Malawi veteran politician Robinson Watayachanga Chirwa dies at 86
Man of the North, veteran politician and former minister in one party state, Robson Watayachanga Chirwa has died,his family has confirmed.
The former cabinet minister, who served under dictator Kamuzu Banda and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) , died at Lilongwe Private Clinic midday on Tuesday surrounded by family members.
He was born on 29 October, 1931.
The family spokesperson, Mayor Chirwa, said the veteran politician had died of hypertension.
“He died today at his son’s hospital –Lilongwe Private Clinic – at Area 10. We are greatly saddened with his death because over the years, this man has been a pillar and a source of wisdom to the family,” said Chirwa.
He served in different portfolios in Kamuzu regime such Minister of Transport and Communication , Regional Minister for the North, Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister Without Portfolio (Minister of State in the President’s Office) and Administrative Secretary of the MCP.
Chirwa’s highs in his long political journey includes being in charge of the country in a presidential council alongside his counterparts the late Gwanda Chakuamba, and John Tembo when Dr. Kamuzu Banda was incapacitated and admitted before being flown out to South Africa’s Garden City Clinic.
He went to school at Luwerezi and Loudon Mission (now Embangweni) and then got selected to Dedza Secondary School where he qualified for his full secondary school certificate.
He then enrolled for a teaching course and was posted to Livingstonia Mission in Rumphi where he taught at a secondary school.
Chirwa also studied at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the United Kingdom.
After Malawi adopted multiparty democracy, Chirwa quite frontline politics.
Watachanga Chirwa was also one of the founders and pillars of the Mzimba Heritage Association; a grouping of all Ngoni’s under the Inkosi ya Makosi Mbelwa.
Malawi has lost a patriot who served the nation selflessly, said MCP president and Leader of Opposition Lazarus Chakwera in paying his tribute.
Chakwera said he was “deeply shocked” by the death of Watayachanga Chirwa.
Chirwa is survived by a wife, six children and grandchildren.
The family spokesperson indicated he will be buried at Yoram Chirwa Village in traditional authority Mabulabo in Mzimba at a date yet to be agreed.
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Kent YG Mphepo you are the man!!!!! Please keep it up and pliz write again.
Lets learn to give credit where it is due. it does not mean anybody who worked under kamuzu is evil, likewise not all who worked with bingu have the evil blood of cashgate in their hands.
May God forgive us for our backward thinking
Big ups kamulepo these guys must be born free the late is one of the guys who were beating us during there time of kamuzu and now you telling us that he is a hero hero for what killing innocent people think again but for some of us we can forgive but we will not forget sorry Malawians but lets not call everyone a hero just because he is dead politician must earn the heroism I know that people try to talk good things about the dead that’s why we are pulling this country backwards akakhala wakuba munthu tiyeni tikambe… Read more »
Kent, you should have realised that the post you have responded to was not from the honourable himself. Read the name again. Are you sure you are busy bursting and responding to satirical names. Nobody can put his real name here. And even if the name resembles someone’s, still treat the post as not coming from that real person. Treat caricature as such.
Kent wapurika?
Mr Chirwa was a kind man and helped a lot of students from Northern region materially. May his soul rest in peace. God will judge each one of us according to our deeds. No need for judgement here. Pumulani mu mtende winu Gogo.
Fellow Malawians, lets be peaceful and logical. You mean this is the way we should comment on the departed parents. May God reward us accordingly. Rest in peace gogo Chirwa- some of us admire your life.
As an Educational Attaché, he selflessly assisted me in organising practical training for me. MHSRIP
What a loss to us northerners ! I remember when Kamuzu visited Kaweche and gogo watayachanga used to welcome him like this : Ngwazi, Mlongozgi withu wakutemweka, Chilela Walanda Ise tose Tawanthu Wakuno Kumpoto Tikumupokelelani namawoko ghawili ( sp ) Mawoko Umo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gogo Watayachanga never killed anybody under MCP He was only serving the govt of that time !!!!! Infact pple like JZ were after him because Kamuzu liked him so much as Gogo Watachanga was a pricipled man !!!!!!!!!!!!! Ndiye ma coments enayo mwalemba concerning gogo are ultra rubbish . May the Soul of gogo Watayachanga rest in… Read more »
Kent mutu wako sugwira ntchito konse ayi. Izi walembazi ndiye ukuti zingapangitse muntu kukhala hero? If you personaly know your robson and his sons ndiye basi akhale hero? Does working with kamuzu make anybody a great man? Kent, this is Foolish kind of writing.
Robson akapume…….we suffered enough under these MCP mafias. Inensotu ndine wamvula zakale and I know what I have written.
Kodi atumbuka mumasowa ma hero eti! Nkhalamba iliyonse itafeyo basi ikhale hero?
Dear Hon. Kamlepo Kalua, I understand your feelings about Kamuzu and the one-party system and late Dada Robson Chirwa. I know your political history and I understand why you think like this. It’s sad that I seem to have stepped on your toes. I, however, have no reason for apologizing to you Sir, for having praised the man I consider “a national hero” who, unfortunately or fortunately, was not to you. I still remember that when you Sir, were fighting for multi-party politics in this country, you wanted us to have the freedom of speech and opinion that we are… Read more »
In everything that some of you have written here, I fail to see a hero in Robson. Is delivering mail to statehouse heroic? Or does serving the dictator kamuzu banda signify heroism? Akapume basi. Anatizunza kokwanira agalu amenewa during MCP leadership. Mxiii!
Thanks Mr mphepo for sharing with us some biography of the man. May his soul rest in peace!!!