* She was staunch Mighty Wanderers support and her coffin’s pall bearers were Nomads players
* Was famous for her stopover entertainment joint at Nyungwe along Blantyre-Zomba Road
By Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express & Evance Chisiano, MANA
Along Blantyre-Zomba Road stands a famous entertainment joint at Nyungwe, which is an almost a must-stop over for its chicken snack and customer-friendly perspective of its owner; Gogo Karonga.
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The stopover is also named Gogo Karonga and over the years it has become so famous and the Gogo herself was simply held in esteem by all who knew her up close — that included former President Bakili Muluzi, the current Vice-President Saulos Chilima and former Cabinet Minister Patricia Kaliati, among many others.
Sadly, Gogo Karonga — born Ellen Mtambo — has passed on and the three revered politicians took time off their schedules to join the huge crowd that graced her last mile at Nyungwe in Chiradzulu District on Monday.
Not many people knew of her passion for Mighty Wanderers FC, which dates way back to 1970 and was always up close with her favorite team such that her coffin’s pall bearers were Nomads players.
Well known by her stylish dressing of national wears and very well wrapped head gears, Gogo Karonga was born on Christmas Day, December 25, 1946 and has died at the age of 78.
The member of Dondo CCAP’s Women Guild at Nyungwe, she is survived by five children, among them Willet Karonga, a member of central executive committee of the UTM Party, of which Chilima is its President.
Kaliati, who is UTM Party’s secretary general, who spoke on behalf of Chilima, saying the country’s Vice-President was very said the VP was very saddened by Gogo Karonga’s death.
Soon after the announcement of her passing, messages of condolences poured on social media with many attesting how convivial Gogo Karonga was.
Several others said stopping at her entertainment joint was such a satisfying moment as she always treated every customer with deep respect — young or old and was never overawed by rich customers.
Golfers returning from competition’s at Zomba Gymkhana Club always asked each other to meet for fellowship at Gogo Karonga such that the place — though having ample partaking space — would be jam packed that others would park outside the joint’s courtyard.
Leonard Mkandawire wrote on Facebook: “You can’t miss the place when go through Nyugwe — Gogo K, rest well fellow Wanderers fan”, while Donald Kamthunzi said he only met her once but it was quite a memorable one: “She was really special indeed. May her soul rest in peace.”
Albert Kumwembe reminisced of her signature chicken snack, which indeed made a mark of Gogo Karonga joint, which many wondered how it was prepared to make such a special chicken snack.
It is being hoped that Gogo Karonga’s family would keep her chicken snack legacy alive at the entertainment joint, which added a relief of travellers to and from Zomba and Blantyre.—Pictures by Arkangel Tembo, MANA
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