Remembering Patrick Mbewe

Last Wednesday, one of the founding members of United Democratic Front (UDF) and prominent businessperson Patrick Mbewe was buried at his Tawa Estate in Chiradzulu District.

Having served as a Cabinet minister during the UDF regime, President Peter Mutharika directed that Mbewe be accorded burial with full military honours.

Hundreds gathered at the estate to pay their last respects to a man whom many said was decent and practiced clean and civilised politics.

Others remember him for his generosity in helping the less fortunate whenever he could.

On the day of his burial, classes at the nearby Dapp Mikolongwe Vocational School were suspended as students went to pay their last respects to the man who was paying tuition fees for most of them.

One of the beneficiaries, Patience Mendulo, said: “We all knew him as a selfless man who used to do a lot for us. He used to support a number of students by paying their fees and life was not difficult. But now, we do not know what will happen.”

It was not just the students who felt robbed by Mbewe’s death.

Chairperson for St. Joseph Ward under St. Montfort Parish at Catholic Institute (CI) in Blantyre, Joshua Siyaya, described Mbewe as a committed Christian who uplifted the status of the church.

“He was committed. His death has created a huge gap that will be difficult to fill. He has done a lot for the church. For example, he helped us acquire land where the new church is, sold a house and gave all the money for the foundation of the church,” he said.

These are just some of the many good deeds that he did in his lifetime. Community members attested that they would approach him for help on various issues and he would accommodate them.

But not only is the community and church affected by Mbewe’s death. The family too has lost a pillar they used to lean on, according to Mbewe’s daughter, Chikondi.

“He was very organised and loved to talk. It actually feels like yesterday when we celebrated his 70th birthday. We could see the joy in his eyes and now obviously it breaks our hearts.

“He taught us to stand tall and never be apologetic for who we are and he took pride in our success. The fact he reached 70 was a blessing to us. As our pillar has fallen, our king has fallen, the foundation he lay still stands strong,” she said.

On his part, UDF secretary general Kandi Padambo said the party will remember Mbewe as a committed patron who worked hard.

“But perhaps more importantly as one of the pioneers of democratic change who, with others, braved the brutality of the one-party system to participate in an underground movement called the UDF,” he said.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera said politicians should learn to practice Mbewe’s type of politics.

“I think it is important to understand that multiparty does not necessarily take away that essence of humanity that needs to be in all of us.

“The late Patrick Mbewe demonstrated the kind of life, the kind of spirit, the kind of service that is needed for every Malawian in supporting every other Malawian regardless of where they are coming from or what party they belong to,” he said.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa, who is also governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-president (South) and represented the President at the funeral, also hailed for his role in clean politics, emphasising that politics of castigation does not have a place in a democracy.

Mbewe was a civil engineer and once worked for the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and Blantyre City Council (BCC).

In the early 1980s, he started selling timber and later set up Trust Auctioneers and Estate Agents.

Being a passionate businessperson, he went on to establish Trust Industries that produced mattresses and Tawa Melamine, the first Malawian company that produced melamine plates and kitchenware.

Mbewe also owned Chilembwe Lodge located in Blantyre and Tawa Estate where he was buried.

During his tenure in UDF, Mbewe served as treasurer general and in 1994 when the party won the first multiparty elections, he was appointed Cabinet minister and served in various portfolios such as Transport and Public Works, Tourism, Home Affairs, and Local Government.

He retired from politics in 2004.

Mbewe was born on November 17 1948 and is survived by seven children and 12 grandchildren.