George Kanyanya, an erstwhile law maker/legislator (MP), found himself joining forces with others to plot and execute a plan to overthrow a sitting government in Malawi through unlawful means:
- What drove this erstwhile lawmaker to undergo military training abroad and take up arms against his own government?
- What circumstances pushed this erstwhile lawmaker to such extreme measures?
On 30 September 1967, George Kanyanya, along with 16 others, crossed the Malawi border at Mwanza, fully armed, with the intent to overthrow Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s government.
George Kanyanya, with four Umodzi Ufulu Malawi Africa (UUMA) fighters, survived the Mwanza War of October 1967 and retreated to Zambia.
He remained in Zambia until after the 14 June 1993 referendum in Malawi.
Following Bakili Muluzi’s election as President of the Republic of Malawi in May 1994, George Kanyanya was appointed to serve as a minister in President Muluzi’s first cabinet.
The picture shows George Kanyanya as a cabinet minister in 1997, alongside his daughters.
Stay tuned for more insights about George Kanyanya in the forthcoming book on the Mwanza War of October 1967, soon to be released by the Lost History Foundation (LHF).
This is just a glimpse as we commemorate the 57th anniversary of the Mwanza War of October 1967 this week.
#Lost History Foundation