Family reveals final hours before Brian Banda’s death, as mourners gather in Chileka

Relatives, colleagues and community members have gathered in Chileka, Blantyre, the home village of the late Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) director general Brian Banda, to mourn his death, as his sister offered an account of the sudden illness that preceded his passing.

Banda died in the morning hours of Saturday following a short illness. He was born in 1981 and was the eldest of eight children.

Speaking to reporters, his sister Naomi Banda said Brian had first begun complaining of vomiting at the start of the week.

“Kenako titapita nawo ku chipatala ndi pamene anawapeza ndi malungo,” she said, explaining that a subsequent hospital visit led to a malaria diagnosis.

She said his condition deteriorated sharply after dinner on Friday evening, prompting the family to rush him back to hospital, where he died the following morning.

MBC publicist Chisomo Mwamadi said Banda would be greatly missed, describing his death as a significant loss both to the corporation and to the wider media fraternity in Malawi.

Banda had built a long and distinguished career in journalism and public communication before his appointment as MBC director general in March this year.

He previously worked with Capital Radio and the Times Group, and served as press officer to two former presidents during his career in government communications.

Banda will be laid to rest on Monday at his home village in Chileka, Blantyre.

His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across Malawi’s political and media establishment, including from President Peter Mutharika, First Vice President Jane Ansah, Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman and opposition leader Atupele Muluzi, reflecting the breadth of Banda’s reach across the country’s public life during more than a decade on air.