Malosa

Malosa is a small trading centre located in the Zomba District of Malawi. The Malosa mountain range and plateau neighbours the more famous Zomba Plateau and is separated by the Domasi Valley. Malosa is on the M3, 27 km from the city of Zomba. The earth road from the trading post leads from the edge of the main road right up to the base of the Malosa mountain range.

Malosa is dominated by the Anglican Church Mission. Following a request from David Livingstone, the first missionaries arrived 50 miles away at Magomero in 1861. The Protectorate of Nyasaland was formed in 1891 with only one Anglican diocese (there are now four). A mission station, named Likwenu, after the river flowing from Malosa Mountain, was established on the slopes of the mountain in 1910 and a hospital opened there in 1913. In 1963 Bishop Donald Arden established the headquarters of the Diocese at Malosa, it having previously been on Likoma Island and at Mponda’s. In 1971 the Diocese was divided into two, the Diocese of Southern Malawi in the south and the Diocese of Lake Malawi in the centre and north. In 2002 the Diocese of Southern Malawi divided into two and the Diocese of Upper Shire came into being with is headquarters at Malosa. The Right Reverend Brighton Vitta Malasa, became Bishop in 2009 and has his diocesan offices at the foot of the mountain.

Located in Malosa is an area called Chilema. 'Chilema' in Chichewa (the local language) means 'disabled' or 'deformed' and this area gets its name from two natural phenomena. Firstly a stream that starts at the top of Malosa Mountain but as it flows down it gets smaller and disappears at the point of Chilema. Secondly a tree, the Chilema Tree, which is a single tree that looks like an entire forest. It is impossible to find the original trunk of the tree as the whole area is a vast interconnected mesh of woven trunks. For the first few years in the life of the Chilema Ecumenical Lay Training Centre its chapel was under the tree. The stone altar is still there.

Malosa Forest Reserve is a protected forest in Malawi. It is under the authority of The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Management. In 2013 Malosa Forest Reserve became part of a Zomba-Malosa-Liwonde forest management plan, splitting all the forestry reserves into 26 blocks. The Malosa forest blocks are managed by Nkalo Forest Block of Traditional Authority Nkula.

Malosa peak stands 6,816 feet and has gently rounded slopes. Malosa plateau lies at 6,000-6,600 feet and is covered in grasses and trees. Walks up the mountain and on the plateau can be found along the paths used by the illegal charcoal producers. On the peaks of the Malosa range you can enjoy views of the Shire river, Lake Chilwa, and the Chikala, Chaone, and Mongolowe hills. There are also lots of interesting insects and flora with butterfly collectors frequently using Malosa mountain to collect specimens.

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Wikipedia