John Chilembwe Day

Tsiku la John Chilembwe: Kukumbukira Ngatanyadza ya Ufulu m'dziko la Malawi

Tsiku la John Chilembwe ndi limodzi mwa masiku opatulika komanso ofunika kwambiri m’mbiri ya dziko la Malawi. Chaka chilichonse pa 15 Januwale, aMalawi amapuma n’cholinga choti akumbukire moyo ndi nsembe yomwe Reverend John Chilembwe anapereka polimbana ndi ulamuliro wa atsamunda a Chingerezi. Ili si tsiku lachisangalalo chaphokoso kapena maphwando am’mbali mwa msewu, koma ndi tsiku losinkhasinkha, kupemphera, komanso kulemekeza munthu yemwe anadzala mbewu ya ufulu yomwe tikusangalala nayo lero. Chilembwe amaonedwa ngati tate wa ufulu wa dziko lino chifukwa iye anali m’modzi mwa anthu oyamba kulimbana ndi nkhanza za atsamunda pogwiritsa ntchito mfundo zachikhristu komanso kusonkhanitsa anthu kuti amenyere ufulu wawo.

Chofunika kwambiri pa tsiku lino ndi mzimu wa kudzichepetsa komanso kulimba mtima. John Chilembwe sanali msirikali wophunzitsidwa nkhondo, koma anali m’busa wa mpingo wa Baptist yemwe anakhudzidwa ndi masauko a anthu ake. Ulendo wake wopita ku Lynchburg, Virginia, ku dziko la America, unamupatsa maso atsopano owonera dziko lapansi. Atabwerera ku Nyasaland (dzina lakale la Malawi), iye anakhazikitsa bungwe la Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) ku Mbombwe, m’boma la Chiradzulu. Anthu a ku Malawi amalikumbukira tsiku lino chifukwa limatikumbutsa kuti ufulu sunabwere mofatsa; unadza kudzera m’magazi ndi misozi ya anthu omwe anakana kukhala akapolo m’dziko lawo.

M’dziko la Malawi, tsiku lino limatengedwa kukhala la mtendere komanso ulemu waukulu. Zimenezi zimasiyana ndi masiku ena a maholide monga tsiku la Ufulu (Independence Day) pa 6 July, lomwe limakhala ndi ziwonetsero za usilikali ndi magule. Pa Tsiku la John Chilembwe, mitima ya aMalawi imayang’ana ku Mbombwe komanso ku tchalitchi chake chomwe chinagwetsedwa ndi azungu pambuyo pa kuukira kwa mu 1915. Ndi tsiku lofunika kwambiri pakulimbitsa mgwirizano wa dziko komanso kudziwa komwe tinachokera monga mtundu umodzi.

Kodi Tsiku la John Chilembwe lidzakhala liti mu 2026?

Chaka cha 2026, tsiku lofunika limene aMalawi onse adzakhala akupuma ndi kukumbukira ngatanyadza uyu lidzakhala pa Thursday, January 15, 2026. Pakadali pano, kwatsala masiku okwanira 12 kuti tifikire tsiku limeneli.

Tsiku la John Chilembwe ndi tsiku losasintha (Fixed Date). Mosiyana ndi maholide ena omwe amadalira masiku a mwezi kapena zochitika zapachaka zomwe zimasintha, tsiku lino limachitika nthawi zonse pa 15 Januwale. Ngakhale kuti kuukira komwe anatsogolera kunayamba pa 23 Januwale 1915, boma la Malawi linasankha tsiku la 15 Januwale kukhala tsiku la chikumbutso chaka chilichonse pofuna kulemekeza moyo wake wonse ndi masomphenya ake. Ngati tsikuli litagwera pa Loweruka kapena Lamlungu, boma nthawi zambiri limalengeza kuti Lolemba lotsatira likhale holide, koma mwambo weniweni umachitika pa tsiku lenilenilo la 15 Januwale.

