Death and state funeral of Hastings Banda

This article is part of a series about Hastings Banda
President of Malawi 1964-1997 Government 1956 Nyasaland general election 1964 Malawi cabinet crisis Malawi–South Africa relations University of Malawi Zomba Manifesto 1993 Malawian democracy referendum Post-presidency Post-presidential life Death and state funeral Others Banda suit Malawian kwacha
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Hastings Banda, the first President of Malawi, died on 25 November 1997 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Thousands of Malawians gathered in Lilongwe to bury the president.^[1] The funeral took over four hours at the State House followed by a speech of the president, Bakili Muluzi. Muluzi's speech was accompanied by religious ceremonies attended by African heads of states, notably President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, with his vice-president, Joshua Nkomo, and Botswanan President Quett Masire. In his eulogy, Muluzi said that sorrows had surrounded the country as it had lost one of the most powerful leaders in its history. Tananga Cecilia Kadzamira, Banda's long-time companion, among other relatives were the first to lay their wreaths on the president's grave.^[1] Banda was given different heroic names such as the Conqueror, and the Messiah.^[2][3]