Bishop George Mbendera

(For Malawian Music Lovers).

May 23, 2026
Bishop George Mbendera

The talented cast includes some of the most talented actors and singers in the industry.

Michael did a great work with the guitars and the whole production of my new Christian, Classical and Chill release, My Destiny.

The Zion Ambassadors, my first band, proved that they are exceptional when it comes to music. Uncle Lai, Robert Banda (Nelo) and Azanda, the journey was so inspiring.

The studio crew in South Africa, especially Rone Pongolo, who also came to Malawi with Senzo Mthethwa, played a big role when recording KHALE.

James, Tanana and Thabisa from Soweto, thank you. The director of Platform 1 (Fred) and other South African artists were so friendly.

The marketing manager of Gallo Records, the company that employed Lucky Dube, Mr Viljeon, and the CEO of Mc Villa Music company showed that world of the music industry to me.

Billy Kaunda, Saleta Phiri (A & B Sounds), Overton Chiombo (Love Aquarius), Dr. John Lwanda, Jacobs Mwase, Alfred Aziz and Ayam Mayeresa all added to this journey.

When I came back from South Africa to launch my album and prepare to return again, Billy Kaunda, who is also my brother-in-law, played an important role.

He assisted me in the production of my covers for that album, Khale, at Fattani Printing.

He did a great work not simply because he is my in-law, but because he loved and supported my music.

He has the first album which many Malawians do not know. It came before Mwapindulanji.

That album followed my first album, We Wanna Go To Zion, which I did with my first band, The Zion Ambassadors.

I was the one who told him where to print his covers, the same place I printed mine. I simply connected him to the place and person.

I did not pay for his covers, but later he paid for me when his base had grown and his music territory enlarged. I will not forget that.

Again, he did not do that because he is my in-law, but because he loved and supported my journey in music.

He was a choir master for Jerusalem Baptist and I was choir master for St. Mark’s Anglican Church choir, Mpingwe.

One time, we sang together during their choir festival in Chigumula. At that time, I also used to meet Mlaka Maliro and Frank Kandu singing in another group from Chilomoni Anglican.

We used to meet at an Anglican rally at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Blantyre. So these guys did not start their music in Balaka; they had a Christian musical background.

Saleta Phiri was one of my best friends in music, including Overton Chiombo and Stanley Mthenga, Mbuya.

His band backed up my traditional songs for international distribution with Sterns International through Pantondo Records.

Dr. John Lwanda once said that he played my songs even better than his. That was marvellous and great.

You can check these songs on Spotify or Bandcamp: Watali Watali, Asalire (Tell Me), Ŵali and Pamusi Pa Ŵene.

All these are Yao tracks, except one which is in both Yao and Chewa, but this Lomwe guy did some exceptional work.

Overton Chiombo was another best friend in music. We were both leaders with MAM (Musicians Association of Malawi), now called the Musicians Union of Malawi.

We were pioneers, and the national executive led by Dave Mafuleka was working through our Southern Chapter.

Mr Mafuleka owned Revers Band where Ethel and Beatrice Kamwendo were band members. Their brother, Jack, was one of my best friends in music too.

Chiombo was the chair and I was his vice for the Southern Chapter. It was the main and biggest musician’s base in Malawi.

We chose the trustees for the organisation and managed to set its secretariat for the first time.

I remember we used to organise shows at the French Cultural Centre.

One time, Judah I, who was the chairman of the Rastafarian community in Malawi then, was manning the gates for payments. He came to me and said that a lady wanted to get in for free.

She said that she was a musician. I went there and met that lady. She was with her husband and a baby on her back.

She showed me her sample CD, which was not known then. She told me that she was a music artist too and wanted to get in for that show.

Ladies and gentlemen, that lady was Grace Chinga Moffat.

It was at that time that I got to know her husband. That baby on her back started going to music shows before personally knowing the musical world.

So Grace Chinga’s journey in music was a long one that many of you may not know. She started with humble beginnings.

The last time we met was when I visited her at the retail shop she owned in Limbe, the same place I last met Evison Matafale before his death.

Life is a mystery. She was a great star but started with small beginnings.

Dr. John Lwanda, the Director of Pantondo Records, a medical doctor, historian, politician, writer and one of Malawi’s great sons in the diaspora, contributed a great deal to my music.

He had my CDs, together with those of Saleta Phiri, Allan Namoko and others, done in Scotland. They were high quality CDs for the international market.

He did a great work with Derek Chalmers.

I also recited two of his poems: Ku Malindi (Vuma Mjhomba, the Eastern strong winds), a poem about the common lifestyle in Malindi, and Achambo Lunda (Kwenda Ngali Mtwe, walking without a head).

It is a Yao saying about a man who had a great catch or brought the great chambo fish, but his wife gave him the other parts and not the head.

The poems were recited in Nyanja and Yao. The traditional instrument was done by Waliko.

Jacobs Mwase, also known as Azakariya, was a good friend.

We used to sing together with the Ndirande Anglican Church choir before I moved to Bangwe township due to work transfer.

I was transferred from the Makata industrial area to Limbe, so I wanted to be near Limbe. With a cousin who was working for Commercial Bank then, we left Ndirande to live in Bangwe township.

So we sang together in that choir but also played the local drums.

Another church member used to call us Kang’oma because of those drums. After that choir, the Ndirande Anglican Voices came up.

Jacobs also knew how to play a guitar. I really miss him.

Alfred Aziz was a son of the best friend to my cousin.

The cousin raised me after my mother passed on and after primary school. He took me from Mangochi to Blantyre and Alfred Aziz came to join us later, so we were staying together in Ndirande township.

His original name was Alfred Shaibu, but we adopted the name of another Yao young man, Abdul Aziz. That was why he was popularly known as Alfred Aziz.

He was full of jokes even at home. I miss him greatly.

Ayam Mayeresa was the journalist who followed my music carefully and passionately.

He also followed my band during the time of our first album launch at Kudya. He wrote two inspiring and great posts in the Nations Newspaper about my first album and my music in general.

I will never forget about him.

You all added beauty to this artist.

To all readers: be my top fans on Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. Let’s enjoy this journey together.

George Mbendera Music.
Malawian Music Lovers.