Beloved Malawian musician Francis Phiri, popularly known as Lawi, has announced his engagement but not to his long-time partner many fans had expected.
On Sunday, Lawi shared photos from his engagement ceremony with his new fiancée, captioning the post with: “Mama” in Awilo’s voice & I, followed by love emojis.
The announcement took many by surprise, with fans flooding the comments section asking questions about the identity of his bride-to-be. Many noted that she was not Chantelle Phiri, the woman long associated with the artist.
“I thought he is married to Chantelle Phiri. Who is she?” one fan asked, while another wrote: “Eeeeh people, let her celebrate her moment. Imagine at your engagement people bringing up your man’s ex.”
Lawi did not respond to the comments, leaving the speculation to swirl among his followers.
The singer was last publicly seen with Chantelle in 2018, when he staged a memorable performance at Comesa Hall in Blantyre on Easter Monday. At the time, he surprised the audience by proposing to her on stage a moment fans still remember vividly.
Now, years later, Lawi has turned a new chapter in his personal life, sparking curiosity and conversation across social media.