S6 E11: Rose Lomathinda: Snatched from the grave- Malawi National icon

On 12 January 2016, a woman died, described by the youth as “that pretty face on our MK 200 banknote”, the third powerful banknote after the MK1000 (Kamuzu Banda) and the MK500 (John Chilembwe). Three male faces come after her including, ironically, her Inkosi ya Makosi (Chief of chiefs) the late M’Mbelwa 2. In one of the last interviews she gave, ironically to a local youth radio, she lamented how freedom fighters are side-lined in key government events, highlighting the 50-Year Independence celebrations in 2014.

Who is this heroin largely ignored in democratic Malawi, until Bingu Wa Mutharika, Malawi’s third president, gave her that honour?

Dear friends, welcome aboard a Sankofa flight heading to south-east Africa, Malawi, to discover Rose Chibambo, a prominent leader in the fight against British colonialism and the first woman cabinet minister in independent Malawi, whose real name Lomathinda, means « Snatched from the grave ». And you will understand why in this episode