Desmond Dudwa Phiri


Desmond Dudwa Phiri, commonly known as D. D. Phiri, was a Malawian author, economist, historian, and playwright. He was born in Mzimba, Malawi, and was the Principal and proprietor of the Aggrey Memorial School in Blantyre. He published 17 books in the fields of history, sociology and economics and was recognized by the Pan-African Writers' Association as one of the top 23 authors in Africa in 2011. He was a regular columnist in The Nation newspaper. He died on 24 March 2019 at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Blantyre

Personal life

Phiri was born on 23 February 1931 in Mzimba, Malawi. He went to Blantyre Secondary School and Livingstonia and London. He later moved to England and studied Economics, History, and Sociology at the London School of Economics. He was accorded with an honorary doctorate by the University of Malawi.

Career

He worked as a diplomat in the foreign service and retired from the civil service in 1976. He was the Principal and Proprietor of Aggrey Memorial School. He was a columnist for The Nation newspaper.

Published works

Books

Biography

History

  • From Nguni to Ngoni:A History of the Ngoni Exodus from Zululand and Swaziland to Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia - 1982History of Malawi: From Earliest Times to the Year 1915 - January 2004
  • History of the Tumbuka People - 2000
  • Democracy with a Price: The History of Malawi since 1900 - 1999

Novels (in Tumbuka language)

  • Mankhwala a Ntchito
  • Kanakazi Kayaya
  • Ku Msika wa Vyawaka
  • ''Ulanda wa Mavunika''

Self-help

Hints to Private Students
  • ''What the Achievers Teach about Success''

Essays

Malawi Our Future Our Choice: The Selected Essays of D. D. Phiri - 2006

Plays

  • ''The Chief's Bride''