By Andrew Mkonda
Lilongwe, June 26th, Mana: President Lazarus Chakwera has described the late Reverend Dr. Killion Gibson Jacob Mgawi as a great patriotic leader who served the nation selflessly in a number of areas.
In his eulogy on behalf of the President, Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs, Wickford Kinglet Sulamoyo said the president has lost a great leader and his spiritual father whom he knew long time ago when he was just starting his theological journey.
“Reverend Mgawi has been the president’s advisor physically and spirituality for so many years, that’s why the president thought of attending his spiritual father’s burial ceremony,” he said.
Sulamoyo said though Reverend Mgawi has gone to be with the Lord, but the President is finding solace in the intelligent children that the late Mgawi has left behind, who are instrumental in assisting the government in spearheading its development agendas.
He then assured the Nkhoma CCAP synod of government’s commitment in working hand in hand with the church in order to improve the livelihood of the people.
And speaking earlier on behalf of the bereaved family, Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba said the late Mgawi was a pillar of the family who loved peace and unity among family members.
Ntaba said looking at the tremendous work that the late Mgawi has achieved on earth, he called on all family members, relatives and friends to celebrate his achievements, rather than expressing sorrow and grief.
“Apart from preaching the word of God, the late Mgawi was also a writer who wrote several educative books and initiated the formulation of Student Christian Organization of Malawi (SCOM),” he said.
Nkhoma synod Director of Namoni Katengeza Church Lay Training Center Reverend Dr. Chatha Msangayambe said the synod has lost its living library in the late Mgawi who joined the synod at his tender age and knew the synod’s history more than many reverends in the synod.
Dr. Msangayambe said the late Reverend Mgawi was the first reverend who was accepted by the synod to go to theological College at the age of 21, in 1952.
He further said late Mgawi was the first reverend who laid hands on the late First President Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda when he was sworn in as the president of the country in 1964.
Born on 21st January, 1931; late Reverend Mgawi worked as Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Commissioner during the 2019 elections.
He has left behind a wife, 5 children and twenty-four grandchildren.
