Malawi’s veteran writer Aubrey Kalitera dies

By Albert Sharra

No more Aubrey Chitera pic NPL

A sombre mood will today afternoon engulf Blantyre city as scores of people and writers take a last escort of the country’s veteran writer and author Aubrey Kalitera who succumbed to a severe stroke caused  by high blood pressure and diabetes on Monday afternoon.

According to Kalitera’s daughter, Vicky, the deceased will be buried today Wednesday June 11, 2014 at the HHI cemetery in Blantyre after a spiritual mass at his residence in Manyowe Township in Blantyre.

Vicky said Kalitera collapsed at his home around 3pm on Monday and was pronounced dead at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Blantyre. 

“My father has been struggling with diabetes and high blood pressure since 2012. However, on Monday he was fine.His remains are kept at College of Medicine mortuary. The bereaved family and others have been mourning at the deceased’s home in Manyowe Township,” said Vicky, adding that the deceased suffered a similar, but not so severe stroke attack sometime back.

Writer Stanley Onjezani Kenani described Kalitera’s death as a big loss to Malawi. He described him as a writer who had an own character of writing with passion and without boarders.

Kalitera who has authored several books will be missed by the local writer’s fraternity where until his death contributed a lot through mentoring and lecturing budding writers. According to Malawi Writers Union (Mawu) president Sambalikagwa Mvona, Kalitera has been a flag career of Malawi’s writers story  and his fame dates back to the 1970’s when his writing started to compete at all levels. His first book was A Taste of Business published while in his late 20’s. 

 A year later he published A Priosner’s Letter (1979) and other books were Why Father Why and Nchiyani Mwana Wanga (2003) a literature book being used in Malawi Secondary Schools. Kalitera also enjoyed writing short stories and when they were too many, he compiled them into books such as She Died on MY Bed Side and Sweet Mag. In short feature films, Kalitera made a hit with To Ndirande Mountain With Love.

In an interview, Mvona said Kalitera is on the list of writers to be recognised as legendary writers in August this year and said they will dedicate the awards to his life.

“It is sad that he will not be around when we recognise the legendary writers, but his name is on the list and we are saddened that he has passed on just two months away to the awards,” said Mvona.

 Kalitera’s last entry into the writing competition was last year’s Peer Gynt Literary award where despite not winning, his two entries Input Subsidy and Why Poverty was among the 13 finalists out of 55 entries.

Born on February 8, 1948, Kalitera comes from Maselema village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mlumbe in Zomba. He has left a wife, seven children and two grandchildren.