LILONGWE, MALAWI — To the ordinary eye, it was just a photograph. A man standing confidently in a familiar setting. But to those who follow Malawi’s complex and often mystic political undercurrents, the message was anything but ordinary. It was prophetic—literally.
Prophet Austin Liabunya, the self-styled Senior Prophet of the nation, has once again stepped into the national spotlight with an explosive declaration—backed not by political power, but by what he calls divine mandate. And this time, it appears he may have walked straight into the country’s most powerful address: Kamuzu Palace.
The image, released on Liabunya’s Facebook page, offers no caption of who he met, but one detail is unmistakable: the opulence and sheer elegance captured in the picture leave no room for doubt—this is none other than the illustrious Kamuzu Palace, where power, prestige, and presidential presence converge. Analysts familiar with Malawi’s State House grounds have confirmed it. Though President Lazarus Chakwera is absent from the frame, insiders suggest the Prophet’s presence at Kamuzu Palace is no coincidence—and certainly no accident.
According to political analyst Joseph Masina, “Liabunya doesn’t walk into State House to sightsee. He walks in when destiny, or perhaps prophecy, calls.”
Indeed, his track record lends weight to the whispers. In 2013, Liabunya privately met with then-opposition leader Peter Mutharika and predicted he would unseat President Joyce Banda in 2014. He did. Later, after Mutharika’s controversial first term, the Prophet is said to have met Lazarus Chakwera, foretelling his eventual rise to the presidency—against all odds.
Now, with Malawi’s 2025 elections fast approaching, the Prophet has reemerged, this time delivering a fiery, detailed divine directive—posted with the precision of a political sermon. In it, he claims God has ordained another term for President Chakwera —but with conditions.
Among them: the appointment of Dr. Michael Usi as Vice President, the ceasing of politically motivated arrests, and a spiritual return to the altar—the very spot, Liabunya claims, where Chakwera’s divine journey to the presidency began. These, he says, have already been fulfilled.
But now comes the second wave—what the Prophet calls the conditions to maintain victory. They include the appointment of “MBU” as Chakwera’s running mate and the urgent removal of corrupt individuals said to be undermining the President from within. The message is clear: heed the warning or suffer divine political consequences.
In a statement that reads like scripture and strategy, Liabunya warns: “Ignore prophetic direction at your own risk… some ignored my words, and today, they are out of power—and sadly, some are even six feet under.”
The timing is no accident. With the country on the brink of a crucial election, Chakwera’s next move could be shaped not only by his political advisors—but by a prophet with a growing influence and a haunting history of being right.
Whether one views Austin Liabunya as a genuine spiritual messenger or a master of political theatre, one thing is certain: Malawi’s 2025 elections are already dancing to a beat no polling firm can measure—and it may just be coming from a pulpit.
