Category Archives: Obituaries

MaraviPost : most recent significant obituaries in Malawi and those affecting the Malawi Diaspora all over the world.

Malawi, Obituaries, Top News

Malawi former central bank governor Chikaonda burial Monday in Dedza

Lloyd M’bwana

 

Malawi former Finance minister  and central bank governor Professor Matthews Chikaonda will be laid to rest Monday at his home village Mtakataka in Dedza.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) Friday, the body of Chikaonda is expected to arrive in the country Sunday, November 18 2018, through Kamuzu International Airport.

“The remains will be taken to his residence in Area 43 for a brief ceremony before proceeding to Tembetembe Village, Traditional Authority Kachindamoto, Mtakataka in Dedza District. The Funeral Service will start at 12:00 Noon on Monday 19th November, 2018, followed by the Burial Ceremony at Tembetembe Village,” reads the statement.

On Thursday, President Peter Mutharika directed that the late Chikaonda be buried with full

military honours as a former Cabinet minister.

“The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Honourable Samuel Tembenu, SC, will represent His Excellency the President at the Funeral Service and Burial Ceremony. May the soul of the Late Professor Mathews Chikaonda rest in peace,” it reads.

Malawians from all walks of life including former president Bakili Muluzi described Chikaonda’s death as a shock further saying he died at a time his expertise was needed to help improve the economy of the country.

“I have known Professor Chikaonda for a long time. I called him from Canada where he was teaching at a university and worked with him as a Reserve Bank governor and he later became minister of Finance and Economic Planning,” he told The Sunday Times.

Economics Association of Malawi President Chikumbutso Kalilombe said, by looking at the key positions Chikaonda held, it is clear that he significantly contributed to the development of the country.

“Professor Chikaonda has held many key positions in the country both in the public and private sector. It is clear that he contributed significantly in the development of the country but, for us at Ecama, we will remember the guidance he gave us in his capacity as one of our trustees,” he said.

Chikaonda died surrounded by his wife Violate and children Alipao, Matthew and Alinane after a long battle with cancer.

Chikaonda’s wife, Violet, said she will remember her husband as a principled man who loved his family and gave himself to the service of Malawi.

She said Chikaonda believed in Malawi’s ability to live up to its potential.

Chikaonda, who was born in August 1954, was a distinguished financial economist with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree specialising in finance from the University of Massachusetts.

Lifestyle, Obituaries, Regional, Top News

SHOCKING!! How Nigerian pastor was killed by another pastor in power struggle

Lloyd M’bwana

This shocking story of a pastor who was killed by an evangelist who later assumed his duty as leader of the church is one that reflects grimly on today’s society.

The chilling story of the coldblooded murder of Pastor Blessed Kelechukwu Iwuanyanwu aka Apostle Blessed Kizito of Wind of Glory International Church, an Umuahia-based Pentecostal church, at first sounded like an episode in one of the Nollywood movies. But it turned out to be true.

According to dailyadvent.com, he pastor was murdered along with his assistant, Pastor Ikeagwu Kalu aka Ambassador, and women leader, Ruth Andrew Eze. The Wind of Glory International Church where Iwuanyanwu presided before his gruesome murder is a church of not more than 200 members.

It is behind the Ohokobe Hall on Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road. Part of the wall of the church is not yet plastered. The back of the church rests on the fence. It has an entrance without door, so it is always open. As at the time our correspondent visited the church, it was empty.

The incredible murder of the pastor and his lieutenants was uncovered when operatives of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Patrick Edung, on October 20, 2018, discovered the decomposing bodies of the victims.

They were found in Iwuanyanwu’s residential apartment. The pastor lived at Umuobia Housing Estate, where the other two had gathered for prayers.

It was right there in that apartment that the three met their untimely death. While the police were sniffing for clue to the murder case, the daughter of Ruth, Sweeney Andrew Eze, reported the disappearance of her mother to the Zone 9 Police Command Headquarters, Umuahia.

Sweeney reported the matter on October 16. She alleged in the report that on October 12, about 11p.m., Iwuanyanwu, who happened to be the founder and owner of Wind of Glory Ministry, came to their residence at Ehimiri Housing Estate, with her mother and shortly left with her in his SUV Infinity Jeep, marked RSH 583 HZ, to an unknown destination.

She added that the next day, October 13, when Ruth did not return as expected, she called her two mobile phone numbers, but the numbers were unreachable. It then dawned on her that something was amiss.

On October 20, she called the police and informed them that her mother had been murdered, along with Iwuanyanwu and Kalu Ikeagwu.

