Ethel Mutharika
Encyclopedia
Ethel Mutharika was the First Lady
of Malawi
and wife of the President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika
.
Madam Mutharika was originally from Zimbabwe
. She had been married to President Bingu wa Mutharika for 37 years at the time of her death. The couple had four children together. Mutharika was known for her charitable work and had established the Ethel Mutharika Foundation in an effort to help the poor of Malawi
.
Madam Mutharika died in Lilongwe
after a long battle with cancer
at the age of 63. Following her death it was revealed that she had received cancer treatments in Malawi, South Africa
and France
, as well as a number of other European and Asian nations.
Madam Mutharika was given an official state funeral
. Her body was laid in state at the New State House in Lilongwe. Her body was then moved to the cities of Mzuzu
on 2 June and Blantyre
on 5 June. Her funeral took place at the Mutharikas farm in Thyolo
, a tea
growing district in southern Malawi.
, led the retinue of foreign dignitaries, who also included Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete
, Zambian President Rupiah Banda
, Botswana and Zambian First Ladies, Mozambican Prime Minister Aires Ali
, Swazi Deputy Prime Minister, former Taiwanese Prime Minister, COMESA Secretary-General Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, ambassadors from Nigeria, Norway and South Africa, Kenyan cabinet ministers and the Zambian-based Chewa King Gawa Undi as well as hundreds of government and ruling party officials and local Malawians. Clergy at the First Lady's funeral called on the country's political leaders to unite in order to honour the late Ethel Mutharika. The ceremony was a rare occasion which brought together political leaders that do not normally see eye to eye. In his sermon, based Luke 13: 6 - 9, Reverend Reynold Mangisa said it was high time political leaders changed and carried on with the unity started by the First Lady's death. "The unity should not end with the mourning period, but we should see it continue," said the priest. Leader of Opposition, John Tembo
, who spoke on behalf of the opposition political parties, said the death of Madam Mutharika, which he described a tragedy since it robbed Malawi of the mother of the nation, should serve as a symbol of unity for now and forever. "It is necessary that as a country we be united over this loss and that the unity continues thereafter as that is what is expected of us," Tembo said. According to President Mutharika, “No single public money was used in the construction of the monument. Some 2,000 well-wishers from Malawi and abroad funded the mausoleum”. The mausoleum is a work which was "considerably and emotionally conceptualized". It consists of a dome, a gallery and a basement where her body is laid. It also contains some of her belongings. Mutharika noted that it is a national monument to be visited by Malawians as part of national heritage. Mutharika added that the mausoleum was a symbol of forgiveness, unity and togetherness.Reverend Felix Chingota's eulogy added that Mutharika emulated Jesus and described Mutharika as Jesus who was difficult to be understood by people because of having vision.
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
and wife of the President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika is a Malawi economist who is President of Malawi. He took office on 24 May 2004 after winning a disputed presidential election...
.
Madam Mutharika was originally from Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. She had been married to President Bingu wa Mutharika for 37 years at the time of her death. The couple had four children together. Mutharika was known for her charitable work and had established the Ethel Mutharika Foundation in an effort to help the poor of Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
.
Madam Mutharika died in Lilongwe
Lilongwe
Lilongwe, estimated population 902,388 as of 2009, is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It lies in the country's central region, on the Lilongwe River, near the border of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, and on the main north-south highway of Malawi, the M1.-History:The city started life as a...
after a long battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at the age of 63. Following her death it was revealed that she had received cancer treatments in Malawi, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, as well as a number of other European and Asian nations.
Madam Mutharika was given an official state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
. Her body was laid in state at the New State House in Lilongwe. Her body was then moved to the cities of Mzuzu
Mzuzu
Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city, by population, in Malawi. The City has 128,432 residents plus 20,000 commuters with about 1.7 million people living around the outskirts of the city...
on 2 June and Blantyre
Blantyre, Malawi
Blantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe...
on 5 June. Her funeral took place at the Mutharikas farm in Thyolo
Thyolo District
The Thyolo district of Malawi is one of the districts in Malawi. The capital is Thyolo. The district covers an area of 1,715 km.² and has a population of 458,976...
, a tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
growing district in southern Malawi.
Mpumulo wa Bata Mausoleum (Ethel Mutharika's Mausoleum)
In December 2010, President Mutharika unveiled a marble white mausoleum that was built about 30 kilometres away from the commercial city of Blantyre in Thyolo in her honour. Zimbabwe President, Robert MugabeRobert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
, led the retinue of foreign dignitaries, who also included Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete
Jakaya Kikwete
Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete is the 4th and current President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Kikwete was born in Msoga, Bagamoyo District, Tanganyika in present day Tanzania...
, Zambian President Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Banda
Rupiah Bwezani Banda is a Zambian politician who was President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011.During the Presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, Banda held important diplomatic posts and was active in politics as a member of the United National Independence Party...
, Botswana and Zambian First Ladies, Mozambican Prime Minister Aires Ali
Aires Ali
Aires Bonifácio Baptista Ali is the Prime Minister of Mozambique since 16 January 2010. He served as governor of Inhambane Province and as Minister of Education .-Notes:...
, Swazi Deputy Prime Minister, former Taiwanese Prime Minister, COMESA Secretary-General Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, ambassadors from Nigeria, Norway and South Africa, Kenyan cabinet ministers and the Zambian-based Chewa King Gawa Undi as well as hundreds of government and ruling party officials and local Malawians. Clergy at the First Lady's funeral called on the country's political leaders to unite in order to honour the late Ethel Mutharika. The ceremony was a rare occasion which brought together political leaders that do not normally see eye to eye. In his sermon, based Luke 13: 6 - 9, Reverend Reynold Mangisa said it was high time political leaders changed and carried on with the unity started by the First Lady's death. "The unity should not end with the mourning period, but we should see it continue," said the priest. Leader of Opposition, John Tembo
John Tembo
John Zenus Ungapake Tembo is a Malawian politician and the President of the Malawi Congress Party , the strongest opposition party in Malawi. Tembo comes from the Dedza District in central Malawi, and he is a teacher by profession...
, who spoke on behalf of the opposition political parties, said the death of Madam Mutharika, which he described a tragedy since it robbed Malawi of the mother of the nation, should serve as a symbol of unity for now and forever. "It is necessary that as a country we be united over this loss and that the unity continues thereafter as that is what is expected of us," Tembo said. According to President Mutharika, “No single public money was used in the construction of the monument. Some 2,000 well-wishers from Malawi and abroad funded the mausoleum”. The mausoleum is a work which was "considerably and emotionally conceptualized". It consists of a dome, a gallery and a basement where her body is laid. It also contains some of her belongings. Mutharika noted that it is a national monument to be visited by Malawians as part of national heritage. Mutharika added that the mausoleum was a symbol of forgiveness, unity and togetherness.Reverend Felix Chingota's eulogy added that Mutharika emulated Jesus and described Mutharika as Jesus who was difficult to be understood by people because of having vision.
External links
- Malawi in mourning after first lady's death
- First Lady Ethel dies
- Scotsman.com: Malawi's memorials to late first lady raise eyebrows
- Herald Tribune: Malawi's first lady to be buried next week
- International Herald Tribune: Mugabe joins mourners at funeral of Malawi's First Lady
- International Herald Tribune: Malawi's First Lady Dies