Background
He was born on 23, 1927, at Baleni. 70 miles North from west of Zomba.
He was born on 23, 1927, at Baleni. 70 miles North from west of Zomba.
Educated at owa Primary School and at Blantyre Secondary School. By private study he gained a General Certificate of Union from London.
After teaching at Gowa Mission, he went to the Medical Training School. With a Certificate of Laboratory Technology he was a medical assistant for 13 years. From 1956 to 1959 he was secretary-general of the Nyasaland African Medical Association.
Dr Hastings Banda chose him as administrative secretary of the party in 1962 and sent him to Ghana to study party administration and the workings of Press and radio communications. Elected to Parliament for Ncheu South, he was made Minister of Information at independence on July 6, 1964.
After his appointment as Minister of State in 1966 he increasingly took charge of issues which Dr Banda used to handle himself. But he remains the enthusiastic, approachable party man he has been from the outset of his political career. He likes going back to his village and keeping in touch locally. At the downfall of Alcke Banda on March 8, 1973 he was promoted secretary-general of the Malawi Congress Party.
Under the state of emergency he became a political detainee on March 3, 1959, first at Zomba Prison, then at Kanjedza Detention Centre, and finally at Lilongwe. On his release in 1960 he was restricted to his home district of Ncheu. There, he resumed his political activities, becoming district chairman of the Malawi Congress Party and then chairman of the Ncheu District Council from 1962 to 1964.
Well-groomed, with a carefully clipped moustache, he ten travels on special missions for the resident and is thought by many to be a likely successor. His position is strengthencd by having worked for many years as administrative secretary at the Malawi Congress Party.