By Fr. Steve Likhucha
The Catholic University in Malawi (CUNIMA) on Tuesday afternoon buried her long time Deputy Vice Chancellor Finance, Edwin Meleke, at Ludzi in Mchinji after he suddenly collapsed last Sunday and pronounced dead later by medical officials.
Leading the funeral mass at his home village, at Mponda Village, the Archbishop of Lilongwe Archdiocese, His Grace Tarcisius Ziyaye who is the former CUNIMA’s Chancellor, said that everybody was taken by surprise with the death of the committed staff at the University.
“On behalf of all the Bishops, Clergy and Religious including the University Staff and students, I am sending condolence message to the bereaved family and all who have been directly affected with the sudden death of our diligent staff.” Said Ziyaye.
In his homily, Bishop Montfort Stima of Mangochi Diocese, who has been the patron for Marriage Encounter to which the deceased was the member, said that by dying while preparing to go for Easter Sunday Celebration at the Church God has multiple lessons to us.
“ Church affairs should be at the centre stage of our lives so that when the time for us is over God should find us doing the right things as our dear deceased did in having special passion for the conclusion of the Holy Week activities with Easter Sunday prayers.”
The Bishop then called upon married couples to appreciate and show love to each other at the same time advising the other to participate actively in church affairs as did the deceased.
People across the country including the Secretary General of Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Fr. George Buleya, University’s council members headed by Bishop Emmanuel Kanyama of Dedza Diocese, AWRIM Executive Secretary, Sr. Eneles Chimbali SBVM among others attended the burial ceremony.
According to Vice Deputy Chancellor Academic, Rev. Fr. (Dr) Ignatius Suwedi, the deceased joined the University in 2009 in the Accounts Department. His diligence and zeal for work earned him the position of Vice Deputy Chancellor Finance three years ago, a position held till the time of his demise.