Nankhumwa pays last respect to Geoffrey Kazembe’s daughter Odetta

The body of Odetta Kazembe, who died on March 8 in South Africa, has finally been laid to rest on Sunday at Tande Village in Senior Chief Mpama’s area in Chiradzulu District.

Leader of Opposition in Parliament Dr. Kondwani Nankhumwa, braved rains to join hundreds of mourners who paid their last respects during Odetta Kazembe’s funeral and burial ceremonies.

In his eulogy Nankhumwa noted that the late Odetta had died in South Africa where she went to seek employment because she could not get any in Malawi.

“Odetta could have been still alive today if she was in Malawi. She got ill in a foreign land where she had no relatives and friends to help her.

“Like many others, Odetta went to South Africa because this [Tonse Alliance] government is unable to create employment opportunities for our young people as they promised when they campaigned for office,” lamented the youthful politician.

He said there is a high rate of unemployment among the bulging youth population, urging the government of President Lazarus Chakwera to devise the necessary policies to prevent the youth from trekking to foreign countries to search for a better livelihood where they face various life threats, including xenophobic attacks.

While consoling the bereaved family, Nankhumwa also took the opportunity to console Senior Chief Mpama for loss of lives, houses, and utter livelihood among his subjects following the devastating Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which swept across most parts of the Southern Region.

The body of Odetta Kazembe arrived in Malawi through Chileka International Airport in Blantyre on Saturday, March 18, 2023.

She was born on October 10, 1986. She is survived by a daughter and son, Rahema and Belith, respectively.

The late Odetta was daughter to Mr. Geoffrey Kazembe who was once a famous MBC radio personality. Several famous MBC veteran personalities, including Samson Nkhono and Charles Nkalo, among others, were also in attendance.

Nankhumwa, who also serves as DPP Vice President responsible for the Southern Region, visited the village last week upon learning about the passing of Odetta.

He conveyed his deepest condolences to the deceased family and the DPP membership following the unfortunate passing of Odetta at a very young age.

Other DPP officials who also attended the funeral and burial of the lade Odetta Kazembe, a staunch and dyed-in-the-wool DPP member herself, included Southern Region Director of Youth, Yona Mlotha, and Charles Kadziwe, who is Deputy National Director for the DPP, among others.