By Vincent Gunde
The remains of Reverend Flywell Somanje who was the Founder and National Executive Director of the Bwalo la Chewa Foundation (BOLA-CEFO) were laid to rest on Saturday at his home village-Mitembo in the Area of Inkosi Mkukula in Dowa district.
Tens of hundreds of people witnessed the burial ceremony of one courageous man who wanted the Chewas in Malawi to be under one body- Malawi Chewa Heritage Foundation but his dream was not realized.
The Chewas beside of being the largest tribe in Malawi, they belong to Chewa Heritage Foundation (CHEFO), Bwalo la Chewa Foundation (BOLA-CEFO) and finally a new tribal grouping of Chifukwato cha Chewa.
Advisor of Bwalo la Chewa Foundation Senior Chief Kaomba of Kasungu, Clan leader Gogo Mkanthama, a representative of Senior Chief Kalonga, Chief Sosola, Civil Society Organizations (CSO) leaders, and farmers’ organizations took their time to pay the last respect to the remains of Reverend Somanje.
While Reverend Somanje was alive, he took his own initiative of finding a place to live for ex-tobacco tenants who were working with Kasungu Flue Cured Tobacco Authority (KFCTA) and General Farming to find for them a land in the area of Traditional Authority Kapondo in Mchinji from Kasungu.
A village was established in Mchinji and is named after him-Somanje village, the ex-tobacco tenants lived miserable lives while in Kasungu as the owners of the estates denied them portions of land to grow their agricultural produces.
Reverend Somanje also established his organization-the Millennium Resource Centre (Mirece) addressing issues of human rights and governance for the ex-tobacco tenants on the claims that some tobacco tenants came to Kasungu in the early 1970s and could not locate their homes taking, they took Kasungu as their district of origin.
After hearing news of Reverend Somanjes’ passing, the ex-tobacco farmers from Somanje village in Mchinji contributed money to hire a vehicle taking them to Mitembo village in Dowa to mourn and burry their freedom fighter.
Somanje was an ordained Priest of the Anglican church and as such five Reverends from the church and church members joined by others, escorted his remains to the grave yard for a final resting place God prepared for him.
The entire Bwalo la Chewa Foundation membership, Mirece and ex-tobacco tenants of Somanje village in Mchinji will live to celebrate the life of Reverend Somanje as his works will continue to speak for them while he is smelling dust in the grave.
May the Soul of Reverend Flywell Somanje continue resting in peace, he will be greatly missed not only by his family, but by many people who have borrowed a leaf of his philosophy-freedom fighter.
