Rosemary K. Chibota was sustained as the new Primary general president of The Church of and Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the April 2026 general conference. Chibota, who will officially begin her service on Aug. 1, expressed a mix of emotions regarding her call, including feelings of inadequacy alongside great joy and peace.
Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to Malawian parents, Chibota's appointment marks the first time an African individual will lead an organization general presidency within the Church.
Chibota shared that she felt impressions of future service while finishing her time as a mission leader in the Alabama Birmingham Mission alongside her husband, Joel Chibota. She noted that these experiences strengthened her testimony regarding revelation and living prophets.
Regarding her new role, Chibota stated she is excited to serve children and looks forward to learning from them. She also shared her perspective on callings, noting that while they may seem like sacrifices, they are actually gifts from the Lord that increase a person's capacity to serve.
The new Primary general presidency will include Sister Nina M. Garfield as first counselor and Sister Theresa A. Collins as second counselor.
Chibota's path to the Church began with a childhood question about what God looks like, which eventually led her to find a pamphlet featuring Joseph Smith in 1984. She described gaining an immediate testimony of the restored gospel through that reading.
Her husband, Joel Chibota, also experienced a spiritual prompting via a dream of a building that later led him to find a meetinghouse for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The couple met through a connection involving a brother serving in England and eventually married in Bulawayo.
The Chibota family moved to Utah 22 years ago. President Chibota noted the growth of the Church in Zimbabwe, highlighting the recent dedication of the Harare Zimbabwe Temple on March 1.