Mbiri ndi Chiyambi cha Tsiku la John Chilembwe

Kuti timvetse chifukwa chake aMalawi amalemekeza tsiku lino, m’pofunika kuyang'ana mbiri ya John Chilembwe. Iye anabadwa cha m’ma 1871 ndipo anakulira m’manja mwa Joseph Booth, mmishonale yemwe anali ndi maganizo omasuka ndipo ankakhulupirira kuti dziko la Africa liyenera kulamulidwa ndi a Africa ("Africa for Africans"). Booth anamutenga Chilembwe kupita naye ku America mu 1897, komwe Chilembwe anakaphunzira za utumiki wa Mulungu ndipo anaona mmene anthu akuda ku America ankayesera kulimbana ndi tsankho.

Atabwerera ku Malawi mu 1900, Chilembwe anakhazikitsa Providence Industrial Mission. Iye anaphunzitsa anthu osati za m’Baibulo zokha, komanso ulimi wamakono, ukhondo, komanso mmene angadzithandizire pa moyo wawo. Komabe, zinthu zinayamba kuipa chifukwa cha dongosolo la Thangata. Dongosololi linali lokakamiza aMalawi kugwira ntchito m’minda ya azungu kwaulere kapena pamtengo wochepa kwambiri monga njira yolipirira msonkho wa nyumba. Anthu ankazunzidwa, kumenyedwa, komanso kuwotchedwa nyumba zawo ngati sakugwira ntchito m’minda ya azungu monga ya ku Magomero.

Chinthu china chomwe chinamukwiyitsa kwambiri Chilembwe chinali nkhondo yoyamba ya padziko lonse (World War I). Atsamunda a Chingerezi anayamba kutenga aMalawi mokakamiza kuti akamenye nkhondo ya azungu yomwe iwo sakanadziwa n’komwe chifukwa chake ikumenyedwa. Chilembwe analemba kalata yotsutsa zimenezi m’nyuzipepala ya Central African Times, koma boma la atsamunda linayesa kumumanga.

Poona kuti palibe njira ina, pa 23 Januwale 1915, Chilembwe anatsogolera kuukira kwa zida. Iwo anaukira mafamu a azungu omwe ankadziwika ndi nkhanza, monga famu ya mzungu wotchedwa William Jervis Livingstone ku Magomero. Cholinga cha Chilembwe chinali chakuti azungu amve mfuu ya aMalawi. Ngakhale kuti kuukiraku sikunapambane mwankhondo ndipo Chilembwe anaphedwa pa 3 February 1915 pamene ankathawira ku dziko la Mozambique, mbewu ya ufulu inali itadzalidwa kale. Anthu anazindikira kuti n'zotheka kulimbana ndi ulamuliro wa azungu.

Pambuyo pa ufulu wa dziko la Malawi mu 1964, boma la Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda linayamba kumuzindikira Chilembwe monga ngatanyadza wamkulu. Chithunzi chake chinayamba kuonekera pa ndalama za dziko lino (Kwacha) ndipo tchalitchi chake ku Mbombwe chinakhala malo osungirako mbiri.

Mmene aMalawi Amasungira Tsiku Lino

Tsiku la John Chilembwe limachitika m’njira yolemekezeka kwambiri. Palibe maphwando a phokoso, koma pali zochitika zingapo zomwe zimasonyeza ulemu:

1. Mapemphero a Chikumbutso (Memorial Services)

Chochitika chachikulu kwambiri chimachitikira ku Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) ku Mbombwe, Chiradzulu. Pamenepa, atsogoleri a boma, kuphatikizapo Mtsogoleri wa Dziko, amasonkhana pamodzi ndi atsogoleri a mipingo komanso achibale a John Chilembwe. Pamakhala mapemphero, nyimbo za m’mapemphero, komanso kuwerenga nkhani za m’Baibulo zomwe zimalimbikitsa chilungamo ndi ufulu. Anthu amavala modzichepetsa, ndipo mpweya wa pamalopo umakhala wa chisoni komanso kunyada.

