By Jones Gadama
Malawi has lost one of its greatest academic giants.
Former University of Malawi Vice Chancellor Professor Zimani Kadzamira has died, Maravipost has learnt.
Professor Kadzamira, who was brother to the iconic Mama Cecilia Kadzamira, was one of the most respected scholars Malawi has ever produced.
Born on July 1, 1941 in Harare, Zimbabwe which was then called Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia, Prof Kadzamira started his early education in Zimbabwe before returning home to Malawi for his secondary school.
His quest for academic excellence took him to the United States of America where he studied Political Science at the world famous Princeton University and graduated in 1966. He did not stop there.
In 1974 he obtained his doctorate in Government from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.
His love affair with the University of Malawi started way back in 1966 when he joined the institution as a young Assistant Lecturer.
From that humble beginning, he rose with dedication and discipline through the ranks to become a full Professor.
At Chancellor College, he served in various top positions including as Principal before his appointment as Vice Chancellor of the University of Malawi in 2005, taking over from Professor David Rubadiri.
He went on to become one of the longest serving Vice Chancellors of his time.
But Prof Kadzamira was not just an academic.
He served his country as Malawi’s first Ambassador to Japan from 1992 to 1994, opening a new chapter in Malawi-Japan relations.
He also served on the international stage, holding senior roles with the WorldFish Center and as Chairperson of the UbuntuNet Alliance, which connects African universities.
His family name needs no introduction in Malawi. His sister, Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira, served as official hostess to founding President Ngwazi Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda and was loved by Malawians as Mama Cecilia Kadzamira.
Another sister, Mary Kadzamira, served as private secretary to President Banda.
Yet Prof Zimani Kadzamira carved his own legacy. From Assistant Lecturer to Professor, to Principal, to Vice Chancellor, to diplomat, his journey was a story of excellence, service and patriotism.
Malawi has lost a library. Malawi has lost a pillar. Malawi has lost a man who built generations of leaders in lecture rooms.
