On December 9 2019, 13 of us set out for Sapitwa Peak on Mount Mulanje, Malawi’s rooftop at 3 002 metres above sea level. It is also the highest point in Southern Central Africa. The mountain, rises sharply from surrounding plains, earning the nickname Island in the Sky.
Unesco named it a World Heritage Site last year. Apart from myself, the other pioneers included Taonga Mtambo, Emmie Suliwa, Mercy Kaunda, Rabecca Mulanje, James Photiwa, Yamikani Lozi, Maxwel Muyaluka, Yoramu Chirambo, Austin Ndolo, Lt Col.Robert Saizi, Ndindase Kumwenda and Mfazimun. As per tradition, the goal was not speed but to reachthe top together, leaving no one behind.
Within three hours, we were at the Chambe Hut. Chambe is one of the more than 20 summits on the Mulanje massif. Other notable ones are Nkhulambe, Lichenya, Dzoole and Nakodzwe.
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We arrived at Chambe, sweating under the sun but still laughing. After a short rest, light showers began to fall. We quickly pulled out our rain covers, and praised the mountain spirits for cooling the air.
However, with the rains, what should have been a six-hour trek to Chisepo Hut stretched into eight. We arrived soaked, drained, and starving; yet strangely excited. We cooked, ate and rested, ready for the showdown at dawn.
At 5am, the team charged for the summit, the skies had patches of dark clouds. “Make sure you have a raincoat, a very warm top, and good shoes!” I shouted to the team while we geared up. Robert Saizi, were impressively equipped.
With morale high, we began our ascent. One of the soldiers, Austin ‘Anyeze’ Mndolo led motivational songs that echoed across the rocks. The weather was perfect: no sun and no rain.
But this blessing was short-lived. Barely 90 minutes into scrambling over bedrock in monkey-style climbs, the skies opened. Rain hammered the rocks.
Temperatures dropped. We pulled out our warm layers, everyone except for Pothiwa, who shockingly had come putting on flip-flops commonly known as magwaladi and no warm clothing. Put on your raincoat and a warm top!” I yelled.
He had neither. He began shaking uncontrollably. The freezing temperatures were unforgiving. He suggested we leave him in a cave and pick him up on the way down.
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