The late Munlo was accorded a State Funeral
* Munlo in the Elhomwe language means ‘fire’ but his personality was anything but fiery
* He could be quite blunt when necessary and did not easily suffer fools
* He was multi-talented and had tentacles everywhere—Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda
* My mentor was a very successful entrepreneur; generous in sharing, with open arms
By Duncan Mlanjira
On his passing on, Ken Lipenga — former Member of Parliament and former Minister in several portfolios — reveals how very close he was with retired Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo SC, who passed on on Thursday and was laid to rest on Saturday with military honours.
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Writing on his Facebook page, Lipenga makes special mention of a day a few months ago when the late Munlo SC, paid him a surprise visit at his home in Phalombe, accompanied by his wife, Evelyn.
Lipenga said every time he was in the former Chief Justice’s company, he first addressed him as ‘My Lord’ but it was “against his preference [as] he preferred ‘achimwene (my brother)”.
“He brushed aside my offer of proper chairs, and insisted that we just chat on the khonde. My workers were over-awed. Word had quickly spread around about who abwana’s distinguished-looking visitor was, and yet the visiting abwana insisted on sitting on the khonde.
“But this was no surprise to me, for retired Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo SC always carried himself like an ordinary man. Even with his simple appearance, many in my village were aware that the mysterious sudden visitor had previously served in various portfolios in government.
“He had retired as the biggest judge in the land, but before that he had been deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1993-1994); Justice of the High Court of Malawi (1990-1992); Director of Public Prosecutions (1984 to 1987); Senior State Advocate (1980 to 1984) and State Advocate (1976 to 1980), and many others.
“He had also served Africa in Arusha and as Registrar for the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone.
“My visitor and I talked, literally non-stop, for two hours, maybe longer. We reminisced about our youthful days down in Mulanje. And about how, years later, we ended up together again at Chancellor College as the proud ‘Class of `76’ and even much later in government.
“In the picture, he’s paying homage to my late parents in the ritual of touching my father’s totem pole. We joked that perhaps the Retired Chief Justice might get even more Solomonic wisdom than he already had by touching that old totem pole, seeing as my father had been one of the ‘justices’ at the royal court of Mwene Phodogoma.
“Many who knew Chief Justice Munlo remarked on his exemplary humility. In the Elhomwe language his surname means ‘fire’ but his personality was anything but fiery. That said, one of Chief Justice Munlo’s attributes was that he could be quite blunt when necessary and did not easily suffer fools.
“I remember him being particularly brutal in his exchanges with one of our presidents who had the misfortune of crossing his path. Hapless ministers fared even worse, and I can testify that I was no exception, for he was that good kind of friend who did not hide it when he thought you had made a mistake.
“Alas, it now turns out that, although we did talk once or twice on the phone afterwards, that visit a few months ago was his farewell to me. The passing of Retired Justice Lovemore Munlo, who only a while ago sat in front of me on that khonde with his wife…well, it is very hard not to take it personal, very hard.
The Last Post from the military for a distinguished citizen
“That picture by the totem pole is of a simple man. But Lovemore Munlo was an extraordinary citizen of our land who will be remembered for his remarkable contributions to the country and to Africa.
As for me, I will forever cling to that image of him smiling as he touched the totem pole. I offer condolences to his dear wife and the rest of the family. May His Soul Rest In Peace.
At the State Funeral at his private premises Chigodi near Kachere Township on the Chiradzulu-Blantyre borders, Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda SC attests to Lipenga’s sentiments, saying the late Munlo was “multi-talented” who had “tentacles everywhere”.
Chief Justice Nyirenda speaking at the funeral
“Apart from being a successful legal professional, my mentor was a very successful entrepreneur — he was generous in sharing, with open arms. On a personal note, I have known him over the years, as far back when I was a kindergarten lawyer, he had rare fatherly qualities,” the Chief Justice said.
Representing President Lazarus Chakwera, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Titus Mvalo said the Head of State was devastated by Munlo’s passing on, saying the two “were contemporaries right from their university days at Chancellor College in the 1970s”.
“They have known each other since college days,” said the Justice Minister, adding that the late Munlo was “a great man beyond the legal profession”.
Late Munlo’s sons Mapwesera and Mzee Kiphale
Notable eulogy came from Nigeria in a virtual presentation by Professor Vincent, who was late Munlo’s best friend and workmate at the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone between 2006 and 2007.
Other dignitaries at the funeral included First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Madalitso Kazombo; Minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa; Minister for Homeland Security Chimwendo Banda; Justices Rezine Mzikamanda, Edward Twea; former cabinet minister — who was one of the late Munlo’s closest friends, Henry Mussa; Reverend Dr. Billy Gama, General Secretary of Blantyre Synod’s CCAP to which the late Munlo belonged as well as members of the Malawi Congress Party and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
CCAP’s Women’s Guild’s last respect
The late Munlo’s résumé include;
* Serving as Malawi’s Chief Justice from 2007 to 2013
* as Deputy Registrar at International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) from 2001 to 2006
* as Registrar at the United Nations (UN) Special Court for Sierra Leone and Assistant UN Secretary General
* as Minister of Justice and Attorney-General (1993 to 94
* Deputy Minister of External Affairs (1992 to 1993)
* Justice of the High Court of Malawi (1990 to 1992)
* Director of Public Prosecutions (1984 to 1987)
* Senior State Advocate (1980 to 1984)
* State Advocate (1976 to 1980).
* He was a Principal Partner in Green Munlo & Company — established after his industrious legal career
He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from University of Malawi’s Chancellor College in 1976 and a Master’s Law Degree (LLM) from the University of London in 1989.
Born in Chiradzulu on May 1, 1950, the late Justice Munlo is survived by wife, Evelyn and two sons Mapwesera and Mzee Kiphale.
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