Katelere walks his last mile
Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Owen Chomanika has described the death of renowned musician Katelere Ching’oma as a great loss to the nation.
He said this on Friday at Masimo Village in Nsanje District during the burial ceremony of the musician who died in the early hours of Thursday at the Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe due to liver complications.
He said: “Katelere was not a musician of people from the Shire Valley districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa alone, but for the entire country due to his unique style of music. He promoted the Sena and Amang’anja culture; hence, we were all made big heroes.
“He has gone early, but he has left a legacy through his music, no wonder his music is loved in other countries as well.”
Meanwhile, Chomanika has assured all artists in the country that the long-awaited National Arts Heritage and Council (Nahec) Bill will be tabled in Parliament in February.
He said when the Bill is passed, artists will be well supported and protected.
In his remarks, Senior Chief Chimombo thanked the bereaved family for allowing the body of the musician to be buried at home as opposed to earlier suggestions that he should be buried in Dedza or at HHI Cemetery in Blantyre.
He thanked Nsanje and Chikwawa Socio Economic Development Trust, former president Joyce Banda through her organisation Joyce Banda Foundation (JBF), former president Arthur Peter Mutharika, President Lazarus Chakwera and Musicians Union of Malawi (MUM) for their support.
MUM general secretary Tonny Chitimatima described Ching’oma as a humble musician.
He then asked the government to speed up the Nahec Bill, saying it will protect and grow different talents in the country.
Chimatimati, however, urged musicians to register with MUM, Musicians Association of Malawi and other relevant associations to support them during hard times like this one.
Veteran musician Phungu Joseph Nkasa said he was shocked with the news as they performed together at a show in Mzimba last week.
Concurring with Nkasa, Favoured Martha, who is MUM Southern Region Chapter vice-president, said they could not stay home, but travel to Nsanje to witness the burial of a true son of the soil.
She said she was accompanied by other musicians such as Mable Mwalwanda, Eliza Mponya, Hawa Chitenje Makotola, Phalyce Mang’anda, Khwatha and Moffat Aligiza and Charles Makaka.
JBF Southern Region coordinator Eliza Zamadenga said the former president was shocked with Ching’oma’s death.
She said his song Ndili Nawo Mwayi was the former president’s favourite; hence, her feeling broken, but could not attend the funeral as she is in South Africa on official duties.
Ching’oma is survived by a wife and three children.
He came from Masimo Village, Senior Chief Malemia in Nsanje District.
