A somber mood engulfed Mthunzi Mortuary in Blantyre Tuesday afternoon when the remains of celebrated television personality Geoffrey Kapusa, popularly known as Mr. Splash, were being collected.
The mood was the same at Area 3 in Machinjiri, where people, including Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia, were in attendance to pay their last respects to Kapusa, who died yesterday morning at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre.
Mia, who once assisted Kapusa during his time of need, said the country will miss the renowned television personality, who entertained with his ‘Music Splash’ programme.
“He was talented and kept Malawians entertained with ‘Music Splash’ programme. It is sad that we have lost him,” she said.
The deceased’s brother, Collin, said the family is in pain due to Kapusa’s death, describing him as a pillar and that he was a role model to many people.
“He was such a good soul; the name Kapusa got elevated because of him. He did so much to the nation, in terms of promoting music and the arts in general. He motivated many people, such that some of them wanted to be presenters,” he said.
Meanwhile, Musicians Union of Malawi (Mum) has described Kapusa’s death as a huge blow to the music industry.
The music body’s leader Vita Chirwa, who leads Kalimba Band, said Mr Splash will always be remembered for the huge role he played in the promotion and development of Malawi music.
“Mr. Splash will always be remembered for the huge role he played in the promotion and development of Malawi music via his extremely popular television programme ‘Music Splash’ on TVM Malawi, now MBC TV,” Chirwa said.
He said a lot of local musicians became well known across the country and outside through Mr Splash’s programme.
“He promoted musicians through his programme as he was passionate about music and art in general. We, musicians, regarded him as a musicians’ friend,” the Mum leader said.
Several artists took to social media to mourn Kapusa, who, they said, helped promote music through the ‘Music Splash’ programme.
Misa Malawi also said it was saddened by Kapusa’s death, describing him as one of the most prominent television broadcasters of his generation.
“He was perhaps the first television celebrity in modern Malawi. A whole generation of Malawians will feel a big loss today, a huge part of their history has left. Families will remember the moments they shared in their living rooms to watch Mr Splash, as Kapusa was fondly known, dazzle them,” Misa Malawi Chairperson Golden Matonga said.
According to the funeral programme that the family released yesterday, there will be a church service at South Lunzu CCAP today and, thereafter, Kapusa’s remains will be taken to Mkanda Village, Malosa, in Zomba before burial tomorrow.
Kapusa worked for Limbe Leaf Tobacco before joining MBC TV in 1997. After leaving MBC, where he worked for years, he had a stint at The Times Group in 2018. Kapusa assisted several organisations, including Malawi National Association of the Deaf, in different capacities.
He was born on September 14 1971.