Gwanda memoirs to publish in SA
The late Gwanda Chakuamba’s autobiography, Malignant Loyalty—No Regrets, will be published posthumously in South Africa, his biographer Dr Felix Lombe has disclosed.
Chakuamba succumbed to a heart complication on Monday, barely a day after Lombe had spoken for the first time about the tell-all book unravelling the highs and lows of a political cobweb in which the deceased veteran changed highs and lows of a political cobweb in which the deceased veteran changed colours like to chameleon.
Lombe said the memoirs of the man who served five parties and founded two in the process is destined to be released in two versions.
“The local edition is almost out because there is high demand for the book. It appears most people want to know more about Chakuamba. But we will publish another version in South Africa which will be of international standards,” he said.
Lombe indicated Chakuamba was looking forward to unveil the book where he was earmarked to give deeper insights into the other side of his political prominence spanning five decades.
Despite taking sides with founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda during the 1964 Cabinet uprising, Chakuamba became one of the victims of the one-party regime of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) when he was jailed for sedition in 1980.
He walked free shortly after the restoration of democracy in 1993, briefly touring with United Democratic Front (UDF) before he reverted to MCP which put him on the ballot for presidency in 1999.
In 2004, he quit MCP to form Republican Party (RP) and came third in the election in which he was presidential candidate for Mgwirizano Coalition.
He later founded the New Republican Party (NRP) after being denied a chance to return to RP, a party he wanted deregistered during his seven-month stint as Minister of Agriculture at the start of the reign of former president Bingu wa Mutharika.
Chakuamba was also one of the key founders of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
His right-hand man Moses Dossi confirmed he “was gearing to launch a book anytime soon” when he was admitted to Blantyre Adventist Hospital (BAH) where he died.
He had signed off 10 out of 11 chapters when he breathed his last, his biographer said.
“All was set for the launch, but he added one chapter. We were waiting for him to get well and sign off the epilogue in which he presents his reflections on an array of experiences with brutal honest,” said Dossi.
The veteran politician will be buried in Nsanje tomorrow. n
