Born in Mzuzu,[1] Mkandawire came to England aged three, with his English mother and Malawian father and was brought up in Rugby, Warwickshire.

Mkandawire was a trainee at West Brom for five seasons but did not make an appearance for the first team due to the lack of opportunities at the club at the time.

Despite an improved contract offer in December 2006, which reportedly would have made him the highest earner in the club's history, he decided that his future lay elsewhere.

[3] Dubbed one of the best young centre backs in the Football League, he made his Orient debut in a 2–1 win at Southend United on 11 August 2007.

[10] He was named club captain by manager Graham Turner,[11] and made his Shrewsbury debut against Milton Keynes Dons on 3 August 2013.

[13][14] The North American Soccer League's Tampa Bay Rowdies signed Mkandawire on 4 July 2014, along with Argentine striker Luciano Olguín.

General manager Perry Van der Beck hopes Mkandawire will add poise and experience to the Rowdies' back line.