The Maravi Post

MZUZU--President Dr Joyce Banda on Tuesday led thousands of Malawians in paying their last respects to Senior Chief Chapananga at his headquarters in Chikhwawa.

 The Senior Chief died on March 1 at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Blantyre after a short illness.

In her eulogy, the President expressed her sorrow explaining that she had known the late Chapananga way before he was a chief while she was working at Chitukuko Cha a Mai M’Malawi (CCAM), later on as she was doing businesses in Chikhwawa and also when she was in the United Democratic Front party.

“In 2003 when I used to be one of the top UDF officials, with other members we used to come here and we could operate right from this very house doing party work,” explained the President.

In addition, Dr Banda explained that she was very grateful for the role that the Senior Chief played as the Vice Chair for the Chiefs’ Council’s Safe Motherhood Initiative.

“At the time I was selecting traditional leaders for this council, I never had any knowledge of the characteristics of the leaders in the country as such I had chosen those I had worked with before, and he was one of those and to date, I have never been disappointed with his work,” she said.

The President then expressed gratitude to all the traditional leaders from across the country who also came to pay their last respects to the late Senior Chief, saying their coming indicated that Chapananga was in good relationship with other chiefs.

On that note, she asked traditional leaders especially from Chikhwawa to support the bereaved family as they will be selecting another person for the chieftaincy and the family to maintain peace and order during the period.

Earlier on, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Grace Maseko also asked the bereaved family to maintain peace and order observing that Chikhwawa is one of the districts that is not characterized by chieftaincy wrangles.

“I believe we will not be served with court injunctions when time to install a new Senior Chief comes,” said Maseko.

Maseko explained that currently there were over 60 chieftaincy wrangles in the country a situation she described as delaying development work in the country.

In her eulogy to the Senior Chief, she described Chapananga as development centered citing examples such as the establishment of Chapananga rural growth center and construction of Chapananga-Chikhwawa road as some of the works that he personally asked Government to consider for his area.

She also added that due to his knowledge of the area, Chapananga was elected as Presidential advisor for chiefs in the lower shire.

Senior chief Chapananga was born Lucius Kalima Chapananga from Lundu Village on June 17 in 1957, he was installed T/A in 1996 and he was elevated to Senior Chief in 2004.

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