GENERAL GEORGE ALEXANDER JAFFU (JNR),MSM, psc
Before
his current appointment, General JAFFU (Jnr) was the Deputy Chief of Defence
Force, the post that he assumed on 13 May 2024 after serving as Chief of Staff
at the Force Joint Headquarters from 9th August 2022.
General
JAFFU (Jnr) began his military career as a Second Lieutenant, quickly rising
through the ranks due to his exemplary leadership and strategic acumen. During
his military career, he has served in various capacities, including Inspector
General at the Force Joint Headquarters, Military Advisor of the Republic of
Malawi to the United Nations, Senior Staff Officer in the Directorate of Human
Resource Management and Development, Technical Staff Officer at the Electrical
and Mechanical Engineers Regiment, Commanding Officer as well as Second-in
Command of the Parachute Battalion, just to mention a few
During
his military career, General JAFFU completed a number of courses; both military
and civilian, locally and internationally. These include, among several others,
Platoon Commanders, Junior Officers Regional Command and Staff Course, United
Nations Military Observer, African Response Initiative (ACRI) Training, Senior
Command and Staff Course (Grade II), Next Generation of African Leaders-USA,
Joint Operation Planning, United Nations Integrated Staff Officers Course,
Foreign Exchange Airborne Operations- NCO Academy Fort Bragg CA, Executive
Program in Defence Decision Making Monterey CA, USA, Intelligence Policy and
Democracy-Monterey CA, USA, and African Cooperation Course for Decision Makers,
just to mention but a few
Academically,
General JAFFU (Jnr) holds a Master’s Degree in Strategic Management obtained
from Derby University in the United Kingdom.
Throughout
his career, General JAFFU has received numerous awards including the Malawi
Silver Jubilee Medal, Efficiency Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the
United Nations Medal and was decorated with the prestigious Passed Staff
College (psc) symbol at the Zimbabwe Staff College in 2005.
General
JAFFU (Jnr) was born on 19 November 1962, and hails from Mpondasi Village,
Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi District. He is married to Rachel and,
together, they have three children. He is an avid reader and enjoys playing
golf in his spare time.
MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD TOBIAS CHAGONAPANJA, psc, ndc
Major General Richard Tobias Chagonapanja, psc, ndc serves
as the Joint Chief of Staff of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF). Appointed to the
role on July 3, 2026, he is MDF’s principal administrative and operational hub.
In this capacity, he translates command intent into action, integrating
strategic planning, administration, and execution across all MDF formations.
Major General Chagonapanja began his military career
with officer cadet training at the Malawi Armed Forces College (MAFCO) in 1991
and was commissioned in 1992. His early operational career includes
foundational combat experience in the Nacala Corridor Campaign in Mozambique
(1992), Operation Bwezani (1993), and Operation Chotsa Mbava (1994).
Over his distinguished career, he has held critical
leadership roles, including Commanding Officer of both the 1st and 2nd
Battalions of the Malawi Army, Deputy Navy Commander, Deputy Inspector General
at the Joint Headquarters, and Commander of the 101 Infantry Brigade. Before
his current appointment, he served as the Camp Commandant at the Joint
Headquarters.
Globally, Major General Chagonapanja is a veteran
diplomat and commander in multinational peacekeeping. He has served as
Commander of the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) and Commander of the Second
Contingent of the Malawi Battalion under MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC). He was also the Deputy Commander of the United Nations Operation
in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI). He held staff officer positions in UN and African
Union missions across MONUC (DRC), AMIS (Darfur), and ONUCI.
Major General Chagonapanja holds a Master of Arts in
International Studies from the University of Nairobi, attained in 2021. He
completed advanced military training at top schools in the United States,
China, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malaysia, Austria, and Canada. His studies focused on
national security strategy, joint warfighting, and defense management.
His decades of meritorious service and leadership in
complex global operations are recognised through numerous military decorations.
For his dedicated domestic service, he received the Long Service and Good
Conduct Medal in 2018. His extensive contributions to multinational
peacekeeping operations include multiple United Nations medals, notably from
MONUSCO (2014, 2018), ONUCI (2011), and MONUC (2007, 2009), as well as the African
Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) Medal, awarded in 2006.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL DESMOND SIMBA CHAWANDA, psc, ndc
Lieutenant General
Desmond Simba Chawanda is the Deputy Chief of Defence Force (DCDF) of the
Malawi Defence Force (MDF). Appointed on 28 June 2026, he is the second-highest-ranking
officer in the MDF, responsible for harmonising daily operations, overseeing
joint‑force integration, and driving military modernisation to ensure
readiness, discipline, and strategic alignment.
