Belekanyama becomes first Malawi minister to die from Covid-19

January 12, 2021 Wongani Chiuta -Nyasa Times 56 Comments

Minister Local Government, Lingson Belekanyama, has  been confirmed to have died of Covid-19, becoming the first minister and lawmaker in the country to succumb to the disease.

Lingson Belekanyama has died with Covid-19

Belekanyama, a conviction politician and loyal member of Malawi Congress Party (MCP), died after two weeks of illness.

Minister of Information  and government spokesman Gospel Kazako has confirmed the death of Belekanyama  who had tested positive for the virus and was on self-isolation.

He said Malawi has  lost  “a true patriot, hard worker, unifying factor and  someone very focused.”

Kazako said government will follow Covid-19 procedures in the burial of Belekanyama.

Homeland Security Minister Richard Chimwendo Banda also expressed shock with the death of Belekanyama.

“Lord have mercy on us. We have just lost our dear Minister of Local Government Hon Belekanyama,” said Chimwendo Banda.

So far, a dozen of  Ministers have tested positive for the coronavirus and death toll from the citizens continue to rise from the virus pandemic.

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56 replies on “Belekanyama becomes first Malawi minister to die from Covid-19”

  1. Stealing money does not protect you from death. All politicians should understand all money they have stolen could have been used to develop hospital and sanitary policy !

  3. We should have listened to Muntharika and taken this virus serious. Tonse alliance kwadzadza dyela. Unnecessary deaths that could have avoided.

  4. The main problem in all these deaths is the government. While we all agree that the returnees from Cape Town will now want to travel back home the General Public do not agree to accommodate them at once in all buses. South Africa is chasing them deliberately in order to spread the disease to at other Malawians also.If you carefully study it you will see a bus assuming it carries 60 people and 5 are infected can the Government release the rest 65 people back to their homes saying Muli bwino? Why could the Government not build big warehouses at the entry point of Mwanza District and feed them there for two weeks before they are released after several testing are done. There is no way one travelling from Cape Town or Johannesburg to Mwanza without contracting Coronavirus. Imagine, someone who is sick and being protected from the disease fight with the Police. You cannot travel all the way to Malawi and destroy property and leave them free.Those are criminals and must be heavily punished and their passports never been returned for they are foolish. The borders cannot be left opened like that pending for people from South Africa as such. This is not the first time for such thing to be caused and for your information few weeks from the day of their arrival the very same people you protect by using donor money will return to South Africa. Now you lie to the General Public that such infection is locally ant the truth is that all cases are intentionally imported. By the way do you know that the opposition is extremely happy with such deaths? Many of them are likes of the former government which had appointed them to that particular position like John Phuka and many at Capital Hill. All the current deaths are mcp members and non from opposition parties, they are smart and not dirt as others. Let us stick to our God to be mercy on us.

  7. Pepani.The president !! Muthetsa anthu.How can you go around 6 Countries with a multitude of people within 5 months when countries are careful with movements.

  8. They should have improved the quality of local hospitals instead of stealing money. I don’t have any regret for him

  9. This is the guy who kept the party in the wildness. People of unwavering royalty to the party. MHSRP

  13. Meanwhile, His Excellency has announced he will start a 21 day fasting and vigil parade to eradicate COVID-19 from Malawi kkkkkkkkkkkk. Africans. Koma stima imaphweka akamayendesa wina ndithu. I am surprised with all this mediocrity and lack of leadership, no one is talking now. Where is Chilima the all-wise gentleman? Where is Lucius Banda? Where is Timothy Mtambo? I mean, does the government of Malawi has any clear direction and strategy on covid? Pathetic

  14. Tonse Alliance government should swallow its pride and admit that it made grave error during campaign indicating that there was no COVID-19 in Malawi. Nob-repentance will not help us. A lot of things are going wrong in this country.

    1. This is second wave from SA (the new strain) it has nothing to do with covid 19 from last year and definitely nothing to do with campaign last year. Everyone is to blame especially the citizens. This disease is real. Avoid being in groups of more than 5 people unless you are from the same household. I’ve seen a lot of my fellow Malawians not practicing that and whatever is happening now everyone is to blame, stop pointing fingers

  15. I only heard about four Ministers, not a dozen Ministers. I would have loved to have a whole list of those Ministers that have tested positive. Could this be the reason why we are having a new Cabinet that we were promised. It’s now mid- January no one knows which Minister will pack the Pardo or who will continue enjoying free gasoline funded by my pockets. With or without Corona we went to the polls in June 2020 and now with or without corona, we should have a new Cabinet – no excuses, time is running out Mr. President.

  16. The evidence that C19 is real. We used to hear: ” There is no COVID, DPP government is adding figures to justify for inflow of donor funding”. We didn’t realize that we were fooling ourselves. You really reap what you sow. Kumva nkhwangwa iri mmutu kuja ndikumeneku.

  17. He looks overweight in the picture and likely to develop conditions that worsen Covid 19. BP and Diabetes are the killers not corona virus.

  18. Sad. Covid-19 is mostly attacking age and those with underlying issues. Malawians do not want to listen. You will see very few people wearing masks and washing hands. This is a very difficult time. Trump and Prince Charles were attacked by the virus and it knows no boundary except heaven.

