Emmanuel Mwenya Tributes

Tributes to Emmanuel Mwenya

Emmanuel Mwenya 23 September 1957 to 2 January 2004 Photos: left Livingstone, 1990 Right Nairobi 1975 Return to Emmanuel Mwenya 'home' page

From (23 Jan 2004) Edward Nengomasha	ATNESA Chair, Matopos Research Station P/bag X5137, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
I was devastated to hear about the passing on of Emmanuel. This is really a very sad loss to his family and the ATNESA family. May his soul rest in peace.

From (23 Jan 2004) Tammi Krecek	PO Box 12832, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
I was saddened by the death of Emmanuel. I have fond memories of him. He was always enthusiastic and willing to go the extra mile. He will be missed. He was a role model for many.

From (14 Jan 2004) Henk Dibbits	Wageningen UR Agrotechnology and Environment (former IMAG) PO Box 43, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
It was a great shock to hear about the death of Emmanuel Mwenya. My thoughts go to his wife, children, relatives and friends. First of all Emmanuel was a good friend who wore his heart at the right place. Secondly he was an excellent colleague and partner in promoting animal traction in Zambia. His contribution to the animal traction status report and animal survey in Zambia is highly appreciated. I never forget Emmanuel’s leading role and the fun we had in organizing the first ATNESA workshop in 1992 in Lusaka. The workshop was milestone in animal traction promotion and dissemination of information and the foundation of ATNESA. I am pleased to have had the privilege to work with this cheerful person who has contributed a lot to animal traction promotion and development in Africa.

From (13 Jan 2004) Henry Silungwe	University of Venda P/Bag X 5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
I have learnt with shock about the death of a friend and a former classmate at College (1981–1983). For three years I played and joked with Mwenya. I came to know Emmanuel Mwenya as a humorous, hard working and friendly person. Even though it was a long time since we last met, we kept communication by phone. Emmanuel will be dearly missed not only by close family members but also by all his colleagues that he met and worked with. May the lord receive his soul.

From (12 Jan 2004) Lotta Sylwander	Head of Department for Africa Sida, 105 25 Stockholm, Sweden
I was saddened by the news of Emmanuel’s passing. Although it was a long time ago since we met, Emmanuel has stayed in my mind as one of those extraordinary people with a deep commitment and involvement to improve the lives of poor people. His involvement and enthusiasm for animal traction was a good source of energy for many of us who started ATNESA in the early 1990s. Africa has lost a very good and true person with the death of Emmanuel. We will all miss him greatly. May he rest in peace and God bless his family.

From (9 Jan 2004) Bertha Mudamburi Enny Namalambo	Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development P Bag 13188, Windhoek, Namibia
The news of Mwenya's death came with great sadness to us. We realize that we do not have to take things for granted as life is short. We have missed one of the very strong cadres in ATNESA who was capable of getting things done. Mwenya was a hard-working man who did a lot for ATNESA, Namibia and his country Zambia. We learnt a lot from Mwenya and we shall miss him a lot. May his soul rest in peace. Our sympathy goes to the family. May the Lord look after them during this difficult time. We also would like to take this opportunity to encourage all our colleagues in ATNESA to live this life with hope knowing that one day we shall all die. At least when we die let people be able to say the good contributions we would have made to this world.

From (9 Jan 2004) Peta Jones	Donkey Power Teaching & Consultancy PO Box 414, Tshitandani / Makhadot 0920, South Africa
I can see Emmanuel going straight to Heaven, and with that beguiling smile of his congratulating God on designing so well the donkeys and other animals that have been helping rural people for so long - and I like to think that God will smile back, knowing the truth of it, and the worth of this person who also worked so hard in His vineyard.

From (7 Jan 2004) Clarence Mwami	Agriculture Support Programme (ASP) PO Box 50181, Lusaka, Zambia
The passing of Mr Mwenya is a great tragedy not only to the family but also to all the people that had the opportunity to associate with him. Mr Mwenya was my Facilitation Team Leader in ASP and I have worked with him for the last 12 months. He was a well-vested person coupled with wisdom. I learnt a great deal from him but sad to say he is no more. I pray the Lord God almighty grants the Family the strength as they pass through this trying moment. May his soul rest in peace.