2. Zolankhula za Atsogoleri

Pa tsiku lino, Mtsogoleri wa Dziko amapereka uthenga kwa mtundu wonse wa Malawi. Zolankhulazi nthawi zambiri zimayang’ana pa mfundo zomwe Chilembwe ankakhulupirira: kulimbika ntchito, kudzipereka kwa dziko, komanso kukhala ndi ufulu wa maganizo. Atsogoleri amalimbikitsa aMalawi kuti akhale ogwirizana komanso kuti apitilize kulimbana ndi "atsamunda amakono" monga umphawi, matenda, ndi kusaphunzira.

3. Maphunziro m’mabanja ndi m’madera

M’mabanja ambiri, makolo amagwiritsa ntchito tsiku lino kuphunzitsa ana awo za mbiri ya Malawi. Chifukwa chakuti ana sakhala kusukulu, limakhala mpata wabwino wofotokoza za nkhondo ya ku Magomero komanso chifukwa chake John Chilembwe ali pa ndalama iliyonse ya Kwacha. Zimenezi zimathandiza kuti mibadwo yatsopano isazaiwale komwe dziko lino lachokera.

4. Kuchezera Malo a Mbiri

Ena amagwiritsa ntchito tsiku lino kupita kumalo omwe ali ndi mbiri ya Chilembwe. Kupatula ku PIM ku Chiradzulu, ena amapita ku Blantyre kapena m’maboma a m’mwera komwe kuukira kunkachitika. Ngakhale kuti nyengo ya mwezi wa Januwale imakhala yamvula, anthu ambiri amayesetsa kuyenda kuti akaone malo amenewa.

Mwambo ndi Chikhalidwe cha Tsiku la Chilembwe

Chikhalidwe cha tsiku la Chilembwe chazikika pa chikhulupiriro chachikhristu chomwe iye mwini anali nacho. Popeza Chilembwe anali m’busa, zambiri zomwe zimachitika pa tsikuli zimakhala ndi mbali ya chipembedzo.

Nyimbo: Nyimbo zomwe zimayimbidwa pa tsikuli nthawi zambiri zimakhala za m’matchalitchi a Baptist kapena nyimbo za fuko zomwe zimafotokoza za kulimba mtima. Nyimbozi zimakhala ndi uthenga wokhuza ufulu ndi kudalira Mulungu pa nthawi ya mavuto. Kavalidwe: Anthu amene amapita ku mwambo wa ku Mbombwe amavala mwaulemu kwambiri. Amuna nthawi zambiri amavala masuti, ndipo amayi amavala masiketi aatali ndi nsalu zam’mutu (zovala za ulemu za m’matchalitchi). Izi zikuwonetsa kuti tsikuli ndi lolemekezeka. Chizindikiro cha Ndalama: Pa tsiku lino, anthu amakumbutsidwanso za kufunika kwa ndalama yathu ya Kwacha. Popeza nkhope ya Chilembwe ili pa ndalama zonse, anthu amalimbikitsidwa kulemekeza ndalama ya dziko monga chizindikiro cha ufulu wathu wa zachuma womwe Chilembwe ankaulakalaka.

Malangizo kwa Alendo ndi Anthu Obwera Kumene m’dziko la Malawi

Ngati muli mlendo kapena mwangofika kumene m’dziko la Malawi pa nthawi ya Tsiku la John Chilembwe, n’kofunika kudziwa zinthu zingapo kuti muthe kukhala bwino ndi kutsatira chikhalidwe cha m’dziko muno:

