Malawi loses a fine scientist in Ethiopia: Simutowe dies of cardiac arrest
A well known Malawian scientist Franklin Peter Simtowe has passed away in Ethiopia, it has been learnt.
Born in Chitipa District in 1971, Simtowe held a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Agricultural Economics from the University of Bonn and Hohenheim in Germany.
His professional career spans over 25 years of socio-economics research in many international research institutes and organizations including most recently as Africa Director of Monitoring and Evaluation for the Sasakawa Global 2000 based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;.
He also had a stint as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Africa Rice Center (WARDA) based in Cotonou, Benin.
Narrating Simtowe’s death, Malawi’s Deputy Ambassador to Ethiopia Mr Sagawa said that Simtowe collapsed in his office at Sasakawa Global 2000 in the afternoon of Friday, 9th October 2020 and is believed to have died on the spot.
He was rushed to Yared hospital in Addis Ababa where they pronounced him dead on arrival of cardiac arrest.
In order to seek second opinion they took him to St Paul hospital where the same pronouncement was made. While taking him to St Paul hospital they informed the police who came and took over the case.
Commenting on Simtowe’s death, his long time coach and mentor Professor Richard Mkandawire, who chairs the National Planning Commission (NPC) said that he was in complete shock at losing one of the finest young scientists in Malawi and in Africa.
“I have been mentoring Dr. Simtowe and a few other upcoming scientists for many years so that we may sustain the gains of our agricultural policy research work done over the last 30 years, as he was an emerging and passionate leader in the field”, lamented Professor Mkandawire.
“We have lost a true friend of African small scale farmers, a well published author and leader in agricultural policy research in Africa as Dr. Simtowe boasts over twenty peer-reviewed research publications in his career”, said Dr. Peter Setimela, a Senior Scientist at CIMMYT in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Minister of Civic Education and National Unity, Timothy Mtambo expresses shock at the loss of Simtowe and said, “As a Tonse Alliance government in Malawi, we rely on experts to develop evidence based policies in all spheres of life. Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s administration has many plans to harness the talents and expertise of our sons and daughters based in Malawi and abroad. As such, it is very painful for death to be robbing us of such talent. We commiserate with the family at this difficult time”.
The remains Simtowe was scheduled to arrive in Malawi on Tuesday 13th October and a vigil and mass, by the Roman Catholic Church, will be held at his house in Area 43 Lilongwe and then proceed to his home village in Kameme, Chitipa where his remains will be finally led to rest on Thursday, 15th October 2020.
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RIP. Gone too soon
Gone too soon. RIP.
Too bad.
May his soul rest in peace
Kodi an Economist is a top scientist? I’m learning. May his soul rest in peace
Me too…social scientist maybe
So sad. Rest in Peace my brother
Such is a person whom we could expert and not these other, like this one whom is touted as expert (Titus Divala). It will indeed help if more information was churned as what he did to Malawi before he went to Addis Ababa
20 articles you have never read…
what a great loss
May we be furnished with his contribution to the Malawi nation please.
This is a very stupid comment honestly, this guy worked for ICRISAT, BUNDA before landing International jobs, if u want google him
You are saying so because you knew him, for us who are hearing his name for the first time we need to know more hence such a comment.
Thanks for your information, to us it was the first time to hear about him. But I was not commenting, I was asking. Next time learn to differentiate between a comment and a question.
The word “fine scientist” shows that he was not ordinarly. This is why people want to know what he did.
What have you yourself contributed to this nation?
Good question. What has himself asking the question contributed to Malawi? Besides, maliro message is no news to him until he associates the person with his contribution to Malawi? Shame on you guys
Just inform him what this scientist has done so that people must know. Is it a crime to ask for achievements? Some people are not like dogs, who raises their legs when urinating so that people should see how big their scrotum is.Shame on you Lendi and Ida.
Ida, I was asking for information about this scientist, Mwinifilimu has given some clue, although he was rude, I have found one work by him, which is a journal about the Fertiliser policy in Malawi which he wrote in 2015. So Ida, If you have some work please furnish, some of us wants information so much.
Just give him the answer, he just want to know. Should people fear to ask?
Condolences to his family.