On October 26, detectives at Zone 9, Umuahia got information Iwuanyanwu’s SUV Infinity Jeep was sighted at the Mechanic Village, Ohiya, Umuahia South Local Government Area. The policemen swung into action.

One of the police investigators said: “The mechanic, Mr. Chibuike Peter, who was in custody of the vehicle for repairs at Ohiya, was traced to Umuokpara Police Station where he was detained over a Road Traffic Act (RTA) case. He identified the duo of Prosper Akachukwu Peter, Ikechukwu Nnadi and Fidelis Akubuokwu as those that gave him the car to repairs. They were arrested.”

During interrogation, one of the suspects, Prosper, confessed to killing the victims. He disclosed that he killed them with the assistance of three other men, who were at large.

The police found that Prosper also removed some of the personal effects of Iwuanyanwu in addition to his vehicle.

“The suspect removed the pastor’s shoes and footwear, three gold plated wristwatches, phones, dresses and cash, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards of different banks and three plasma television sets,” said the police.

Prosper said that he and the late Iwuanyanwu were from Imo State. But while he is from Mbaise, Iwuanyanwu was from Mbano. He said that the two of them were best of friends.

Prosper said:

“We both attended the same secondary school and started our gospel ministries together. We were both preachers. Iwuanyanwu was my childhood friend and we were also co-pastors. When he was having challenges in growing his church I took him to a native doctor in Ondo State to get charms to attract members to his church. The charms also help him to perform miracles. I also gave him N100,000 to support him during the trip.

“We started the process in 2013 and we have been going to the shrine to renew the charm every year since then. But when the charm started working and Iwuanyanwu started making money, he forgot me. Whenever I called him for financial assistance, he would tell me not to disturb him, which was why I decided to attack and collect some of his personal belongings.”

According to him, he sat down and planned how to get back at Iwuanyanwu. He hit on a plan and decided to see it through. He hired three assassins from Aba to help him execute his plan.

“I hired three boys from Aba to attack the pastor. We trailed him to his house when he was going home and laid an ambush for him. We waited until midnight, when we knew he would return home,” Prosper said.

The suspect contradicted himself when he said:

“I was outside when the boys started the operation. They invited me in when they were through with the operation. I entered and found out that they had killed Iwuanyanwu and the two other people in the house.”

He had earlier said: “When I was about attacking the pastor, the assistant pastor saw me. He called my name and asked me why I was doing that. I went after him in the other room because he saw me. I also went after the women leader because she heard when the assistant pastor called out my name.”

According to people that know Prosper, he is the only son of his parents, but is disposed to criminal ways. It was further alleged that Iwuanyanwu started avoiding Prosper because he was no longer comfortable with his criminal ways.

It was learnt that because of pressure from Prosper, Iwuanyanwu finally agreed to meet him at Shoprite Umuahia, from where Iwuanyanwu took him to his house and fed him with noodles.

After Iwuanyanwu took Prosper to his home, it was easier for the latter to later trace the house.

After murdering Iwuanyanwu, Ruth and Kalu, the suspect helped himself to some of Iwuanyanwu’s property. He took some of the items to his father, presenting to him as gifts. The father, a battery charger, based in Aba, refused to accept the ‘gifts.’

After he was rejected by his father who doubted the source of the sudden change of fortune, he went to his father-in-law at Obowo in Imo State and invited his in-laws to celebrate with him.

There, he left two of the Plasma television sets, rice and cash for his father -in-law and his (Prosper’s) wife, Precious, who he does not live with.

A police source disclosed: “The suspect had no residential address. He lives in hotels and moves from place to place. After killing the victims, Prosper went to Iwuanyanwu’s house the next morning with the bodies still lying in their blood, took his bath and changed into Iwuanyanwu’s clothes. He was answering calls to Iwuanyanwu’s phone.

“He posed as Pastor Iwuanyanwu, replying to inquiries about his whereabouts and health. He told callers that he was praying or attending to programmes. That was why Iwuanyanwu’s church members could not discover on time that he had been killed. By the time the members discovered Iwuanyanwu’s corpses and the other two, they were already decomposing.”

Police further found out that Prosper, after the murder, threw his footwear over the fence of Iwuanyanwu’s house. The footwear was discovered by the police search team. He was also discovered to have calmly gone through the collection of Iwuanyanwu’s clothes after the murder, picked one tickled his fancy and wore it. Prosper then went out to bring an auto electrician to start the SUV for him.

“He lied to the auto electrician that the SUV key fell into dirty water. This was probably to cover the fact that the key fell into the blood. He was shamelessly using the pastor’s SUV, dresses, including his shoes, crucifix and staff before he was arrested,” the source said.

