President Lazarus Chakwera has expressed his profound sadness at the death of Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Joyce Chitsulo.
Chitsulo, who was parliamentarian for Mwanza West Constituency, collapsed at her residence in Lilongwe yesterday and was taken to Kamuzu Central Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
In a statement, Chakwera said he will remember Chitsulo, who was sworn-in as Deputy Minister on January 7 2025, as a person whose motto and mission was development over politics.
He said: “May her legacy ignite in us the desire to work for the good of our great country regardless of our political, religious, regional and tribal differences. May we be united as one people as we mourn the passing of this great daughter of Malawi.”
Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda in a brief WhatsApp response yesterday simply said: “I am shocked.”
In a telephone interview, Mwanza Central legislator Nicholas Dausi said Chitsulo’s death has devastated the entire district.
He said: “She represented women emancipation. She was a role model for girls in the district.”
A close friend, Susan Dossi, who is Member of Parliament for Chikwawa West Constituency, also expressed shock at her death.
In an interview, she said: “I am heartbroken. I was with her this morning [on Thursday] at her house and I never thought this would happen. She was like a close sister.”
Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba said in a statement that details of the funeral programme will be communicated in due course.
Chitsulo, who led Parliament’s Public Appointments Committee before becoming Deputy Minister, won the 2019 Parliamentary elections on a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ticket.
But in the forthcoming September 16 2025 General Election, she announced that she was going to contest as an independent candidate.
On the night of May 15 2025, Chitsulo was involved in a road accident near Lunjika Turnoff, popularly known as Elephant Rock within Chikangawa Forest Reserve along the Mzuzu-Jenda stretch of the M1. She sustained a fracture on her left leg.
She was returning from official duties in Mzuzu where the President also had a number of engagements. Three other people who were travelling with her in the car, including her official driver, escaped unhurt.
On her 47th birthday, on May 27 2025, Chitsulo wrote on her Facebook page: “If God did not send His Angels to keep watch over me, I would have been celebrating my birthday in the grave today, and my kids, husband and those dear to me would have been writing happy birthday in Heaven, mom, sister, aunt etc.
“But I thank God for Hi s faithfulness! Thank you for giving me an opportunity to witness my 47th and more birthdays to come. May your name God be praised.”
Apart from her PAC leadership role, Chitsulo also chaired the Monitoring Committee on Public Officers Declaration and served as chairperson for all chairperson committees. She held a bachelor’s degree in community development.
She is survived by a husband, four children and two grandchildren.
