Malawi has lost one of its most celebrated literary voices following the death of renowned poet and academic Professor Jack Mapanje in Britain.
Mapanje, who was aged 82, died shortly after midnight following an illness, with his second-born son, Lunda Mapanje, confirming the death to local media on Wednesday evening.
The family is yet to finalise funeral arrangements, according to Lunda.
Mapanje’s contribution to Malawi’s literary history stretched beyond poetry. He joined the University of Malawi as a lecturer after beginning his career as a secondary school teacher.
He also helped shape the country’s literary scene as one of the founding members of the Malawi Writers Group, established in 1970.
His literary career gained international recognition through works including Of Chameleons and Gods, The Chattering Wagtails of Mikuyu Prison and Skipping Without Ropes.
However, his writing also brought him into conflict with the government of former president Hastings Kamuzu Banda. He was arrested in September 1987 and detained without trial at Mikuyu Prison for more than three years over poetry that criticised the regime.
His imprisonment attracted international campaigns for his release, with prominent writers and human rights organisations joining calls for his freedom. He was eventually released in May 1991.
Mapanje leaves behind a powerful literary legacy that captured Malawi’s political struggles, freedom of expression and human experience, earning him recognition as one of Africa’s distinguished poets.
