Jim Jumani Johansson (legally ''Jim Jumani Immanuel Masauko Kamuzu Banda'') (2 May 1973 – 26 January 2019) was a Malawian-Swedish man and allegedly the illegitimate son of the late Malawian President
Hastings Kamuzu Banda
Hastings Kamuzu Banda (1898 – 25 November 1997) was the prime minister and later president of Malawi from 1964 to 1994 (from 1964 to 1966, Malawi was an independent Dominion / Commonwealth realm).
In 1966, the country became a republic and ...
(1898–1997). He changed his name to Jim Jumani Immanuel Masauko Kamuzu Banda. Johansson says that it was after Banda died in 1997 that 'some government officials' told him about who his father really was. Officially, Banda died childless and unmarried. His claim and resemblance to the former dictator opened up many unanswered questions about the legacy of Banda. Johansson became a celebrity overnight in Malawi owing to his uncanny resemblance to the former president and his measures to seek legal means of proving his identity. Malawians were divided on whether he was the true heir but the public demanded a right to know as well.
Focus Gwede Focus Martin Gwede was head of the special branch of the Malawi Police Force. He was from Ntcheu Malawi. He was one of the most feared policemen during the Kamuzu Banda era.Indian-Malawian living outside of Malawi. Jogee, or proof of his existence, however, cannot be located. Banda's family also claim that Jogee is the real father.
Kamuzu Banda
Johansson went to the cabinet to have his name changed officially to Jim Jumani Immanuel Masauko Kamuzu Banda and this was legally granted by the courts, who stated that he had the right to call himself any name he wanted in spite of attempts to block this move by the Banda family.
Preliminary DNA testing
Kamuzu's DNA was secretly taken from the College of Medicine for the purpose of preliminary tests with the help of an unnamed Malawian doctor. Preliminary DNA tests conducted in a private lab in South Africa show that Jim Jumani Johansson was the biological son of Kamuzu Banda. Jumani was still seeking official DNA testing with permission of the Banda estate to prove or disprove his paternity, up until his death.
Maternity claims
Banda was known to be in one relationship that resulted in an heir, with a married British woman, but there is other evidence of affairs which have mainly been kept confidential.
Cecilia Kadzamira
The official hostess was
Cecilia Kadzamira
Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira, DCVO (born 25 June 1938) was the official hostess of Malawi during the reign of Hastings Banda. Whilst she and Banda were not officially married, she served as the first lady or official hostess for several years. For se ...
, but it is believed it was not a sexual relationship by Malawian historians like John Lwanda.
According to Lwanda, Kadzamira cannot be the mother.
Merene French
There is also the relationship with a married British confidant, Merene French, with whom Banda had an affair.
Miriam Kaunda
Miriam Kaunda raised Johansson, but Jumani insisted that she was not his mother, notably due to her refusal to take a DNA test for maternity. Kaunda continues to insist that Banda was not Johannson's father.
Court case
Although Johansson was seeking a high court to order DNA testing, Banda's family denied the use of DNA samples to prove or disprove the claim. Banda's family was skeptical about his claims because of the property claims that his heritage would mean. A grand-niece of Dr. Banda,
Jane Dzanjalimodzi
Jane may refer to:
* Jane (given name), a feminine given name
* Jane (surname), related to the given name
Film and television
* ''Jane'' (1915 film), a silent comedy film directed by Frank Lloyd
* ''Jane'' (2016 film), a South Korean drama fil ...
, noted that “many people will come out of the woodwork to make claims because they know Banda’s vast estate is about to be distributed”. In tense court battles, they have attempted to block Johansson from legally changing his name to Kamuzu Banda, and from visiting the family estates. The family also claims that Johansson was a Swede and not a Malawian citizen and could not make any claims in Malawian courts without paying court costs.
Jumani, however, wanted court-supervised DNA testing where both himself and family representatives were present. Lawyers from the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation ( CHRR) were hired to assist the late Jumani in his claims.
Presidential threats and arrest
Johansson was arrested for asking a presidential guard (at the private residence of the president, Kamazu Palace) why he was protecting a ‘stupid’ president (
Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika (; born Brightson Webster Ryson Thom; 24 February 1934 – 5 April 2012) was a Malawian politician and economist who was President of Malawi from May 2004 until his death in April 2012. He was also President of the Democ ...
) who ‘killed people’ and for then adding that he could ‘kill Mutharika’ himself which was seen as a threat against the president. He was defended by Zeros Matumba in first grade magistrate Richard Gomani's court. He was granted bail against the wishes of the police, and his hearing was adjourned until September 21, 2011.
Deportation from Malawi
On September 27, 2011, immigration authorities took Johansson in for overstaying his allotted time in the country and started processing his deportation. According to
The Nation
''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...
which broke the Jumani story, he acquired a
Swedish passport
Swedish passports ( sv, Svenskt pass) are issued to nationals of Sweden for the purpose of international travel. Besides serving as proof of Swedish citizenship, they facilitate the process of securing assistance from Swedish consular officials ...
after his adoption by his step-father, Matt Johansson.
Johansson was deported on September 28, 2011, for overstaying his visit in Malawi. He had a Malawian passport and had applied for reinstatement of his Malawian citizenship His lawyer, Zeros Matumba, had been trying to fight his deportation.
Death
On January 26, 2019, it was reported that Jumani had died. There is considerable suspicion as to the cause of his death. He was 45.