Malawi’s one time top selling musician Lawrence Mbenjere has joined politics. He will contest for the Mchinji West parliamentary seat in the 2014 tripartite election under the Democratic Progressive Party ticket.
The development comes just months after Mbenjere returned on the music scene with a seventh album,Sokoneza.
Listening to the album it promises to be a hit as it is a departure from his distinct style and themes. It is totally different from what his followers and critics are used to.
For the first time in his 10 years in music, Mbenjere of the Chiphaso fame is tackling several issues in the eight-track album such as politics, social life, the economy and spirituality. This is a shift from his albums that only focused on village life and daily struggles Malawians in rural areas go through.
However, despite imminent success, Mbenjere joins the class of Malawi’s few musicians turned politicians after Billy Kaunda, Joseph Tembo and Lucius Banda.
“I was asked by people to stand during the 2009 elections but I could not because I felt that time I was not still matured enough to join politics. But these people did not relent and this time around I have taken heed of their wishes. Come 2014, I will therefore contest under the DPP ticket for the Mchinji West parliamentary seat,” he said in an interview.
