Bingu wa Mutharika statue at Parliament: Malawi leader set to unveil it

President Peter Mutharika is Friday  scheduled to unveil  a statue in honour of the late president Bingu wa Mutharika, erected at Parliament Building in Lilongwe.

The Bingu statue
President to unveil a statue in honour of Bingu

Minister of Information and Communications Technology Henry Mussa confirmed that construction works for  the sculpture has been completed.

After unveiling the stature, a memorial service will follow.

Renowned South African sculptor Jean Doyle, who was hired to erect the Bingu statue, also constructed the statue of president Hastings Kamuzu Banda erected at Area 18 Memorial Tower in Lilongwe.

Since the sculpture photos have been circulating on social media, a storm has since erupted over the likeness of the statue; with many airing views that the bronze was not a fair reflection of the country’s  former leader.

But experts says a statue is not a picture and that Bingu’s statue is clearly depicting him with his signature gesture to the country  that “let the works of my hands speak for me.”

One commented to Nyasa Times: “It is Bingu wa Mutharika it is the best sculptor we have in Malawi.”

Malawians will remember  Bingu  because he lived, reigned and died in a very remarkable and memorable way.

Through his first term, from 2004 to 2009, the works of his hands spoke of great political and economic success. Even his national and international critics do not dispute this fact. The world could not resist but listen to the new messiah whose works spoke of great tidings of high agricultural productivity and food security, for the once hunger stricken Malawi.

His works spoke of a redeemed Malawi, which was not only feeding herself, but had over a million metric tons of surplus.  Bingu works spoke so appealingly to donors who had abandoned Malawi and deserted her as if she were a leper colony.

Donors regained trust and flocked back to Malawi with huge bags of dollars and pounds.  The IMF too felt compelled to take a rare decision- in 2006 the IMF wrote-off a huge debt Malawi had incurred, when Bingu was not in office.

In 2006, he through the works of his hands and thorough consultative processes drafted the highly applauded Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) to run for five years until 2011. The MGDS prioritized enhancement of agriculture and food security, education, transport, energy generation, rural development, irrigation and water development, youth development and anti-corruption initiatives.

In 2008, Malawi registered 9.7% economic growth and was rated a fastest growing economy in the world after Qatar.  By the following year, 2009, which was the General Elections years, the works of Mutharikas hands had also spoken of countless infrastructure development that spread across all regions of Malawi. Malawians decided to let their votes speak only of their appreciation to Mutharika and heaped on him 66.7% of votes which ushered him into a second term.

The first year of his second term, from 2009 to 2010 equally spoke highly of works of his hands, which now extended cross the African continent. In January 2010, he rose to the Chairmanship of the African Union, replacing the late Muammar al-Gaddafi who attempted to retain the Chairmanship for an additional term. While Chairing the African Union, he called for Africans to develop fellow Africans and trade intensively among themselves.

Bingu implemented the African Food Basket Initiative which prioritized African’s food security, a concept which he had successfully implemented in Malawi. He argued that Africa had the potential to feed itself and the rest of the world.

All of a sudden, things changed in 2011 during the second year of his second term. – the usual final term curse for African leaders when the works of his hands spoke more of struggle than success.

Bingu  believed that Africans and of course Malawians could develop domestic policies which could tackle domestic challenges better than imposed policies. He wished above all, that Africans, and Malawians must become masters of their fate.

Sources within government estimate that the statue will cost taxpayers in excess of K120 million, including travel expenses for government officials and family members who have been supervising the work.

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Chavuls
Chavuls
4 years ago

THE STATUE LOOKS MORE LIKE SOMEONE FROM KENYA THAN BINGU. PLEASE SCHOOL ME.

Maka Muchiwo
Maka Muchiwo
4 years ago

Yes, like the late Dr. H Kamuzu Banda, the late President Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika deserves a statue. But surely this one does not look like him. Sub standard work like what they did with construction of sub standard dykes. …. Chimenecho chigwetsedwe basi!

Shack
Shack
4 years ago

This is the face of dead Chimulirenji not Bingu. Ndaitulukila, mukuyikilatu ma statue anu while still in power. Hehehe!

Naphuma
Naphuma
4 years ago

kuchita kuchilandila bwino chinthu chonyasa ngati ichi , koma a Malawi simuzatheka. our late bingu does not deserve this, chonde bwezani chinthu chanucho, The late president needs respect not this nyusense……..

Ayayayaya
Ayayayaya
4 years ago

A combination of Goodall Gondwe, Chaponda, Jappie Mhango and milomo ya Mwanaanveka!

Kamuzu wa mutharika
Kamuzu wa mutharika
4 years ago

This statue must fall….our father did not look like this …..THIS IS SO MUCH DISRESPECTFUL TO THE LATE

Shame
Shame
4 years ago

What is that??? A total waste of our tax payers money……..it’s time for change!!!

Embarrassing!
Embarrassing!
4 years ago

Did they Botox his lips ? Was there any supervision ? Somebody needs to be fired

Greed!
Greed!
4 years ago

Is this how he looked after the cardiac arrest? I don’t recognize him at all

Ndata farm!
Ndata farm!
4 years ago

Reincarnation of Daniel Phiri because this is not Bingu🤣🤣🤣

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