Poet Chiwamba winds up 2020 with ‘Mayi Anga Anali Mphunzitsi’
Renowned poet Robert Chiwamba is set to release his final spoken word for the year on Wednesday titled Mayi Anga Anali Mphunzitsi, a poem which chronicles challenges faced by teachers in Malawi.
In an interview on Thursday, Chiwamba said he was inspired by his childhood and what he and his siblings went through being sons of a teacher, his mother.
“My mother was a primary school teacher and looking at the complaints teachers have been advancing of late and remembering the life we led as children of a teacher, I thought of coming up with this five-minute piece hoping for a change,” Chiwamba said.
The poem highlights challenges teachers face and how Malawians despise the teaching profession.
Chiwamba lamented the poor conditions that teachers grapple with but continue to do their work of shaping other children’s future.
“Nyumba zodontha, zitseko zosakiyika, zotsamilitsira mipando mayi
Mipandoyo kukhala nayo ankakhala katapila mayi
Koma tsiku ntsiku tinkawaona ndi zochonga zambiri akuchonga mayi
“Pension yawo kuyiona mutha kulira,” goes the poem in part.
In recent years, teachers across the country held demonstrations against the government on a number of issues ranging from long standing salary arrears, low salaries and poor working conditions.
This year, Chiwamba has released four poems saying he had saved the energy for his fourth album set to be released next year.
The poet has so far released 150 poems for the nine years he has been a poet.
Mayi Anga Anali Mphunzitsi follows Chiwamba’s other poems this year which are Mwina Ndinu, Anthu Amafika Potopa and Amuna Awo ndi Last Born.
He intends to release his poems online through sapitwapoetry.com website.
