Dunduzu Chisiza was born on 8th August 1930 in Karonga. After his primary school education at Livingstonia Mission, he went to Uganda for further studies and then to Tanganyika where he worked as a clerk in the Police.
He came back to Nyasaland for a brief stay then travelled to work in Southern Rhodesia as a clerk at the Indian High Commission from where he was deported to Nyasaland in August 1956 for his involvement in political activism.
In 1957, he enrolled to study Economics in the UK at Fircroft College, but was recalled by Dr Banda in August 1958 and was appointed Secretary General of Nyasaland African Congress.
Upon state of emergency of 3 March 1959, he was detained along with Dr. Banda and others at Gweru Prison in Southern Rhodesia where he continued to study Economics reading about 74 text books on Economics within a couple of months.
After his release from prison in September 1960, he contested for a parliamentary seat for Karonga during the August 1961 elections and won. He was then appointed deputy minister of Finance (parliamentary secretary) immediately after.
Dunduzu Chisiza is also remembered to have organised and chaired an International Economic Symposium on Nyasaland held at Kwacha Conference Centre from 18-28 July 1962 which was attended by distinguished Economists, academics, politicians, activists from across the world.
According to Colin Cameron, this International Economic Symposium was a highly successful event but soon proved a catalyst for disagreement with Dr. Banda who was angry that Dunduzu Chisiza received considerable and widespread praise and acclaim, plaudits which Dr. Banda increasingly felt to be his sole preserve.
After the International Economic Symposium, Colin Cameron as Minister of Works & Transport, Mikeka Mkandawire Minister without portfolio and Dunduzu Chisiza (Deputy Minister of Finance) went to meet Dr. Banda to express their concerns against the way Dr. Banda was running government.
Dr. Banda heard the three and told them bluntly that he no-one would tell him how to run government, he told them they could take it or leave it.
After meeting Dr. Banda, the three then tendered their resignations to Governor Sir Glyn Jones.
Further discussions followed with the Governor in which the three were persuaded to withdraw their resignations which they did on condition that Dr Banda be informed that the three would support him up to independence after which the three would be free to go their own ways.
Two months later, on 3rd September 1962, Dunduzu Chisiza was found dead in his official Mercedes benz that was reported to have crushed into a stream at Thondwe on his way from Blantyre to his residence in Zomba.
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