Former Malawi president Lazarus Chakwera has departed for Ghana where he is set to attend the 10th World Assemblies of God Congress (WAGC 2026) in Accra, which gets under way on 14 October.
According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Counsel Gift Nankhuni, the former head of state will participate in a series of engagements during the high-profile church gathering before returning to Malawi via Kamuzu International Airport on 20 October.
The trip marks a return to familiar territory for the former president, who rose to prominence as a leading church figure long before entering frontline politics.
Prior to leading Malawi, Chakwera served as president of the Malawi Assemblies of God, one of the country’s largest Pentecostal denominations.
But his close ties to the church remain a subject of political debate.
Critics have long argued that during his time at State House, Chakwera surrounded himself with an influential circle of Assemblies of God pastors, church leaders and associates, many of whom were perceived to wield significant influence within government.
Some detractors claimed senior figures in the ruling Malawi Congress Party often found themselves overshadowed by religious advisers and church-connected officials, fuelling accusations that ecclesiastical networks enjoyed privileged access to the corridors of power.
Supporters, however, have maintained that Chakwera’s appointments were based on trust, competence and shared values rather than religious affiliation.
His appearance at the global Assemblies of God gathering is likely to reignite discussion about the intersection of faith and politics that defined much of his presidency.
Chakwera is accompanied by his wife, former First Lady Monica Chakwera.
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