Mutharika to miss Chikaonda burial, directs military honours for Malawi  ex-financial Czar

President Peter Mutharika is not going to attend the funeral of former Cabinet minister and corporate executive Mathews Chikaonda has been deferred from this Friday to an unspecified date due to other technicalities and has instead delegated minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu.

Office of the President and Cabinet says Chikaonda will be buried with full mitary honours as a former cabinet minister.

The OPC says the remains of Chikaonda are expected to arrive at Kamuzu International Airport on a date to be announced in due course.

Chikaonda died after a long battle with cancer.

Initially, the body of Chikaonda—who died on October 30 in the United States of America—was scheduled to be repatriated home through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) Thirsday before proceeding to his home, Tembetembe Village, Traditional Authority Kachindamoto at Mtakataka in Dedza for burial on Friday.

Yacinta Chikaonda, sister to the eminent economist, said new arrangements are being worked out as to when to fly out the remains, saying new dates for burial in Mtakataka will be announced later.

Chikaonda served the country in key positions as Reserve Bank Governor from 1995 before a brief stint in politics as Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development following his appointment in 2000.

In April 2002, Chikaonda—who is survived by a wife and three children—was appointed Press Corporation Limited group chief executive officer, a position he held until his retirement in December 2016.

Born on August 8 1954, he held a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in finance from the University of Massachusetts, USA; a master of business administration (MBA) from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; bachelor of arts degree from the Council for National Academic Awards at Huddersfield University in the United Kingdom and a diploma in business studies from The Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi.

He also served as professor of finance at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada between 1988 and 1994 before his appointment as RBM deputy governor in 1994.