Mammoth crowd gives deep respect to Chilaweni Ward Councillor Carol Mdala’s last mile

* We are deeply saddened at her sudden death. We wanted her to stand as an MP

* She did a fine job as a Councillor and her quest to become MP was strategically set

By Duncan Mlanjira

A mammoth crowd, including fellow Councillors, Members of Parliament, traditional leaders led by Senior Chief Kapeni, attended the funeral of Chilaweni Ward Councillor Carol Mdala on Sunday, who shockingly died on Friday after a short illness.

Late Mdala, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was elected Councillor in 2019 and when on to become the first female Blantyre District Council chairperson.

Her feat was also achieved in Karonga where Nyungwe Ward Councillor Ethel Mwanza, who is the only female councillor in the District Council, being elected chairperson while Lilongwe City elected Councilor Juliana Kaduya as a female Mayor.

Mdala replaced Soche Ward Councillor Jeremiah Jumbe, who is also of the DPP and one of her constituents, Ajida Mapeto was deeply moved, saying: “We are deeply saddened at her sudden death. We wanted her to stand as an MP.”

And indeed, Mdala was an exceptional leader, who initiated several development projects in her Ward and was much respected and loved — especially women for her focus on their needs.

Just last December, she raised red flags that her Ward as well as the whole Blantyre Rural East Constituency was still reeling from the effects of Tropical Cyclone Freddy as most of the farmlands were washed away leaving people helpless.

The government responded by cushioning people in her area from hunger through maize distribution under the lean season response programme where 1,062 households from Traditional Authority Machinjiri received a bag of maize each.

Mdala came to the fore when non-government organisation (NGO), National Elections Systems Trust (NEST) in conjunction with Women Legal Resource Centre, brought together all women aspirants to market them under the theme ‘Women Empowered for Leadership’.

On the campaign trail of the 50-50 representation in top echelons of power, Mdala impressed the electorate, in which at every whistle stop, the people gathered in large numbers and applauded her at every sound and positive pledge she delivered.

The truck that NEST was using as a podium stage, kept being stopped by the eager electorate even where it was not planned to stop to appreciate her development agenda which she had also impressed on the voters.

NEST facilitated the whistle stop tours in all the 13 constituencies that make up Blantyre District, which had 64 women aspirants vying for seats in Parliament and at district council level.

Mdala, who beat six other male aspirants, held a degree in Business Administration obtained at the Polytechnic — now named Malawi University of Business & Applied Sciences (MUBAS) — as well as a degree in Political Science obtained at Dublin University in Cape Town, South Africa.

She worked for Vanguard Insurance company as a cooperative financial advisor for various financial institutions and she also worked at Malawi University’s Centre for Social Resource.

She also worked as producer and presenter at Angaliba TV and those who knew her closely expressed their shock of Facebook.

Mercy Kayange wrote on her wall that she woke up to find many missed calls, then the shocking messages and notifications of her death.

“Ndifedi alendo padziko panooo (this world is indeed not our home). Tears will remain fresh dearest — may your soul rest in the peace of the Lord. May your children find strength and comfort in the Lord.”

Emmanuel Mwanyongo intoned that it is very sad to lose such a young dedicated leader as she did a fine job as a Councillor and her quest to become MP was strategically set.

“Sad to lose such an intellectual and developmental investment at such a critical time when Malawi needs more of such youthful energies. Big loss to Malawi. Rest in power, comrade!”