Military honours for Robson Chirwa
Former Cabinet minister during the time of founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Robson Watayachanga Chirwa, who died on Tuesday, will be accorded full military honours during his funeral in recognition of his contribution to the development of the country.
Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi, who also worked in the government during the one-party State of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), described the late Chirwa as “very mature, loyal and a man of integrity”.
Said Dausi: “Based on the contributions he made towards national development, the State thought it wise to accord him a funeral with military honours.
“The late Chirwa, who worked as a diplomat, parliamentarian and Cabinet minister, will be remembered for his loyalty, maturity and exceptional standards which he displayed during his time.”
Speaking on behalf of the family during a funeral service at the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Livingstonia Synod’s Area 47 congregation in Lilongwe yesterday, Mcloud Nyirongo said that the late Chirwa will be laid to rest this Friday at his Yolamu Chirwa Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mabulabo in Mzimba District.
The body of the late Chirwa, who died of hypertension aged 86 at Lilongwe Private Clinic owned by his son, was later yesterday taken to Mzuzu—where he was staying. It would lie in state until today before proceeding to his village in Mzimba South.
The Lilongwe church service was attended by several dignitaries, including chief adviser to the President on domestic policy Hetherwick Ntaba, Vice-President Saulos Chilima’s spouse Mary, former Speaker of Parliament Louis Chimango, MCP deputy secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka, the clergy, family members and MCP supporters.
In his eulogy, Chimango, who served in Kamuzu’s Cabinet alongside Chirwa, echoed the rest of the speakers during the funeral who described the late Chirwa as “a very dedicated man of high standards and yet a humble person”. n
