Page 60 - Number 2 2021 Volume 74

48 The Society of Malaŵi Journal

make a difference, but as most in the Diaspora come to realise, the ground can be
slippery if one ignores local views.
Having lived in the West for a long time, Catherine had adopted some aspects of
western culture and expected that, at the age of 61, her personal views would be
respected. This became evident when she decided to remarry and her
communication to the members of her late husband’s family got to them after her
decision to get married had become public. The Chipembere side had expected
17
her to undergo the kuchujulidwa ceremony. The issue went to court, and
Catherine won. Because the matter spilt over into the political arena, with some
18
constituents claiming that she had to resign and fight as Mrs Marama, some
observers argue that she was used as a usable ‘political widow’ and discarded at
the first opportunity despite the glaring gender inequity in President Muluzi’s
19
Cabinet at the time. Although Catherine reached out to her in-laws to mend
fences, President Muluzi appears to have succumbed to the voices calling for her
20
dismissal and she was sacked from the cabinet in 1998.
As we noted earlier Catherine Chipembere’s dream, most likely inspired
by her father, was to be a teacher. Life after politics brought her back to her
passion. She established WIN Malawi (Women’s Initiative Network) after being
dropped from cabinet in 1998 to focus on helping to feed school going children in
Mangochi.
21
Female activists often have two things in common, resilience and
humility. In the Malawi context both qualities can be seen in our heroines,
Catherine Chipembere, Rose Chibambo and Vera Chirwa; their lives and struggles
and successes attest to these qualities. Dr Banda and his one-party state may have
been overcome but they did not let themselves be lulled into a sense of resignation
believing that there were no more struggles for women to encounter.
For Vera Chirwa, it was injustices against women and using women as
political praise singers and dancers; for Catherine Chipembere, it was advancing
women’s self-reliance and children’s right to education; for Rose Chibambo was

17
Gordon-Chipembere, Natasha 2013 ‘Catherine Mary Ajizinga Chipembere:
living an extraordinary life’, In Marion Rohrleitner and Sarah E Ryan (eds)
Dialogue Across Diasporas: Women Writers, Scholars and Activists of Africana
and Latina Descent in conversation. New York: Lexington Books, page 220.
18 She had married Clement Marama, who tragically died five years later.
19 Gordon-Chipembere, Natasha 2009 Watch this Woman, Scrutiny2, 14:2, 9-24,
20 Gordon-Chipembere, Natasha 2013 ‘Catherine Mary Ajizinga Chipembere’,
page 218 – 220.
21
Gordon-Chipembere, Natasha 2013 ‘Catherine Mary Ajizinga Chipembere’,
page 220.