15 Facts About Cassim Chilumpha

Cassim Chilumpha was born on 29 November 1959 and is a Malawian politician who was Vice-President of Malawi from June 2004 to May 2009.

Cassim Chilumpha was educated at primary schools within the Chisoti and Nkhotakota LEA schools and subsequently completed secondary education at Nkhata Bay Secondary School where he passed School Certificate Examinations.

Cassim Chilumpha is currently one of only five Senior Counsels in Malawi, a standard used to denote excellence in legal advocacy, comparable to King's Counsel in the United Kingdom.

Cassim Chilumpha was Minister of Defence, Education, and Justice and Attorney General in the last administration.

Cassim Chilumpha has served as Minister for the following : Defence, Education, Justice, Finance, Education, Statutory Corporations and Water.

Cassim Chilumpha was the minister of finance from 1997 to 2000.

Cassim Chilumpha was arrested at his home on 28 April 2006 for alleged treason and was transferred to custody in the capital, Lilongwe.

Cassim Chilumpha was accused of conspiring with Yusuf Matumula and Rashid Nembo to have Mutharika assassinated.

Cassim Chilumpha's lawyer said that he was seeking bail for his client, and the UDF described the arrest as political persecution.

Cassim Chilumpha said that he was facing political persecution because of his refusal to join Mutharika's party, the Democratic Progressive Party, and in court he initially refused to enter a plea.

Cassim Chilumpha sought the UDF's nomination as its presidential candidate for the 2009 election, but at the party's convention on 24 April 2008, he received only 38 votes against 1,950 votes for Bakili Muluzi.

Cassim Chilumpha was critical of the process, and this marked the beginning of his movement away from the UDF.

Cassim Chilumpha defeated UDF candidate Fahad Assani in the election.

Cassim Chilumpha then stated that he would be interested in joining Mutharika's DPP because the people had endorsed the DPP by giving it a parliamentary majority.

Cassim Chilumpha was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister of Energy and Mining on the same day.