Richard Msowoya

Richard Msowoya (born 28 August 1962) is a Malawian politician who served as the 7th Speaker of the National Assembly and in the assembly for the Karonga Nyungwe constituency from 2014 to 2019. He was a member of the Malawi Congress Party and United Transformation Movement. He was Lazarus Chakwera's vice presidential running mate in the 2014 election

Early life and education Richard Msowoya was born on 28 August 1962. He graduated with a master's degree in supply chain management.

Career Msowoya served as Deputy Minister of Education, Minister of State, and Minister of Transport. Msowoya became vice president of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).

Msowoya was Lazarus Chakwera's vice presidential running mate in the 2014 election. During the campaign he participated in the first televised vice presidential debate in Malawi's history.

In the 2009 election Msowoya ran in the Karonga Nyungwe constituency as an independent candidate and lost to Khwauli Msiska. He defeated Msiska in the 2014 election as the nominee of the MCP.

Msowoya defeated Francis Kasaila, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), to become the 7th Speaker by a vote of 101 to 89 on 16 June 2014.

Msowoya left the MCP and joined the United Transformation Movement (UTM) on 20 July 2018. He declined to seek reelection in the Karonga Nyungwe constituency in 2019, and instead supported his daughter Luwani Msowoya. Kenneth Ndovie defeated her in the election.

Personal life A cyclist was hit and killed by Msowoya in Chisemphere in 2015, but no charges were filed against him.