Desmond Dudwa Phiri

Desmond Dudwa Phiri, commonly known as D. D. Phiri, is a Malawian author, economist, historian, and playwright. He was born in Mzimba, Malawi, and is the Principal and proprietor of the Aggrey Memorial School in Blantyre. He has published 17 books in the fields of history, sociology and economics and was recognized by the Pan-African Writers' Association (PAWA) as one of the top 23 authors in Africa in 2011. He is a regular colomnist in The Nation newspaper.

Phiri was born 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 (part of the University of London). He has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Malawi.

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

Books

Biography

• Let Us Die for Africa: An African Perspective on the Life and Death of John Chilembwe of Nyasaland - 1999
• Charles Chidongo Chinula - 1975
• Dunduzu K. Chisiza - 1974
• James Frederick Sangala: Founder of the Nyasaland African Congress and Bridge between Patriot John Chilembwe and Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda - 1974
• Inkosi Gomani II: Maseko-Ngoni Paramount Chief Who Suffered Martyrdom for His People and Country - 1973

History

• From Nguni to Ngoni:A History of the Ngoni Exodus from Zululand and Swaziland to Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia - 1982
• History 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 (co-authors Bakili Muluzi, Yusuf Juwayeyi, Mercy Makhambera - 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 (co-authors John Williams, Judy Williams) - 2006

Plays

• The Chief's Bride