By McLloyd Kudzingo
The Vatican announced on October. 15 that the pope had chosen Reverend George Desmond Tambala, Bishop of Zomba diocese, to lead the Archdiocese of Lilongwe.
According to a statement signed by secretary general of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi Fr Henry Saindi, Bishop Tambala will continue be leading the diocese of Zomba waiting his transfer to Lilongwe Archdiocese.
“Until the Most Reverend George Desmond Tambala takes canonical possession of the
Archdiocese of Lilongwe, he will continue exercising the pastoral office of the Apostolic
Administrator of Zomba Diocese.
We have every reason to rejoice and congratulate the Archbishop-elect as through his
appointment we witness yet another indication of divine providence and the pastoral care
ofJesus Christ the Good Shepherd,” reads part of the statement.
Meanwhile President Lazarus Chakwera has congratulated Right Reverend George Desmond Tambala on his appointment as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe.
Lilongwe Archdiocese has been without an Archbishop after the death of Archbishop Tarsizius Ziyaye on December 14 last year.
Below is a brief background of Archbishop Tambala
The Right Reverend George Desmond Tambala was born in Zomba
on 11 November 1968. From 1983 to l987 he attended secondary
school at the Child Jesus Nankhunda Minor Seminary in Zomba
and later attended the Inter-Congregational Seminary of
Philosophy in Balaka. In 1990 he entered the Novitiate in the
Discalced Carmelites Order and made his first religious profession
on 31 July 1991. After his theological studies at Tangaza College
in Nairobi,he was ordained priest on 13 April 1996 at Chiphaso
Parish in Lilongwe. He completed the specialization courses at
Teresa-St John of Avila International Centre, and in 2O0O he
obtained a licentiate in theology at the Faculty of Northern Spain.
He has held the following positions:ParochialVicar in Kapiri-
Archdiocese of Lilongwe(1996-1998);Postulants Master in
Balaka and teacher of Spirituality(2000-2OO2); Provincial
Delegate Superior in the mission of the Province of San Joaquin of
Navarre in Malawi(2OO2-2008);Superior of the House of
Spirituality of Nyungwe-Blantyre.
From 2OO9 until 2015 he is
Definitor General in charge of Africa and Madagascar and the
Order of Discalced Carmelites.
On 15 October 2015 he was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of
Zomba and on 30 January 2016 he was ordained Bishop.
He speaks:English, Chichewa, Yao, Swahili, Italian, Spanish and
French.