 

Malawi, Obituaries, Regional, Top News

Malawi soldiers’ death toll rise to six in DRC peace keeping mission

Maravi Post Reporter

Two more Malawian peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been killed, as the death toll reached six, with other nursing life threatening injuries, the Malawi Defence Force said on Friday.

MDF public information officer Paul Chiphwanya said apart from the four that were announced on Thursday to have been killed, two more were confirmed dead.

Chiphwanya identified the fallen soldiers as Lieutenant Aubrey Kachemwe, 35, from Moyale Barracks in Mzuzu and Corporal Jonathan Kapichiri, 36, from Parachute Battalion in Salima.

“I can confirm that the death toll has reached to six. It has been incredibly sad,” said Chiphwanya.

Meanwhile, the tributes have poured in including political leaders describing it “tragic news.”

The first thing that leapt out when the Malawian military released the first four men’s identities was their ages. Chauncy Chitete and Benjamin Nsongela (from Moyale Barracks in Mzuzu were just 29, while Simplex Taferakoso of Changalume Barracks in Zomba was 31 and Steven Kambalame was 38 from Malawi Armed Forces College (Mafco) in Salima.

They were killed after a rebel ambush of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group blamed for a series of attacks.

President Peter Mutharika, who is also Commander-In-Chief of the MDF, expressed sorrow and paid tribute to the fallen soldiers.

The MDF spokesman said the military “has lost courageous, hardworking and disciplined soldiers who were always ready to serve to ensure that peace prevails.”

The remains of the Malawian soldiers would be repatriated when the United Nations had completed procedures after the incident, according to MDF spokesman.

Chiphwanya said the families of the fallen soldiers have been informed about their fate.

Lifestyle, Obituaries, Regional, Top News

CIA concludes Saudi Crown Prince Ordered Khashoggi murder

Lloyd M’bwana

The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the country’s consulate in Istanbul last month, The Washington Post reported Friday.

 

The agency has high confidence in its assessment, the newspaper reported.

 

The CIA reportedly examined multiple sources of intelligence in reaching its conclusion, including a call between the crown prince’s brother Khalid bin Salman and Khashoggi.

 

Khalid, who is the Saudi ambassador to the U.S., reportedly told Khashoggi, who was a columnist for The Post, that he should go to the country’s consulate in Istanbul to get documents for his marriage to a Turkish woman, offering assurances that he would be safe.

 

People familiar with the call, reportedly intercepted by U.S. intelligence, told The Post that it wasn’t clear if Khalid knew Khashoggi would be killed when he returned to the consulate, but said that he made the call at the direction of his brother.

Malawi, Obituaries, Top News

CHANCO Pregnant student dies in her room

Maravi Post Reporter
ZOMBA-(MaraviPost)-A third year student from Chancellor College, a constituent college of the University of Malawi (UNIMA) was on Wednesday found dead in her room.
The deceased student has been identified as Tadala who was pregnant approximately seven months.
According to information at hand, the student is believed to have died of High Blood Pressure.
Malawi, Obituaries, Top News

Tragedy: Four MDF soldiers killed in DRC

Maravi Post Reporter
Four soldiers of the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) have been killed while serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
MDF Spokesperson Paul Chiphwanya confirmed of the development in a statement made available to The Maravi Post.
Chiphwanya has identified the deceased as are Sgt. Steven Kambalame, Private Chauncy Chitete, Private Benjamin Nsongela and Private Simplex Taferakaso.
According to Chiphwanya , the four soldiers were killed on Wednesday during an attacked launched by the rebel group in DRC.
He said the bodies of the four will be repatriated back to Malawi after the United Nations finalizes all the requirements.
Malawi, Obituaries, Top News

Tragedy:Four Dowa Children die in clay mining

Maravi Post Reporter
A sombre mood on  Wednesday  morning engulfed  residents of Masula village in the area of Traditional Authority  (T.A) Kayembe in Dowa after four children died after a wall fell on them as they were extracting clay from an earth mound.
According to Mponera police spokesperson Kondwani Kandiado, the four deceased are all girls between the ages of  4-5 years.
Kandiado explained that  on November 14 this year around 8:00 am the children left their homes to search for clay at a time when their parents were away.
When they arrived at the mound, the children started playing and entered the cave dug on the mound when suddenly the walls fell on all of them and they died on the spot.
“A cowboy who was passing by the area of the incident alerted villagers having noticed that the walls has fallen and elbow of a human being was protruding from the rubble.
“Villagers had to rush to the scene of the incident in a desperate attempt to rescue the four children”, Kandiado said.
He added; “The villagers had to evacuate the children and rushed them to Nambuma Mission hospital where hospital officials confirmed that the four children had died due to suffocation”.
Meanwhile, police are advising parents to take care of their children to avoid a repeat of such an incident.
The deceased hailed from Masula village in T.A Kayembe in Dowa.
Malawi, Obituaries, Opinion

