BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Former Cabinet minister Harry Thomson has died this morning in South Africa.
Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara has confirmed about Thomson’s death.
Muhara said in a statement today that details of funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
Thomson served as the Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs in the Bakili Muluzi administration.
He was also a former Member of Parliament for Chikwawa North.
He left the then ruling United Democratic Front after Muluzi picked Bingu wa Mutharika as UDF presidential candidate for the 2004 elections.
Thompson was Chairperson of Malawi Confederated Chamber of Commerce; Muluzi was his Deputy.
When multiparty talks were held in Lusaka and USF formed, Thomson gave way for Muluzi (citing Malawi was not ready for a coloured President).
Thomson was Secretary General of UDF and held several ministerial positions.
The break with UDF came when Muluzi Hand-picked Mutharika as UDF candidate in 2004 election (most undemocratic convention)
At convention Thomson was manhandled and pushed out of convention hall along with Aleke Banda, both of whom were contesting against Mutharika.
Having been banished from the convention, Mutharika sailed through “unopposed.”
Thomson went back to private practice, but won his first seat in parliament in the last (check the dates) election on independent ticket.
He has three children (Oscar FM 101 director), and two daughters. His last born son Ian, died tragically in a car accident in 1995 on May 31. He had been the national break dance champion.
