Memorial Prayers Commemorate Assassinated Ministers and Parliamentarian in Malawi's History
Lost History Foundation organizes memorial prayers 40 years after assassination of cabinet ministers and parliamentarian in Mwanza District, writes Draxon Maloya.
Blantyre, Malawi - The Lost History Foundation, in collaboration with the families of the deceased, is organizing memorial prayers to mark 40 years since the assassination of three cabinet ministers and a parliamentarian at Thambani in Mwanza District, writes Draxon Maloya.
The event, set to take place at the Jacaranda Cultural Centre on Sunday, May 28th, aims to celebrate the lives and contributions of these fallen heroes, whose tragic deaths paved the way for Malawi's democratic transformation.
Conleith Selenje, the Executive Director of the Lost History Foundation, emphasized that the event should not be politicized.
Its purpose is solely to appreciate the invaluable contributions made by the deceased individuals to the freedom and socioeconomic development of present-day Malawi.
"We are merely celebrating their lives, their contributions, and the democracy we enjoy today, which some people may not fully comprehend how it came to be," stated Selenje.
However, the director of the Lost History Foundation acknowledged that the families of the four politicians never received compensation, despite the establishment of the Ministry responsible for National Reconciliation.
The "Mwanza Four," consisting of cabinet ministers Aaron Gadama, Dick Matenje, Twaibu Sangala, and parliamentarian David Chiwanga, were brutally killed in 1983 under circumstances that remain unresolved to this day.
Collectively, they were vocal critics of the totalitarian rule of Kamuzu Banda.
Although the Kamuzu Banda regime officially attributed their deaths to a traffic accident, independent investigations suggest that the circumstances surrounding their demise may have been far from accidental.