Car Crash". All Africa. Panafrican News Agency. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
3. "Malawi News Online (40) - 1/26/98". University of Pennsylvania. 26 January 1998. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
4. Masina, Lameck (23 July 2011). "Army Chief fired as President Mutharika appoints Brigadier General Henry Odilo as new defence force commander in Malawi". Newstime Africa. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
5. "Odillo Handover to Maulana Tips Malawi Soldiers Against Facebook". nyasatimes. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
6. Malenga, Bright (31 July 2016). "Mutharika fires Maulana: appoints new Army commander". Malawi24. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
7. Gwede, Wanga (25 August 2016). "Supuni Takes Power As Maulana Fails to Turn Up - Army Commander Inaugurated By Deputy Minister". Nyasa Times. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
8. "Nundwe Inaugurated as MDF Commander Says Malawi Army Will Remain Professional Without Political Interference". Nyasa Times. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
9. Chilunga, Zawadi (31 March 2020). "Malawi army to remain professional and apolitical — Namathanga". Nyasa Times. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
10. "Namathanga Returns Power to Nundwe at Malawi Army". Nyasa Times. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
11. Kwanjana, Linda. "Chakwera officially decorates Paul Valentino Phiri as Four Star General". 247Malawi. Retrieved 15 December 2024.