He was born on 5 August 1967 in Majimbula Village, Rumphi District, Mzuzu Diocese, in Malawi.

[1][2] He studied philosophy at Saint Anthony's Seminary in Kachebere, Mchinji District, Central Region, Malawi, after which he studied Theology at the Theological Seminary in Zomba, Zomba District, Southern Region, Malawi.

He studied at Mater Dei Institute of Education, in Ireland from 1997 until 2002, graduating with a Master's degree in Religious Science from there.

On the same day, The Holy Father appointed Reverend Martin Anwel Mtumbuka, of the clergy of Mzuzu and Vice-chancellor of the Catholic University of Malawi to be the founding Bishop of Karonga.

[3] In 2021, he chided government officials for not doing enough saying "the state of the economy is negatively affecting the welfare of people, especially the rural masses who are mostly poor.