Percy Kachipande
Encyclopedia
Safiel Percy Kachipande was born in Ntcheu
, Malawi
. He is a former civil servant and diplomat for Malawi diplomatic missions to Germany, US and South Africa .
Prior to entering the foreign service, as a civil servant he was District Commissioner
for Dedza District
and Zomba District
. He also worked on the Malawi-Canada Railway project.
In the United States, he was also a Consular in the 1987-1989 for the Malawi permanent mission to the United Nations in New York and to the embassy in Washington, DC .
In South Africa, he served as the First secretary and later acting Ambassador during apartheid South Africa. Due to his determination to pursue top quality education for his family, one of his daughters became the first black student to attend and hence integrate Pretoria High School for Girls
(PHSG) during the apartheid era where schools were legally separated by race. PHSG thus became the first all-white public school in the province
of Northern Transvaal (now Gauteng
) to integrate under the leadership of headmistress Anne Van Zyl
. In South Africa, he worked as a UN observer during South Africa's first democratic election process, helping to ensure free and fair elections. He was instrumental in ensuring continued diplomatic relations between Malawi and the new ANC government during the transition period in South Africa.Diplomatic relations between Malawi and South Africa had been unstable because Malawi was the only African country with a Black majority government (the other being White minority-ruled Zimbabwe
), to have diplomatic ties with South Africa throughout the apartheid era. His efforts resulted in Nelson Mandela
's first trip to Malawi after his release from jail and prior to becoming the president of South Africa and assurances of continued relationship between the two countries. In 1992, Malawi was also transitioning to a multi-party democracy and changing oppressive laws under Kamuzu Banda.
In Malawi he worked with the Ministry of justice and Ministry of Education. He was on the board of directors of the Designated Schools Board. He retired as a civil servant in Malawi. He ran a successful campaign as a parliamentary candidate in the 2004 and 2009 parliamentary elections for Ntcheu West . The results of which were being contested due to alleged irregularities during elections.
He currently does charity work with Project Wellness, Canada that builds boreholes in rural areas.
Ntcheu
Ntcheu is a town located in the Central Region of Malawi. It is the administrative capital of Ntcheu District.Ntcheu is known for its produce like Irish potatoes.-Demographics:...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. He is a former civil servant and diplomat for Malawi diplomatic missions to Germany, US and South Africa .
Prior to entering the foreign service, as a civil servant he was District Commissioner
District Commissioner
A District Commissioner is an executive post in Malawi for the appointee in charge of the Districts or administrative localities in Malawi. There are 28 Districts in Malawi. The role is similar to that of a governor. The position of DC is appointed by the President of Malawi...
for Dedza District
Dedza District
Dedza is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. It covers an area of 3,624 km.² to the south of the Malawi capital, Lilongwe, between Mozambique and Lake Malawi.-Geography:...
and Zomba District
Zomba District
Zomba District is one of twelve districts in the Southern Region of Malawi, surrounded by the Districts of Chiradzulu, Blantyre, Mulanje, Phalombe, Machinga, Balaka and the Republic of Mozambique to the east...
. He also worked on the Malawi-Canada Railway project.
In the United States, he was also a Consular in the 1987-1989 for the Malawi permanent mission to the United Nations in New York and to the embassy in Washington, DC .
In South Africa, he served as the First secretary and later acting Ambassador during apartheid South Africa. Due to his determination to pursue top quality education for his family, one of his daughters became the first black student to attend and hence integrate Pretoria High School for Girls
Pretoria High School for Girls
Pretoria High School for Girls, also called Girls High or PHSG, is a public, fee charging, English medium high school for girls located in Hatfield, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.-Second Anglo-Boer War:...
(PHSG) during the apartheid era where schools were legally separated by race. PHSG thus became the first all-white public school in the province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of Northern Transvaal (now Gauteng
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
) to integrate under the leadership of headmistress Anne Van Zyl
Anne Van Zyl
Anne Van Zyl is a South African education administrator from Cape Town, South Africa. She is currently the headmistress of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. She has also been headmistress at five different schools including Pretoria High School for Girls, St. Stithians College, and...
. In South Africa, he worked as a UN observer during South Africa's first democratic election process, helping to ensure free and fair elections. He was instrumental in ensuring continued diplomatic relations between Malawi and the new ANC government during the transition period in South Africa.Diplomatic relations between Malawi and South Africa had been unstable because Malawi was the only African country with a Black majority government (the other being White minority-ruled Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
), to have diplomatic ties with South Africa throughout the apartheid era. His efforts resulted in Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
's first trip to Malawi after his release from jail and prior to becoming the president of South Africa and assurances of continued relationship between the two countries. In 1992, Malawi was also transitioning to a multi-party democracy and changing oppressive laws under Kamuzu Banda.
In Malawi he worked with the Ministry of justice and Ministry of Education. He was on the board of directors of the Designated Schools Board. He retired as a civil servant in Malawi. He ran a successful campaign as a parliamentary candidate in the 2004 and 2009 parliamentary elections for Ntcheu West . The results of which were being contested due to alleged irregularities during elections.
He currently does charity work with Project Wellness, Canada that builds boreholes in rural areas.