His career reflects a
balance of field command, institutional leadership, and international
diplomacy. Before his current appointment, he served as Joint Chief of Staff at
MDF Headquarters, coordinating operations and strategic planning. He previously
held senior roles as Deputy Commander of the Malawi Army, Commander of 101
Brigade and Aide‑de‑Camp to the President, where he refined his diplomatic
skills and strengthened the link between military professionalism and national
priorities.
A strong advocate for
military education, Lieutenant General Chawanda has served as Commandant of the
Malawi Armed Forces College (MAFCO) and later the Malawi Defence Force Command
and Staff College (MDFCSC). In these roles, he shaped the intellectual and
professional development of future leaders, embedding innovation and
professionalism into MDF training systems.
Internationally, he has
gained extensive multinational experience, serving at the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, as SADC representative to the African
Union (AU) and as Chief of Staff for the SADC Mission in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC). These appointments broadened his perspective and
strengthened his ability to lead coalition operations while advancing Malawi’s
role in regional peacekeeping and security cooperation.
He holds advanced
professional military qualifications, including the National Defence College
(ndc) and Passed Staff College (psc) designations. Academically, Lieutenant
General Chawanda holds a Master of Science degree in International Relations as
well as a Master degree in Defence and Strategic Studies. His education covers
national security strategy, operational command, and defence management,
undertaken at leading institutions both in Malawi and abroad.
His distinguished service
has been recognised through numerous national and international awards,
including medals for leadership during critical deployments, commendations for
excellence in military education, and peacekeeping honours under the SADC
framework.
Lieutenant General
Chawanda’s career reflects resilience, intellect, and vision. As Deputy Chief
of Defence Force, he continues to strengthen the MDF’s operational
effectiveness, foster unity across the services, and advance Malawi’s role in
regional peace and security.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL HASTINGS KLINS SUBILI, psc
Lieutenant Colonel Hastings Klins Subili, psc is the current Deputy Chief of Staff at the Malawi Defence Force Joint Headquarters. He joined the Malawi Defence Force as an officer cadet in June 2008 and underwent infantry military training at the Malawi Armed Forces College (MAFCO) for a period of 18 months. He got commisioned in December 2009 as second Lieutenant and was immediately posted to 3rd Battalion of Malawi Rifles under 101 Infantry Brigade. He served as a Platoon Commander till year 2012 before being appointed as an Adjutant from 2013 to 2018. He was posted and transfered to MAFCO (Salima District) in year 2018 where he worked as 2IC Cadets Wing, OC Cadets Wing, OC Staff Wing and 2IC Peace Support Operation Training Centre till 2023. In 2024, he was posted to the Organisation and Developemnt Department within Joint Force Headquartes where he served as SOII and SOI before his appointment as Deputy Chief of Staff on 16 October 2025.
Lt Col Subili professionally holds a Masters Degree in Leadership and Defence Studies from the Nigeria Defence Academy. He has done a number of predeployment trainings with the Americans and British, African Contigency Operations Training and Assistance in all the periods he was deploying for UN Missions. He did platoon and company commanders courses in years 2016 and 2018 respectively at the Malawi Armed Forces College the before doing Junior Command and Staff Course in year 2020 at the Carribean Institute of Professional Military Education in Jamaica. Academically he has a Bachelor's Science Degree and a post graduate certificate in Security Studies both from Mzuzu University.
Lt Col Subili has been decorated with various United Nations (UN) medals over the period of nearly 17 years. The first medal was for Platoon Commander of The United Nations Operations in Cote d’Ivoire (ONUCI) between June 2012 to June 2013. A second and third medal were for Platoon Commander and Officer Commanding for The United Nations Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in DRC, between the years of 2014 to 2015 and 2016 to 2017 respectively. The fourth medal is the United Nations Military Observers medal that was obtained in 2019 after serving one year as a Military Obsever under the United Nations Missions for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
Lt Col Subili is happily married to Memory Chaweza and the union is blessed with 2 children, Hailey and Hastings (Jnr). He is avid about exercises (eg jogging), watching soccer and travelling. He also enjoys playing chess even though the interest has been fading gradually since primary and university days due to family and work commitments.
