MP OG Issa bails out John Chilembwe’s relation: Build a house

Parliamentarian for Chiradzulu Central Constituency, Mohammad Hamid Osman (OG Issa) has bailed out one of the country’s martyrs John Chilembwe’s great-great granddaughters, Group Village Headwoman (GVH) Kumitete who, for years, has been living in a dilapidating house not befitting her position.

Osman on Saturday handed over newly constructed house worth K5 million to GVH Kumitete at a time the country is about to commemorate the life of Chilembwe as a freedom.

 Chilembwe is celebrated as a hero of independence, and John Chilembwe Day is observed annually on January 15 in Malawi.

 Speaking during the handover ceremony, GVH Kumitete real name Daina Nthaila bemoaned how previous governments have failed to live up to their promises to construct her a better house.

 “I am grateful for such gift. I did not expect that someday I will live in such a beautiful house. Former President Bakili Muluzi once promised to construct a house for me, but it never happened,” explained GVH Kumitete.

  GVH has, for years, been living in a dilapidated house which nearly fell down in 2014/15 rainy season when one of its walls collapsed.

 Construction of the new house started in 2016 and it costed K5 million.

 Osman said was constructing other houses for other traditional leaders in the constituency apart from constructing a hospital.

 “I am happy to have managed to construct such a house. I was very concerned in the way how one of our traditional leaders has been living. It was one of my manifestos during campaign to ensure better housing for all,” said Osman.

 He said the construction of the hospital to be situated at Nguludi, will cost about K200 million.

 Reverend John Chilembwe born 1871 died on February 3, 1915. He was a Baptist pastor and educator, who trained as a minister in the United States, returning to Nyasaland in 1901. He was an early figure in the resistance to colonialism in Nyasaland (Malawi), opposing both the treatment of Africans working in agriculture on European-owned plantations and the colonial government’s failure to promote the social and political advancement of Africans.

 Soon after the outbreak of the First World War, Chilembwe organized an unsuccessful uprising against colonial rule.