Meet the Chaplain: Major Father Mbewe

Major Father Lazarus Spuni Mbewe was born in St Francis Hospital in Katete, Eastern Province, and hails from Chundamira village.

He attended Kagoro and Kafunkha primary schools for his primary education and St Mary’s Minor Seminary in Eastern Province for his secondary education.

After finishing secondary school in 1998, he was sent to Malawi to do his priest training.

Maj Fr Mbewe, thereafter, attended Rumphi Formation Centre for Spiritual Formation, Kachebere Major Seminary for Philosophy and social sciences, and St Peter’s Seminary for Theological Studies associated with the University of Malawi.

On August 9, 2008, he was ordained priest in his home parish of Katete.

His first appointment was as an Assistant Parish Priest at Vubwi Parish, and he later became Parish Priest in Lumezi Parish.

He later became the project coordinator for the Diocese of Chipata’s local clergy and worked as an assistant parish priest at Maria John Vianey Parish in Kafumbwe.

Maj Fr Mbewe was also a parish priest at St Stephen Mbwindi before moving to the Archdiocese of Lusaka, where he worked as an assistant at Regiment Parish, Our Lady of Africa Parish, St Ponsiano Mikango, and Lusaka West Appolo St Andrews Parish.

He is a secondary school teacher who attended Manfield University in Lusaka and pursued his diploma in teaching methodology from TEVETA in Luanshya.

In March 2019, he was seconded by Bishop George Cosmas Zumaire Lungu Bishop of Chipata to join the Zambia Army. He did his training at the Zambia Military Academy in Kabwe and was the first military-trained Catholic priest to join Zambia Army as a chaplain.

In the same year, he was incardinated in the Archdiocese of Lusaka Archbishop. Bishop Alick Banda.

His first deployment in the Zambia Army was as a chaplain at Army Headquarters Garrison, and he also served as Staff Officer II (SO2) training and operations at the Religious and Moral Services Branch.

Maj Fr Mbewe is now deployed as contingent chaplain for ZAMBATT VIII on a MINUSCA peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.

He prays for the restoration of peace in the war-torn country as well as continued peace in Zambia.

Credit: Zambia Army