Veteran historian, economist and author Dr. Desmond Dudwa Phiri fondly known as DD Phiri has died in Blantyre on Sunday morning.

According to local media reports, Dr. DD Phiri will be laid to rest at HHI cemetery in Blantyre on Tuesday.

Born in Mzimba, late DD Phiri was the principal and proprietor of the Aggrey Memorial School in Blantyre.

At 87 years old, DD Phiri remained a columnist for Malawi’s national newspapers-The Nation and The Daily Times

The prolific writer published 17 books in the fields of history, social studies and economics

The London University trained economist and historian, won several awards in his lifetime

DD Phiri was recognised as one of Africa’s 23 most influential authors by the Pan-African Writers Association in 2011.

He also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Malawi (UNIMA).

In 2017, DD Phiri was named the most influential player in the development of Malawi by the Baptist Church in Malawi.

He will be remembered as a father of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Malawi through the establishment of Aggrey Memorial School.