From (6 Jan 2004) T E Simalenga	University of Venda P/Bag X 5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
I have learnt with great shock the untimely death of Mr Emanuel Mwenya. I had an opportunity of working very closely with Mwenya since I knew him in 1992 both as an ATNESA steering member and chairperson of ATNESA. He was a hard working person, energetic, very charming, very easy to go along with and very enthusiastic and passion about Animal Traction and Rural Development. As a first ATNESA chairman, Mr Mwenya laid down a very strong foundation of the Network and was always available when asked to assist in various issues. We have lost a gem in Africa and we will surely miss him. May God rest his soul in peace.

From (6 Jan 2004) Bruce Joubert	South Africa Network on Animal Traction (SANAT) University of Fort Hare, P/Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa
We in South Africa (SANAT) have recently heard of the passing of Emmanuel with great sadness. He was well known to most of the SANAT steering committee as well as to the SANAT members who were able to attend the ATNESA workshops held in Kenya (November, 1995) and in South Africa (November, 1999). Emmanuel was one of those people one does not easily forget. His personality and sense of humour radiated from him wherever he went. His cheerful disposition was underscored by a high sense of responsibility and a dedication to the promotion and development of Animal Traction. SANAT has numerous publications and articles, which he produced and to which we continue to refer. He leaves behind a legacy of commitment to his chosen cause, which has been and will continue to be an inspiration to us all in the future. SANAT would like to extend heartfelt condolences to all Emmanuel’s family and friends. We will remember him with joy and appreciation.

From (6 Jan 2004) Wells Kumwenda	Ministry of Agriculture Box 158, Lilongwe, Malawi
It is a great shock and really sad to start the year on such a sad note. The Animal Traction Network consists of members who are part of a family and to lose one such important member is a great loss to the Network as well as the region. Emmanuel Mwenya was a young man who had just acquired enough experience and confidence to tackle the many Farm Power challenges facing Africa and to lose him at this time is a great calamity. Worse still he is leaving behind a young family which requires a lot of assistance. It is only God who can assist the family and all the friends that were so close to him for a long time. May the soul of Emmanuel Mwenya rest in Peace forever.

From (5 Jan 2004) Paul Starkey	Animal Traction Development, Oxgate 64 Northcourt Avenue, Reading RG2 7HQ, UK
Emmanuel was an excellent colleague and friend. I worked with him in Zambia, and we visited all Provinces together to assess the animal traction situation. Emmanuel was one of the founders of ATNESA and thanks to him, the first large ATNESA workshop, held in Lusaka, was a great success. We worked together at ATNESA workshops and committee meetings in many countries including Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and South Africa. He visited me in UK and we worked together on several publications. Emmanuel prepared many reports for national authorities and papers for national and international workshops. I have many happy memories and many photos of him (of course!). These almost always have a twinkle in his eye and a broad smile. Even when he was chairing meetings (which he did well), he was smiling and everyone seemed more relaxed. He was a good 'networker' and had a great capacity of combining cheerfulness and professionalism. Although he left us much too soon and although he (like everyone) experienced constraints and difficulties, I think we will remember him as a happy and fulfilled person, and a very good friend. I have always been proud to be a friend and colleague of Emmanuel, and I will miss him, but he has left us a valuable legacy of animal traction knowledge, publications and happy inspiration. My thoughts and wishes go to his family at this very difficult time.

From (5 Jan 2004) Hussein Sosovele	Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O.Box 35097, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
I have learnt with great sadness the untimely death of Emmanuel. I have known Emmanuel since I started to get involved in the ATNESA activities and my memory of him is of a cheerful, very resourceful and committed person not just in the cause of development in Zambia, but in Africa as whole. Emmanuel looked at Animal Traction with a passion most of us admired and went about in promoting it with all his energy, knowing very well that this was one simple way of helping our farming communities improve production and their livelihood. At this point in time, I pray to the ALMIGHTY LORD to forgive him and accept him in His Kingdom in peace Amen. I also pray to His ALMIGHTY GOD to help his family and friends overcome the emotional stress of the loss of their loved one and face life with hope and determination. Those of us in ATNESA can only do justice to Emmanuel by engaging ourselves with full force and enthusiasm in promoting animal traction and champion the cause that Emmanuel stood for. May God bless all of you.



(If people would like to email further tributes to web-liaison@atnesa.org they may be placed on this ATNESA website).