  19. Where is Chilima today? He told us here Mangochi at St Augustine ground last year that Mutharika Government was lying kuti corona was in Malawi . He said why are people not dying of corona ngatidi kuli corona? Can he now rise and dispute kuti Belekanyama sanafe ndi corona?? Can he dispute kuti Maria Nkhoma sanafe ndi corona? Where is Joyce Banda who said kulibe corona? Lero we hear corona yalowa mnyumba mwao. Roy Kachale Mwana wao woyamba is bed ridden with corona. Anthu awiri awa ankalankhula motumbwa. Can they address us today kuti corona kulibe. Nanga a Lazaro lero muti chiyani poti nkhonde yalowa mu cabinet yanu ? You have about 10 ministers sick today of Covid 19.! God is punishing you guys munaonjeza. Mpata kutuma HRDC kukatenga injunction ku court against measures of preventing covid !!!The induction is still on and ma Court will sustain your will pamene Ife anthu tikutha . Nthendayi ikukanthani inu Andale . Mulungu akulangani pansi pompano .

  20. Schools should be suspended and government should lobby donors to assist in vaccine. Very surprising that the leadership is quite without any meaningful intervention to protect citizens. Mfana oganiza boo uja ali kuti? There is need for massive testing and time to open state lodges for treatment centres is now!

    1. Nonsense. It’s time to turn to your Creator not useless donors who are also dying like flies. Can’t you borrow a leaf from Tanzania? Which vaccine are they using? When shall you ever stop worshipping a white man who is also desperate for help?

      1. Europe has made similar mistakes like Malawi at the start, slow to adopt masks and other measures, same in USA. They thought maybe the problem can be contained in China. They faced terrible consequences. So why not work together, learn from each other’s experience? Western media and researchers looked at Africa for months trying to learn what Africans are doing right to have lower infection rates.

    3. stop politicizing this pandemic Anzanufe, even the most powerful countries are failing to contain this pandemic…if you have got nothing good ton say, just close your mouth you will not lose athing

    4. Why should schools only be closed? Inu mudzidya anzanu asowe chakudya? Ena ndi a phunzitsi mu ma private schools where will they get their food from?

      This calls for big minds and the president knows what he is doing. Omwe akuona ngati akuchedwa or sakutha kulamulira adzipange lockdown and those who feel life goes on should continue living.

    5. At a moment there is not enough vaccines world wide so even if we blame the president, there isn’t much he can do on vaccines.

  21. President Chakwera open your eyes, why do you still maintain Dr. Phuka as chairperson of the National Covid-19 task force when you know very well he was an appointee of Muntarika. Your predecessor was appointing people based on allegiance, Dr. Mpuka should be a DPP operative. I am very disappointed with you Mr. President. You even fail to make changes at our foreign missions. They are DPP operatives. They are currently not working for Malawi but for DPP. Work up Mr. President this is not a a church but a country, you need to be making tough decisions for the good of the population. You are surrounded by bad people sir.

    2. @So Sad. This is a typical backward thinking. You me a the president should fire person that was under past regime?

      Thus preposterous.

    3. So what is wrong with Dr Phuka? Is he injecting the virus onto people? Do you think by bringing someone things will change? Wise up man.

    4. You are very stupid and dull dude so sad. In this sombre mood we are in when you were supposed to write constructive ideas you are writing trash. Is Dr Phuka whom you allege to be a DPP operative the one causing covid 19 virus here in Malawi? I mean what’s the connection here dude?

    6. This is the dulliest comment I have ever seen in my time.If you don’t know Dr John Phuka then just shut up your rotten mouth.Dr John Phuka is a man of his own he is not an idiot like you.He is a well educated and accomplished Doctor and principled.Uchira.

  23. My suggestion is that given this situation you need to review membership of Covid-19 national task force. It a useless task force that is not using evidence to make a decision. Additionally, the President should consider appointing an all round Minister of Health preferably a Medical Doctor or an Economist. This sister of ours although a nice person she is not qualified to be a Minister of Health. You can send her to local government to replace late Hon Belekanyama MHSRIP.

    1. Don’t we have planning department in the MOH that should be putting strategies in place on how we manage Covid? Do you think by removing the current taskforce then things will work? By the way ask your president and his team to go back to the podium and apologize for uttering nuisance. The nuisance they uttered stuck in peoples brains. Up to now some idiots do not believe there is Covid due to the stupidity of your leader who never retracted after the useless Joyce said there is no Covid.

    2. U r, sick need medical help,u forgot chakwera,chilima Joyce Banda,told Malawians no covid19 in Malawi?it’s pay day now

    3. The whole government is sleeping panopo. Why are schools still opened? Really? At what point do you say enough is enough, let’s take strict measures?

      2. Joyce told the whole country there is no Covid,she told people to hug each other. She should be next, Kaya Joyce bandayo is your mother!! Uwauze. She should be next. Ndi a chitsilu

    3. Do unto others what you should expect others do unto you. Why wish others death? Even if you disagree but one can never wish another human death.

    6. Witnessing these deaths alone is enough for her to repent for insulting those who were running the country before the so called pastor.

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