News & Updates
Deputy Chief of Defence Force Commends Students for Operational Planning Mastery
November 13, 2026
The Deputy Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Desmond Chawanda, on Friday, 13 November 2026, visited the Malawi Defence Force Command and Staff College to assess progress in Exercise MGWIRIZANO WA MIKANGO, involving students of Senior Command and Staff Course Number 5 for the 2026 academic year. Upon arrival, he was received by the College's Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor, Colonel Joseph Mambo, who escorted him to the auditorium for a formal briefing on the exercise, which commenced on 9 November and is scheduled to conclude on 20 November 2026.
Designed to sharpen students' competencies in planning, commanding, controlling and conducting joint operations at Joint Task Force level, the 12-day exercise combines operational and tactical planning with simulated battle execution. During the visit, Lieutenant General Chawanda commended the students for demonstrating mastery in operational-level planning. He emphasised the importance of combined, joint, inter-agency, intergovernmental and multinational planning, stressing that military operations cannot be conducted in isolation but require a whole-of-society approach.
"The military is an instrument of national power and forms part of the broader political system. It must be led by civilians. Therefore, all military operations must be sanctioned by a competent civilian authority, to which the military remains subordinate. This must be made clear to all of us in uniform," emphasised Lieutenant General Chawanda. His remarks underscored the importance of civilian oversight, inter-agency cooperation and a comprehensive approach to national security in the planning and conduct of military operations.
Reported by Cpl Kadzinje KADZINJE
Designed to sharpen students' competencies in planning, commanding, controlling and conducting joint operations at Joint Task Force level, the 12-day exercise combines operational and tactical planning with simulated battle execution. During the visit, Lieutenant General Chawanda commended the students for demonstrating mastery in operational-level planning. He emphasised the importance of combined, joint, inter-agency, intergovernmental and multinational planning, stressing that military operations cannot be conducted in isolation but require a whole-of-society approach.
"The military is an instrument of national power and forms part of the broader political system. It must be led by civilians. Therefore, all military operations must be sanctioned by a competent civilian authority, to which the military remains subordinate. This must be made clear to all of us in uniform," emphasised Lieutenant General Chawanda. His remarks underscored the importance of civilian oversight, inter-agency cooperation and a comprehensive approach to national security in the planning and conduct of military operations.
Reported by Cpl Kadzinje KADZINJE
