A prominent member of the Kamuzu family, Ken Kandodo, has refused to disclose who excluded former president Lazarus Chakwera from Thursday’s Kamuzu Day commemorations.
This silence leaves a critical question unanswered: who exactly barred the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leader?
the function on Thursday
A government statement issued yesterday claimed the decision came directly from Kandodo and the Kamuzu family.
The State described Kamuzu Day as “a day for national unity, not partisan contestation.”
However, in a telephone interview yesterday, Kandodo would neither confirm nor deny the family’s involvement.
“I cannot say anything more because the rest is just political noise,” Kandodo said.
The government statement attempts to shield the administration from political fallout. It explicitly shifts responsibility to the late president’s relatives.
“The decision to exclude the MCP was made by Hon. Kandodo and the Kamuzu family,” the official statement reads. “Government had nothing to do with it.”
The press release, signed by Minister of Information and Communication Technology Shadric Namalomba, emphasized that President Peter Mutharika was merely a guest of honour at the official event. The President ultimately delegated Minister of Culture Alfred Gangata to represent the State at the venue.
According to Namalomba, the official commemoration remained open to all Malawians, though political regalia were strictly banned.
“The official commemoration was conducted with dignity and was open to all Malawians,” Namalomba said. “This was a day for national unity, not partisan contestation.”
Kandodo’s insights into the event planning contradict the government’s hands-off narrative. He explained that every Kamuzu Day function relies on joint organisation between the family and the state.
According to Kandodo, organisers always form a unified committee. This planning body includes both the Kamuzu family and several key government departments.
The joint structure complicates the State’s claim that it played no role in the controversial exclusion.
The snub has sparked sharp criticism from political experts. Analysts question the legal authority of private citizens to restrict access to a public holiday.
In a separate interview, political analyst George Chaima emphasized that Kamuzu Day is a legally binding national event, not a private family gathering or a partisan rally.
“Kamuzu Day was set aside by law through the government on behalf of the people of Malawi,” Chaima stated.
Chaima warned that the administration’s stance sets a dangerous precedent. He noted that it represents a serious failure of governance to let an individual family member override national laws and dictate the guest list for a public holiday.
