* Those who live no more echo still within our thoughts
* Up until his death, Archbishop Ziyaye remained a strong conscience of our democracy—DPP
* Often reminding leaders through the various Catholic Church Episcopal letters, their responsibility to the people of this country
By Duncan Mlanjira
Tributes keep pouring in for Archbishop Tarcizius Ziyaye, who died on Monday morning, and has been described as a ‘quintessential Catholic’ by lawyer, Khumbo Soko.
Writing on Facebook, Soko said: “I never personally interacted with Archbishop Ziyaye but I listened to many of his speeches and sermons.
“And there was just something about his voice that was gentle, soothing and very beautiful. And from a distance, I thought he was the quintessential Catholic. May he rest well.”
To which Solomon Gundadzuwa just simply said: “That voice…” with Che Kazam agreeing; “Quintessential indeed. May he rest peacefully in His Glory.”
Patrick Kamwenje said Archbishop Ziyaye was everything a Catholic Bishop should be while Mabel Magwaya described him as “always calm”.
Abdulrqhman Akbar said: “May God be well pleased with his soul. Those who live no more echo still within our thoughts and words and what they did is part of what we have become.”
Prince Henderson said he covered most of his functions while working for the Catholic Secretariat between 2013-2017, saying he “was always punctual and liked things to be in order”.
“A man of few words, humble and a good leader. You will greatly be missed Your Grace, TG Ziyaye. May Your Soul Rest In Peace!”
Journalist, Dorothy Kachitsa said: “I interviewed him a couple of times — he was a man of few words indeed and very humble” while Patrick Kamwenje described him as gracious and gentle — “one you don’t doubt his faith and his relationship with God”.
In its condolence message to the Catholic Church the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took cognizance that, though late Ziyaye was not one of the framers of the famed 1992 Patoral Letter, he was still part of the Catholic leadership which encouraged and stood with the Catholic Bishops during those trying times.
The party spokesperson Brown Mpinganjira said in a statement that Ziyaye was part of the Catholic leadership which challenged the then one party dictatorship when it was unthinkable to do so.
“A strong pillar of Malawi’s democracy, we take his untimely death as a loss not only to the Catholic Church or the Faith Community, but as a loss to the whole nation.
“Sadly it comes at a time of discernible uncertainty when his patriotism, fearlessness and humility would have proved very useful.
“Up until his death, Archbishop Ziyaye remained a strong conscience of our democracy, often reminding leaders through the various Catholic Church Episcopal letters, their responsibility to the people of this country.
“His thoughtful commentaries on Malawi’s political systems will be missed. His experience in taming and challenging dictatorships will be solely missed.
“His quiet exhortation to Malawians to rise up to the occasion when the need arises will be missed. We mourn his death with heavy hearts. We celebrate his life with gratitude.“
The framers of the 1992 Pastoral Letter were Archbishop James Chiona, Bishop Felix Mkhori, Bishop M.A. Chimole, Bishop Alessandro Assolari, Bishop Allan Chamgwera, Bishop G.M. Chisendera, Monsignor J. Roche and Father Gamba.
Ziyaye passed on in Namibia where he was receiving medical treatment.
The Catholic Secretariat of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi says the full funeral and burial ceremony programme will be announced later.
Archbishop Ziyaye was named Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Dedza by Catholic Pope, late John Paul II on November 26, 1991 and was consecrated and installed as Auxiliary Bishop on May 23, 1992.
He then was named Coadjutor Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lilongwe also by Pope John Paul II on May 4, 1993 and went on to succeed as Bishop of Lilongwe on November 11, 1994.
He became the president of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi in 2000 and was named Metropolitan Archbishop of Blantyre by Pope John Paul II on January 23, 2001.
Late Ziyaye then became president of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) in July 2008.