US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE855

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LILONGWE 000855 
 
SIPDIS 
 
HARARE FOR DATT 
GABORONE FOR ODC 
DEPT FOR INR/B 
DIA FOR AFRICA DIVISION/A. DEMOTTE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: X6 
TAGS: MCAP, MOPS, PINR, PGOV, MI, Defense/Security, Military 
SUBJECT: MILITARY SHUFFLES UPPER RANKS 
 
REF: LILONGWE 652 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Officer Peter W. Lord, reasons 1.5 (b/d). 
 
1. (U) President Bingu wa Mutharika appointed Major General 
Ernest Ntonya as Deputy Commander of the Malawi Defense Force 
(MDF) and promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant General on 
August 1.  Ntonya, who was serving as the military's Chief of 
Staff, fills the hole created by General Marko Chiziko's 
appointment and promotion to MDF Commander (reftel). (Bio 
information for Chiziko begins in paragraph 3; for Ntonya, 
paragraph 7.) 
 
2. (U) Following the appointment of the new Commander and 
Deputy, the MDF shuffled its upper ranks as follows: 
 
Chief of Staff: Maj. Gen. Evaristo F. J. Kadzeya 
Deputy (and Public Information Officer): Col. Clement M. 
Namangale 
 
Director of Military Operations: Col. Mecres A. Chinjala 
 
Director of Military Intelligence: Col. Reuben P. Ngwenya 
 
Director of Personnel: Col. Rodrick R. K. Chimowa 
 
Director of Finance: Brig. Gen. Marcel Chirwa 
 
Director of Training: Brig. Gen. Cosgrove Mituka 
Acting Deputy: Lt. Col. Paul V. Phiri 
 
94 Brigade Commander: Col. Vincent M. Malonda 
 
Commander, Malawi Air Wing: Col. J. K. Mtende 
 
Inspector General: Brig. Gen. H. G. Kadzuwa 
 
Public Relations and Liaison Officer, MOD: Brig. Gen. Davie 
J. Sefu 
 
BIO INFORMATION: CHIZIKO, MARKO DALTON 
-------------------------------------- 
3. (C) General Marko Dalton Chiziko is a seasoned and 
intelligent military professional, who will capably lead the 
Malawi Defense Force (MDF).  With his no-nonsense leadership 
style and proactive commitment to quality, he will maintain 
and further the MDF's apolitical stance and professionalism 
by seeking mission-orientated training and combating 
HIV/AIDS.  An advocate of the MDF's development as a regional 
peacekeeping force, Chiziko played a leading role in the 
MDF's participation in the African Crisis Response Initiative 
(ACRI) and its successor program Africa Contingency 
Operations Training Assistance (ACOTA).  Very supportive of 
the USG's military programs in Malawi, our close relations 
with the MDF will strengthen under Chiziko's leadership as 
Commander. 
 
4. (C) A career military officer, Chiziko enlisted in August 
1972.  He progressed quickly through the ranks and has been 
decorated with several awards, including the Efficiency 
Medal, the Nacala Campaign Medal, the Malawi Silver Jubilee 
Medal, and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. He has 
trained in the UK, the Netherlands, Botswana, South Africa 
and the United States.  He attended the Army Command and 
General Staff Course in 1988/1989. 
 
5. (C) Born in April 1952, Chiziko hails from the Central 
Region district of Dowa.  He obtained a Malawi School 
Certificate of Education (the equivalent of a high school 
diploma) from Dedza Secondary School.  He is married and has 
four children. 
 
6. (C) Chiziko's Curriculum Vitae: 
 
DOB: 17 April 1952 
POB: Chiziko Village, Chakhaza Traditional Authority, Dowa 
District 
Ethnic Group: Chewa 
Education: Malawi School Certificate of Education, Dedza 
Secondary School 
 
Enlisted: 05 August 1972 
Commissioned Second Lieutenant: 07 March 1975 
 
Promotions: 
Lieutenant: 01 August 1976 
Captain: 09 June 1980 
Major: 07 December 1981 
Lt. Colonel: 01 March 1989 
Colonel: 05 January 1993 
Brigadier: 01 April 1994 
Major General: 16 January 1998 
General: 12 July 2004 
 