My Take On It: Let there be timely and equal remembrance of all War veterans, ex-service persons

Janet Karim 2 Comments

3And the king said, “What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this?” Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, “There is nothing done for him.”… 8“Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: 9And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. Esther 6:3, 8-9, KJV

 

On 28 June 1914, a Bosnian Serb Yugoslav nationalist, Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Austro-Hungarian heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, that led to the July Crisis. In response, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia on 23 July, but Serbia’s reply failed to satisfy the Austrians. The two moved to a war footing and July 28, 2014, war broke that soon spread to other parts of Europe. Then from 1939 to 1945, the world again was at war. Known as World War II, it was precipitated by an aggressive Germany under Adolf Hitler, that embarked on annexing neighboring countries in the desire to getting “a window to the sea.”

Both wars involved over 100 million soldiers from Europe, the United States, and colonies owned by Britain, France and Germany. Millions lost their lives, limbs, sight, mental health, livelihoods; the military personnel and soldiers that survived, have been honored annually with parades held on the day the first World War ended, November 11, 1918.

The grand bandstand commemoration, while being a hugely pomp-ish affair in the cities and capitals of the Allies around the world, it has always been a low-keyed, somber one, especially here in Malawi. There were many soldiers from Africa, Malawi, that joined British, French and American soldiers to go and fight to squash the villainous countries that threatened global peace.

A great big sigh of relief, coupled with the cynical “It’s about time” commentaries when on November 11, 2018, British High Commissioner to Malawi, Holly Tett announced that her government would increase its money to Malawi’s 440 veterans. They are among 7,000 who participated in both wars. This increase is given, according to Tett, to prevent the veterans and ex-servicemen and women, from suffering from hunger and poverty.

The assistance comes from the Department of International Development (DfID).

Last year the Malawi Defense Force, in a move to do something for the men that bravely joined in the war effort, changed the name of the organization that looks after the welfare of the two great wars, from CELOM (Commonwealth Ex-service League of Malawi) to VELOM (Veterans and Ex-service Members League of Malawi.

Malawi’s remaining heroes include Sgt John Masanya and Staff Sgt Mang’anda, whom Tett acknowledged that she and her government appreciate their service during the world wars. But the renaming of CELOM to VELOM, embraces servicemen and women that served in the Malawi Defense Force and retired.

 

These are awesome moves, inclusive, and long overdue. While I saw CELOM assist in the welfare of veterans of the global wars, they were wars that technically had nothing to do with then Nyasaland, as Malawi was known then, and such help always came with labouriously lengthy processes and persistence by my mother, as she fought for the rights of her late brother’s children and widow’s upkeep and schooling.

I learned how to spell Timbuktu as a young elementary student because that was one of the areas my Uncle Tennyson Chikankheni, was one of the many stations he was posted.

Late Uncle Tennyson Chikankheni Sr., who fought in World War II as part of the King’s African Rifles and wore his uniform with pride up to the 1960’s before his retirement, and when Nyasaland became an independent country, Malawi.

During his tenure in the KAR, he toured Burma (Myanmar) Malaysia, Germany, and Timbuktu. To this list of family members, I add Late Uncle Lemson Chanthunya, and Late Uncle Steven Phombeya.

While veterans in the US, UK, Europe, and other parts of the developed world enjoy a boisterous after the war life of mostly elevated lifestyle, that of the men who left their family, country and continent, to fight in a war that they did not understand, involve them or thank them until 100 years later.

If the fight of 1914 to 1918 and 1939 10 1945, were for the greater good of mankind, peace and the routing out of all evil, it is grossly ironic because all the good that the war was ferociously fought for, the bounty of the wars remained in the West and has not trickled to the countries that sent soldiers, many of whom were tasked with the miserable tasks of war.

This is despite all the November 11 pomp and pageantry the day is according to cities and capitals around the world. In Malawi, as in much of other African countries, veterans of the two world wars, the Korean War, have lived close to the fringes of poverty; up to the time former President Kamuzu Banda ordered that decent houses be built for the veterans in Zomba, they had lived in thatched houses.

