The family of the fallen Flames’ legend Esau Kanyenda says it has respected the wish he made to be buried in England.
The 43-year-old succumbed to liver cancer on Tuesday morning at his home in Sheffield, England.
| Courtesy of Mighty Wanderers.
The deceased’s brother, Christopher, said in an interview yesterday that although some family members were of the view that his body should be repatriated home, they had to go by his wish.
“So, after a lengthy meeting spanning hours, it has been resolved to respect Esau’s wish to be buried in the UK,” he said.
However, Christopher said they were yet to determine the actual place and date for burial.
He said: “That will be determined later after other processes are carried out and it could be later today [yesterday].
“We have also been informed by family members that funeral ceremonies in the UK are conducted during weekends, but we do not have much time between now and this coming weekend to finalise the required processes, so this coming weekend is definitely out of the picture.
“We will be guided by family members who are there.”
Christopher said in the meantime, mourners are gathered at their sister’s residence for a vigil in Area 25 Sector 8 in Lilongwe.
Ministry of Youth and Sports has since said it respects the family’s decision.
The ministry’s spokesperson Macmillan Mwale said: “We mourn with the family, friends, the football fraternity and all those affected by Esau’s death.
“We respect the decision and as government, we are ready to offer support to ensure that he is buried in a dignified manner befitting his status.”
Meanwhile, South African football icon Jomo Sono, who provided Esau the platform to scale lofty heights after signing him at his then Premier Soccer League side Jomo Cosmos in 2001, described him as a complete striker “who could have played for any team at the peak of his career”.
In an interview from Johannesburg yesterday, Sono, considered as one of the best players to emerge in the rainbow nation, said: “What a player! He was an unbelievable goal-scorer who made the art of scoring goals look so easy.
“I signed him for Cosmos when I saw him playing for Malawi [National Football Team] and I did not have to think twice. He never let me down.
“He was also a good human being, so humble and down to earth even when he was playing at top level in Europe.”
Sono said he was not surprised when he learnt of Esau’s death “because we were in constant touch and he opened up to me about being diagnosed with liver cancer and that he was not in good health. I cheered him up everytime we spoke”.
He said: “Sad that the fella is gone. He was such a nice kid.”
President Peter Mutharika and First Lady Getrude led Malawians in mourning the football legend through a condolence statement on Tuesday evening.
Part of the statement, read: “His death has robbed Malawi of a true son of the soil and a man who devoted his energy to raising our national flag high across Africa and Europe, where he starred for Russian Football Club, Rostov.
“At the height of his career, Kanyenda played a pivotal role in securing Malawi’s qualification for the Angola 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, a proud milestone in our football history.
“Even after retiring from active play, he remained a guiding voice for local football administrators, demonstrating unwavering dedication and commitment to the growth of the sport in our country.
“As we mourn his passing, the First Lady and I extend our deepest condolences to the Kanyenda family during this difficult moment. Rest in peace, legend Esau.”
He is survived by a wife and five children.
