Former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Clement Chiwaya has been laid to rest following his death on Thursday, September 30.
He died after shooting himself in the head at Parliament Building in Lilongwe.
Saturday afternoon, People of races, ages, and statuses could no longer hold their tears at the sight of the casket bearing the remains of Chiwaya while paying their last respect to the departed former legislator at his home in Mangochi.
Politicians from various political parties also attended his funeral ceremony held at Mangochi Stadium.
Delivering her Eulogy, Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara described Chiwaya as a selfless person who was determined in whatever he did.
“His contributions to the National Assembly are commendable and are there for everybody to appreciate. He was a man who only spoke when he had something to say,” Hara said.
As a politician, Chiwaya served in Parliament for three consecutive terms ending 2019.
According to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-president for the Eastern Region Bright Msaka, Chiwaya was instrumental in cementing the relationship between DPP and United Democratic Front (UDF).
“He believed in unity for people in the country, that is why he always wanted DPP and UDF to work together. We have lost a political pillar for the Eastern Region,” Msaka said.
Without specifically touching on the circumstances surrounding the death of Chiwaya, UDF president Atupele Muluzi asked government officials in the country to start doing their job professionally to avoid what happened to Chiwaya.
Muluzi said there are a lot of government officers who are not doing their jobs properly, thereby victimizing innocent Malawians who need government services.
“There is no love in this country. Let us learn to love each other so that we can all live in harmony. There is a lot of hate in this country. We hate each other a lot; that is why we are not assisting each other,” Muluzi said without elaborating.
At 16:33, Chiwaya’s body was lowered into his final resting place at Ngowi Village, Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi, marking the end of his 17-year political journey.
Chiwaya reportedly shot himself in the head at Parliament Building Thursday morning.
He is survived by a wife and six children.
Among the notable people who attended the funeral ceremony include former first lady Gertrude Mutharika, Everton Chimulirenji, Leader of Opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa, Former first deputy speaker of Parliament Esther Mcheka Chilenje, and Malawi Congress Party Deputy Secretary-General Gerald Kazembe.
