By Durell Namasani
The month of June, 2024 will go in the history of the country as one of the saddest months in Malawi.
In this month which has just ended on Sunday, Malawi lost many of its prominent and dedicated sons and daughters.
The month started with the death of veteran Broadcaster cum Actor Hope Chisanu who died on 1st June in United States of America.
Chisanu was a popular broadcaster at the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and was one of Malawi’s finest Actors and Director of Ceremonies
Chisanu starred in notable films such as Shame Joya’s “Seasons of Life”, “The Last Fishing Boat” as well as “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” and “Is the President Dead?.”
On June 7, Malawi also lost one of the brilliant lawyers in the country, Ralphael Kasambara. Kasambara was found dead at a Lodge in Lilongwe.
Then the mother of all tragedies occured on June 10, 2024 as the country lost the Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight other compatriots including the former First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri.
Chilima and the rest of the team died in an aeroplane crash in Chikangawa Forest, Mzimba district when he was going to attend Kasambara’s burial ceremony in Nkhatabay district.
Apart from the death of these people, the month of June was also characterised with numerous road accidents claiming so many lives across the country.
The month of June also saw the passing on of Reverend Killion Mgawi who died on June 23, 2024.
Reverend Mgawi was the first General Secretary for Nkhoma Synod and was also one of the pioneers of Students Christian Organisation of Malawi (SCOM).
At some point he served as Commissioner of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) as well as Board Chairperson for MACOHA.
On June 25 death showed its ugly face again; this time around taking the life of renowned graphics designer and hip-hop artist Kennedy Mwenya popularly know in music circles as “Spyral.”
Spyral died in Mzuzu following a road accident that occurred when he was coming from a funeral ceremony of one of his relatives.
Just when we thought June was going to end better, death came to take the lives of two of Malawi’s well known personalities on the last day of the month.
In the wee hours of June 30, Malawi lost one of popular preachers Bishop Charles Watison Kapenga, farther to hip-hop artist Waxy Kay.
Kapenga who was the founder of Believers Assembly International Church, died at Queen Elizabeth hospital where he was admitted for almost a month.
As if that was not enough, in the evening of June 30, news broke out that Malawi’s legendary musician Lucius Banda was no more.
Coincidentally, the message of Banda’s death, came at a time when people in his home district, Balaka and surrounding areas, gathered for a candlelighting ceremony in commemoration of the life of Saulos Chilima who was also the leader of UTM, a political party which Lucius Banda belonged.
This is how Malawians ended the month of June which has left people with a lot of scars and painful memories.
After all is said and done we will remember the month of June as one of the most depressing month in the history of the country.
