Malawian soldier on peacekeeping mission killed in DRC

Malawi Defence Force (MDF) has announced the death of Lance Corporal Chitenji Kamanga who died Monday afternoon in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while on a peacekeeping mission.

A statement from the Force said the 28-year-old died after armed rebels attacked an MDF base where she served under the United Nations’ Stabilization Mission.

MDF acting spokesman, Major Emmanuel Kelvin Mlelemba, said MDF had lost a courageous, hardworking and disciplined female soldier.

“We express our deep and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and pray that God give them strength and courage to bear this huge loss,” wrote Mlelemba in a statement, adding that her family had been informed accordingly.

The remains of Kamanga, who hailed from Mbayani Village, Traditional Authority Machinjiri in Blantyre District, would—according to Mlelemba—be repatriated to Malawi once UN procedures were completed.

Malawi first contributed troops to UN peacekeeping in 1994. Today, it has over 900 uniformed personnel across several missions in Africa, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In 2018, four Malawian soldiers were killed in DRC after coming under attack by rebels. The four were also part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In 2019, a Malawian soldier, who gave his life to save a comrade-in-arms in a UN operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in November 2018, was posthumously awarded the highest and most prestigious recognition for UN peacekeeping on Friday.

The Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage was awarded to Private Chancy Chitete.

His family received the medal on his behalf from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

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