Subsequent presidents have also endeavored to show their appreciation, acknowledging their level of service. The contribution from the UK of 118 Pounds Sterling to each of the VELOM men, will be a boost for the Vets, something that will ensure they have two meals a day.

My family currently has two war heroes – Tennyson Chikankheni Jr. (DRC), Chifundo Chintsanya, and Mo Karim (Afgan, Germany, and Middle East).

Our men and women in uniform are our pride and joy, they defend us and secure the integrity of our national borders. Our timely appreciation and support, material and spiritual is paramount and must be prioritized.

The fact that it has taken the UK 100 years to step up their contribution to higher levels is overdue. The appreciation that the high commissioner expresses, is appreciated, but the length of time it has taken for this to be given and the discrepancies between Malawi soldiers and UK soldiers is depressing.

Global democracy was fought and has been guaranteed by dedicated soldiers; all the soldiers must be compensated in an equally and timely manner.

Obituaries

Remains of Killed Malawian in Ireland to be repatriated on Wednesday

MaraviPost
Malawi national Limbani “Robert” Mzoma
Remains of killed Malawi national to be repatriated on Wednesday
Limbani ‘Robert’ Mzoma was stabbed to death in Foxrock
Wed, Nov 14, 2018, 10:13
Vivienne Clarke
 

The remains of killed Malawi national Limbani “Robert” Mzoma will be repatriated to Malawi on Wednesday. Friends and family who contributed to a GoFundMe page had raised up to €5,480 of a target of €7,000 by Tuesday afternoon.

The organiser of the page, John Paul Chirwa told The Irish Times that there is just enough money to cover the undertaker’s fees for repatriation. “It is an expensive process. We have enough for partial payment and when the rest is raised we will pay it off.”

Grace Miano (50) is charged with murdering Mr Mzoma (27) in Tudor Lawns in the south Dublin suburb of Foxrock on the night of November 1st, last. Ms Miano, who is originally from Kenya, lived at the house with Mr Mzoma who had suffered stab injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

On the GoFundMe page Mr Chirwa had written: “In honour of the late Robert Limbani Mzoma who was murdered in Ireland in a murder that has shocked the nation, we the friends and family of Robert are fundraising for the repatriation of our brother and friend back home to his final resting place to find peace.

“We would appreciate any donation so he can finally be with his family.

“No one should have to die this way. Rest in peace, Robert.”

Funeral

Mr Mzoma’s remains are scheduled to arrive in Malawi on Thursday where they will be met by his family who will organise a funeral at a later stage.

Mr Chirwa said that a memorial service was held in Balally Church, Dundrum last Saturday which was attended by members of the Malawian and Irish communities.

Mr Mzoma had been living in Ireland since 2013 and was due to return to Malawi next year.

The woman accused of murdering Mr Mzoma in a house in Foxrock was deemed medically unfit to appear in court last Friday.

The accused was due to appear at a case management hearing at Dún Laoghaire District Court last Friday but she was deemed to be unfit to attend by the medical team in the Dóchas women’s prison, where she is being held.

She was remanded in continuing custody and will appear again in four weeks’ time.

Source: Irishtimes.com

Malawi, Obituaries

logistics challenges shift Malawi former central governor Chikaonda’s remains arrival

Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-logistics challenges have shifted the arrival of  former Malawi central bank governor and Finance minister Professor Matthews Chikaonda’s remains.

The late Chikaonda’s body was  expected to arrive in the country this coming Thursday on November 15 2018.

The late Chikaonda’s family  told Zodiak radio that the repatriation date has been shifted due to logical challenges that need to be worked on.

Chikaonda, who also served as Reserve Bank of Malawi governor and group chief executive officer of Press Corporation Limited died on October 30 2018 at Loma Linda University Medical Centre in the United States.

Malawians from all walks of life including former president Bakili Muluzi described Chikaonda’s death as a shock further saying he died at a time his expertise was needed to help improve the economy of the country.

Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) President Chikumbutso Kalilombe said, by looking at the key positions Chikaonda held, it is clear that he significantly contributed to the development of the country.

“Professor Chikaonda has held many key positions in the country both in the public and private sector. It is clear that he contributed significantly in the development of the country but, for us at Ecama, we will remember the guidance he gave us in his capacity as one of our trustees,” he said.

Chikaonda died surrounded by his wife Violate and children Alipao, Matthew,and Alinane after a long battle with cancer.

Violet said she will remember her husband as a principled man who loved his family and gave himself to the service of Malawi.

She said the late Chikaonda believed in Malawi’s ability to live up to its potential.

Chikaonda, who was born in August 1954, was a distinguished financial economist with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree specialising in finance from the University of Massachusetts.