Mary Kadzamira dies, vigil at Mama’s house: Burial Saturday in Dedza

Former State House official Mary Kadzamira died on Tuesday after a long illness,  according to family members.

Mary Kadzamira  served in various capacities under the 31 years Kamuzu Banda regime which included being Banda’s private secretary at State House when her sister Mama Cecilia Kadzamira was  Official Hostess to the founding president.

Kadzamira’s brother, Dr Zimani Kadzamira,  who was principal of the Malawi University’s Chancellor College., said Mary died at Daeyang Luke Hospital in Lilongwe.

Her remains are being kept in a morgue at the hospital until Thursday when they will be moved to Area 15 for vigil at her sister Mama Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira’s house.

A church funeral service will be held on Friday from where the funeral procession will depart for Dedza where burial is expected on Saturday at Kachenzi Estate near Chimbiya Trading Centre .

Mary Kadzamira was born on January 29 1940, according to Zimani.

During the Kamuzu regime, thr Kadzamira family which extends to former strongman  John Tembo’s family was very powerful.

Kamuzu Banda did not entertain any talk or gossip about his relationship with Kadzamira.

In fact, it became a detainable offence for anyone in Malawi to engage in talk that implied that Kadzamira was more than the official state hostess.

The relationship between the Ngwazi Banda and Mama Kadzamira was special to the extent that even after Banda was defeated in the multiparty presidential elections of 1994, Kadzamira stayed by his bedside and nursed him until his death in November 1997.