1. Kutseka kwa Maofesi ndi Mabizinesi: Monga holide ya boma, maofesi onse a boma, mabanki, masukulu, ndi mabizinesi ambiri amakhala otsekidwa. Ngati muli ndi zinthu zofunika kuchita ku banki kapena ku ofesi ya boma, onetsetsani kuti mwachita zimenezo tsiku lisanafike kapena mudzadikira mpaka pa 16 Januwale. Masitolo akuluakulu (supermarkets) nthawi zambiri amatsegula, koma amatha kutseka mwamsanga kuposa masiku onse.
2. Mayendedwe: Magalimoto onyamula anthu (minibuses) amapitiliza kugwira ntchito, koma akhoza kukhala ochepa poyerekeza ndi masiku ena. Ngati mukufuna kuyenda ulendo wautali, konzekerani mapulani anu pasadakhale.
3. Ulemu ku Mwambo: Ngati mwaganiza zopita ku mwambo wa ku Mbombwe kapena ku tchalitchi chilichonse chomwe chikuchita chikumbutso, chonde valani modzichepetsa. Malawi ndi dziko lomwe limalemekeza kwambiri kavalidwe kazaubusa ndi kazaudindo, makamaka pa masiku ngati lino.
4. Nyengo: Mwezi wa Januwale uli pakati pa nyengo ya mvula ku Malawi. Mvula imatha kugwa nthawi iliyonse, ndipo nthawi zina imakhala yamphamvu kwambiri. Ngati mupita kumisonkhano yakunja, onetsetsani kuti muli ndi ambulera kapena jekete lamvula. Madera a m’mwera monga Chiradzulu ndi Blantyre amatha kukhala ozizira pang’ono kukagwa mvula, koma nthawi zambiri kumakhala kotentha pang’ono (humid).
5. Chakudya ndi Zakumwa: Popeza ndi tsiku la chikumbutso, palibe zakudya zapadera zomwe zimaphikidwa monga zimene zimakhala pa Khirisimasi. Komabe, m’madera omwe kuli misonkhano, anthu amatha kugulitsa zakudya zam’deralo monga chimanga chowotcha, nthochi, kapena mandasi.

Kodi ndi Holide ya Boma?

Inde, Tsiku la John Chilembwe ndi holide ya boma (Public Holiday) yovomerezeka mwalamulo m’dziko la Malawi. Zimenezi zikutanthauza kuti:

Ogwira ntchito: Anthu ogwira ntchito m’maofesi a boma ndi amene ali ndi makontrakitala amakono m’makampani amakhala ndi tsiku lopuma popanda kuchotsedwa malipiro awo. Mabanki: Mabanki onse amakhala otsekidwa, koma makina a ATM amakhala akugwira ntchito. Masukulu: Ana onse asukulu amakhala patchuthi pa tsiku lino.

• Misonkhano: Ngakhale kuti ambiri amapuma, kwa atsogoleri a boma ndi a zipembedzo, ili ndi tsiku lantchito yolemba mbiri chifukwa amakhala otanganidwa ndi miyambo ya chikumbutso.

Kufunika kwa Tsiku lino m’tsogolo mwa Malawi

Tsiku la John Chilembwe lidzapitiliza kukhala lofunika kwambiri pamene Malawi ikukula. M’dziko lomwe likukumana ndi zovuta za zachuma ndi kusintha kwa nyengo, mzimu wa Chilembwe wofuna kudzidalira (self-reliance) ndi wofunika kwambiri. Iye sanali kungofuna kuti azungu achoke, koma ankafuna kuti aMalawi aphunzire luso, amange matchalitchi awo, asamalire minda yawo, komanso azilemekezana.

Zaka 12 zikubwerazi tisanafike pa January 15, 2026, aMalawi ambiri adzakhala akuganizira mmene angatsatire chitsanzo cha Chilembwe m’moyo wawo wa tsiku ndi tsiku. Kaya ndi mwa kulimbikira kulima, kuphunzira mwakhama kusukulu, kapena kuyankhula motsutsa zinthu zosalungama, uthenga wa John Chilembwe udzapitiliza kumveka m’mapiri ndi m’zidambo za dziko la Malawi.

Pomaliza, Tsiku la John Chilembwe mu 2026