Appointments: 
Platoon Commander: March 1975 
Company Second-in-Command: Sept 1979 
Officer Commander Cadets Wing: April 1981 
Officer Commanding, First Battalion - Malawi Rifles:  July 
1983 
Third-in-Command, First Battalion - Malawi Rifles: April 1985 
Second-in-Command, First Battalion - Malawi Rifles: Aug 1986 
Commanding Officer, First Battalion - Malawi Rifles: Aug 1989 
Staff Officer Course Training, Malawi Armed Forces College: 
Sept 1992 
Deputy Commandant, Malawi Armed Forces College: Jan 1993 
Commandant, Malawi Armed Forces College: Jan 1994 
Chief of Staff: Dec 1996 
Deputy Army Commander: Jan 1998 
Army Commander: July 2004 
 
Courses Attended: 
Officer Cadets Course (UK): Sept 1974 - Mar 1975 
Platoon Commanders Course (Malawi): Sept 1975 - Oct 1975 
Combat Team Commanders Course (UK): Mar 1980 - April 1980 
Short Staff Course (Malawi): 1976 
Army Command and General Staff Course (USA): July 1998 - June 
1989 
Political Warfare Course (Taiwan): August 1986 - Sept 1986 
Resource Management Course (Botswana): 1991 
Public Sector Administration (South Africa): 1995 
Chemical Warfare Course (Netherlands): unknown 
Defense Management Course (South Africa): 1997 
 
Decorations: 
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal 
Malawi Silver Jubilee Medal 
Nacala Campaign Medal 
Efficiency Medal 
 
 
BIO INFORMATION: NTONYA, ERNEST CLEMENT 
--------------------------------------- 
7. (C) Lieutenant General Ernest Clement Ntonya is a reserved 
professional with a solid education.  A career military 
officer, he enlisted in February 1973 and has served as 
Malawi's Defense Attache to both Kenya and the UK.  He has 
been decorated with several awards, including the Long 
Service and Good Conduct Medal, the Nacala Corridor Campaign 
Medal, and the Efficiency Medal.  Ntonya trained as a pilot 
in West Germany in the late 1970's and early 1980's, and 
later did additional training in Arizona.  He also took 
courses in the UK and Canada, where he attended a staff 
college course in 1977. 
 
8. (C) Hailing from the Southern District of Chiradzulu, 
Ntonya was born in October 1952. He obtained a Malawi School 
Certificate of Education (the equivalent of a high school 
diploma) from Soche Hill Secondary School in Blantyre and his 
Master in Strategic Management from the University of 
Stratchclyde (via correspondence course).  He is married and 
has five children. 
 
9. (C) Ntonya's Curriculum Vitae: 
 
DOB: 03 October 1952 
POB: Chiradzulu 
Ethnic Group: Yao 
Education: Malawi School Certificate of Education - 'O' Levels 
 
Enlisted: 26 February 1973 
Commissioned Second Lieutenant: 28 June 1974 
 
Promotions: 
Lieutenant: 26 February 1976 
Temporary Captain: 01 April 1977 
Sub-Captain: 14 June 1979 
Temporary Major: 01 January 1984 
Sub-Major: 19 August 1984 
Lt. Colonel: 01 July 1986 
Colonel: 05 January 1993 
Brigadier: 18 February 1998 
Lt. General: 01 August 2004 
 
Appointments: 
Platoon Commander: June 1974 - Oct 1976 
Adjutant Second Battalion - Malawi Rifles: Nov 1976 
Adjutant Support Battalion: 1977 
Second-in-Command, Malawi Army Air Wing: 02 March 1980 
Adjutant/Operations Officer, Malawi Army Air Wing: 01 August 
1981 
Air Liaison Officer, Air Wing Headquarters - Zomba: 01 May 
1983 
Defense Attache (Kenya): 01 August 1986 
Defense Attache (UK): 1992 -1994 
Commandant, Army Headquarters - Lilongwe: 1994 
Public Relations Officer and Liaison Officer, Ministry of 
Defense: 05 May 1995 
Deputy Director of Personnel: 20 Dec 1996 
Director of Logistics: 04 March 1998 
Chief of Staff: 1998 
Deputy Commander: 01 August 2004 
 
Courses Attended: 
Officer Training (UK): Jan 1974 - June 1974 
Platoon Commander Course (Malawi): Mar 1975 - April 1975 
Staff Course (Canada): April 1977 - December 1977 
Pilot Training Course (West Germany): 1978 - 1980 
Regional Senior Officers Short Staff and Command Course 
(Zambia): Nov 1997 - Dec 1997 
Flight Training (Tucson, AZ): 1998 
 
Decorations: 
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal 
Nacala Corridor Campaign Medal 
Efficiency Medal 
RASPOLIC