Friday Jumbe

Friday Anderson Jumbe (born 4 April 1955) is a Malawian economist and politician who served in the government of Malawi as Minister of Finance and Economic Planning under President Bakili Muluzi, representing the United Democratic Front.

Jumbe studied economics and political science and obtained a bachelor's degree in 1977 from the University of Malawi, Chancellor college. He obtained a post graduate diploma in project planning and appraisal from University of Bradford in 1980. In 1985 he obtained a Masters of Science degree in Finance and banking for Development from Fianafrica in Milan, Italy. In 2013 he is pursuing his dissertation for a Doctoral degree in Finance from Exploits University, aprivate institution of higher learning in Malawi. His PhD research work is on the Malawi economy and its performance under aid packages from donors and multilateral institutions.

Jumbe worked as a projects analyst inMalawi Development Corporation in 1977. He wasGeneral manager of National Oil Industries for seven years, and Agricultural Marketing and Chief executive OfficerDevelopment Corporationfor eight years. He headed boards of the Illovo Sugar Corporation, theNational Bank of Malawi, and Auction Holdings Ltd and Finance Corporation of Malawi. He also served on various boards of private companies between 1985 and 2002.

Jumbe was elected Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu Central Constituency. In 2002 he was appointed Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and held the post until 2004.

In 2004, Jumbe was arrested in connection with his alleged mismanagement of Malawi's strategic reserve of maize.

In 2009, Jumbe was interim leader of the Malawi Congress Party.

In 2012, Jumbe became acting President of the United Democratic Front, but subsequently alleged that Bakili Muluzi had not given him access to the party's finances, that he had therefore had to run the party with his own funds, and that this had been a ploy with the goal of preparing Muluzi's son Atupele Muluzi to take power.

In 2013, he was the leader of the New Labor Party. Also that year he faced bankruptcy proceedings related to a refusal to pay legal fees.

In February 2014, Jumbe formally announced his intention to run for President of Malawi.