Former BCC mayor Chikakwiya dies
One of the most powerful and eloquent mayors of Blantyre City and United Democratic Front (UDF) regional governor for the South John Paul Chikakwiya has died.
Popularly known as Ngambadzikopa, Chikwakwiya served as mayor from 2001 to 2004 and was regional governor between 2003 and 2005.
According to a family source, Chikakwiya died today at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre and burial is on Sunday at HHI Cemetery in Blantyre. He had been unwell since 2019 when he suffered a stroke.
In his eulogy posted on his Facebook Page, UDF former publicity secretary Ken Ndanga said during his mayoral duties Chikakwiya demonstrated an impeccable eloquence.
“Today, that man John Chikakwiya, a staunch Adventist, a teacher is no more.
Ndirande will never be the same,” wrote Ndanga.
Chikakwiya, a teacher by profession, had been a key figure in Ndirande Township where he had been staying.
He was teacher-in-charge at Nyambadwe Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), then Malawi Correspondence College, between 1980 and 1981.
In 1981 he was arrested and interdicted after more than half of his students passed their national examinations with good grades and the examination body thought they were cheating.
But in 1984 government recalled him after failing to prove their claims and he was sent to Lumbira CDSS in Chilomoni, Blantyre.
In 2004 he was jailed and served sentence for pocking $3000 given by a State firm to maintain roads in the city. The conviction shattered his political career
He was also convicted of contempt of court after he refused the then opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of Brown Mpinganjira from holding a political rally in the city.
In 2016 the former mayor came out of his self-imposed political sabbatical leave when he joined the then governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
UDF spokesperson Yusuf Mwawa said the party was saddened by the loss of its former regional governor.
“The death has robbed the country one of its senior citizens who helped to usher in multiparty democracy. He worked so hard to improved local governance issues.
“You are aware that time local government issues were just being hatched and he was very instrumental in ensuring that local governments are governed according to the law. We pass our condolences to the family,” said Mwawa.
