A Preacher Became President — Then Came His Stunning Fall From Grace
It was a stunning reversal of fortunes for a man who once held lots of power.
Lazarus Chakwera, Malawi’s charismatic preacher-turned-politician who once promised to “serve both God and the people,” lost his presidential re-election bid in October to long-time rival Peter Mutharika, who was formerly president himself from 2014 to 2020.
Malawi is a deeply religious nation and Chakwera capitalized on his theological renown to land the country’s top job back in 2020. He is a pastor and former leader of the Malawi Assemblies of God church, studied theology in Malawi, South Africa and the United States. He wrote various works on religion, such as “Reach the Nations.”
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The 70 year old emerged as the leader of the Malawi Congress Party in 2013, having no prior political experience.
Chakwera led the Assemblies of God for 24 years, and after a failed run for the presidency in 2014, he ran again. His 2020 victory didn’t come easily, though. Initially, Mutharika appeared to have won the vote, but Chakwera’s party challenged the vote in a constitutional court, which overturned it and triggered a rerun.
During the rerun, Chakwera won with 58.57% of the vote. Following his victory, he tweeted, “Thank you, my Lord Jesus.”
It was no coincidence that Chakwera, a “man of God,” took the oath of office on Sunday, a church day for most Christians. He used the platform as a pulpit to advocate for unity and peace in Malawi following 13 months of violence and the contentious election. His ascendency to power was described by some Malawians as “the hand of God.”
“[His presidency] was an opportunity for him to preach the gospel of peace and development to the whole country, sort of a bigger church. As a Christian, I firmly supported him,” said Hilda Banda from Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital.
Chakwera taught at the Assemblies of God School of Theology from 1983 until 2000, and became principal in 1996. Chakwera's father named him Lazarus after the biblical figure who was famously raised from the dead by Jesus Christ because he was certain that his child would survive the deaths of his two older siblings when they were still infants.
The son of a preacher and evangelist who established several churches, his career as a pastor may have already seemed mapped out. He admitted that deciding to become a politician was not easy, saying, “I had to argue with God over a direction in life.”
But his skills as a preacher seemed to translate easily to his new roles as politician and president.
“He was eloquent, smart, and confident for the job. He could easily connect with the majority of us on the social challenges we faced due to economic downfall,” Banda said.
Chakwera rode a wave of moral hope and reformist zeal, becoming a symbol of integrity after years of corruption scandals under Mutharika’s rule. But five years later, Malawi’s economy is in freefall, public trust has crumbled, and the same faithful who once called him “the chosen one” were turning him away.
Following Chakwera’s presidency, the country slid deep into poverty, characterized by financial mismanagement and nepotism. In 2021, he became infamous for attending a virtual summit in the United Kingdom in person. He was accompanied by 10 delegates, including his wife and daughter, but he explained on the BBC’s HARDtalk that every member of his entourage had an important and strategic role to play.
“The meeting was virtual, yet he chose to attend in person,” said Moses Mwale, a political analyst. “Secondly, it was government business, and he chose to go with his family, over a third of the delegation. The trip cost the taxpayers money. With such a ‘man of God’ trust, he was now showing the true politician in him. Just like his predecessors.”
By the time elections rolled around in 2025, Malawi was facing acute food shortages, cost-of-living pressures, and a lack of foreign exchange that had crippled businesses and led to persistent fuel shortages.
His opponent, Mutharika, capitalized on these pressures, saying there was no money in the government.
“Borrowing is extremely high, and nobody knows where the borrowed money has gone," he said.
Leading up to election day, Chakwera returned to his core constituency, the church. He went to SS Peter and Paul Cathedral Church, part of the Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire, Mpondasi in Mangochi, where he attended the deaconate ordination of Elias Banda, Paul Kampen and Roy Mkize.
He interacted in a number of ways with other conservative churches, too. Chakwera's interaction with the Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP) General Assembly, according to then-Presidential Advisor on Religious Affairs Reverend Brian Kamwendo, was essential to promoting harmony, peace, and tolerance in advance of this year's general elections.
Before the general elections, the church also promised the president that it would work cooperatively to reduce bloodshed.
Despite his attempts to re-establish trust with religious groups, the majority of Malawians appeared to have lost faith in Chakwera.
Both political analysts and religious commentators say voters rejected Chakwera after five years of worsening economic crisis in one of the world's poorest countries. Mutharika secured more than 56% of the votes last month, defeating Chakwera, who took 33%.
Mutharika, once again president, promised to eradicate corruption in the administration and revive the faltering economy. Mutharika, an 85-year-old devout Christian who participates actively in the Presbyterian Church, frequently discusses his beliefs.
As Mutharika returns to the presidency, many Malawians are left questioning whether divine destiny and democratic leadership can ever truly coexist, and what’s next for the “man of God” – Chakwera?
“Chakwera has a long history as a theologian and pastor before becoming a politician, said theologian John Chifundo. “His church, Malawi Assemblies of God, is one of the largest Christian denominations in the country. So as a leader, he can support the work of God and the church, but we see him writing many books now, watch the space.”
Calvin Manika is an award-winning international journalist based in Zimbabwe.