Bingu wa Mutharika’s name causes stir in Karonga

Tiwonge Kumwenda –Nyasa Times

Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has deployed a battalion of its youth cadets in the northern border district of Karonga where there is tension with the impending protests against the renaming of a road linking the district with Chitipa after late president Bingu wa Mutharika.

Simsokwe: We will hold protests even though the DPP government has tendency of killing protestors in the north
Simsokwe: We will hold protests even though the DPP government has tendency of killing protestors in the north

President Peter Mutharika, a brother to Bingu, will officially name the road on Friday.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa said the decision to rename Karonga-Chitipa road to Bingu Highway came from chiefs in the two districts.

He said “Bingu was an icon of development and deserves to be honoured” for successfully completing the construction of the road linking Chitipa and Karonga to the rest of the country.

But there have been protests from communities who plan to hold demonstrates on Friday.

One of the organisers, Steven Simsokwe told Nyasa Times that they will show their disapproval to the name Bingu Highway, saying government should listen to the people not “politicians disguised as chiefs.”

Simsokwe said the road should have been named after great sons of the soil in north Malawi like pro-democracy champion Chakufwa Chihana, Orton Chirwa and former speaker Rodwell Munyenyembe.

“We will hold protests against the name,” Simsokwe said.

But DPP have been prepared with its cadets sharpening pangas to defend the name.

To beef up the battalion of DPP cadres, the ruling party has also engaged  students at the Mzuzu University.

“We are indeed coming there to deal with the Karonga and Chitipa residents who are against the decision of naming Karonga-Chitipa road Bingu highway after being approached by the DPP party officials,” confided some students.

However, DPP deputy regional governor in the north, Smart Kayira said President Mutharika is not coming to rename the road as that process was already concluded by the local chiefs.

“The  President visit is to inspect the police houses affected by the floods and the not naming Karonga-Chitipa road, therefore those who are panicking with demonstration are just wasting their time,” said Kayira.

Simsokwe said they are not shaken with reports of facing DPP cadets if they demonstrate.

The architect of the renaming of the road is said to be Chief Kyungu of Karonga.

The project of the road was started during Bakili Muluzi tenure with funding from Taiwan and it continued with China funds after the switch of diplomatic ties by the Bingu regime.

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Kenkkk
Kenkkk
7 years ago

Corrupt and shameful Chiefs. The love of self-enrichment and money have sold their souls. Corrupt Dpp thugs bribing corrupt Chiefs. Shame. It saddens me to attack the Chiefs but I have no choice this time. They are a disgrace. This road was initiated by Bakili and if we are honest and consistent, then it should be named after him or another deserving person such as chakufwa, Orton Chirwa, etc. bingu has already got the stadium in Lilongwe because he initiated the project. The conference centre is also named after him. So there is absolutely no need to name this road… Read more »

Winston Msowoya
Winston Msowoya
7 years ago

Malawians,we have myriad of problems to solve why must we waste our precious time on which name to give to the road?Are we really normal?The road can be called any name apart from Bingu Muthalika and his egregious,corrupt brother Peter Mathanyula.However,personally,I would suggest my hero “YATUTA KALULI CHISIZA or NYIKALAND ROAD”

bob chiswe
bob chiswe
7 years ago

Kyungu is an opportunist who seeks favors from DPP. He has always been like that behaving like an intellectual when he is just an imbecile

Mutharika knows who I am
Mutharika knows who I am
7 years ago

Chief Kyungu is a a tin pot dictator and a sellout who wants favours from Mutharika.That is why Kyungu and other political prostitutes like him asked Bingu to name the new road, Bingu wa Muthrakia Highway. This is not something that has only come up now, Peter Mutharika is being asked by Kyungu and Members of Parliament who aspire to be Ministers to rename the road Bingu wa Mutharika Highway again. As long as northerners elect political prostitutes to be their MPs they will loose out, again and again. Northerners held real power when AFORD was in government with UDF,… Read more »

Real Kyungu
7 years ago

That road should simply be Karonga – Chitipa road, not the bullshit the DDP admin is planning to name it, Mwe Ba Boy wa KwaMwanjabala muli kochi mwee

Chipapwiche Kajhalwiche
Chipapwiche Kajhalwiche
7 years ago

Atumbuka kusayamika awa asiyeni akhala choncho.

Dengulanga
7 years ago

This road was constructed by tax payers money. The money did not come from ones pocket to name it Bingu. They should have even have named it something else. I am sure the people in the north will plan to remove the name when a new government gets into power.

Founding Member AFORD
Founding Member AFORD
7 years ago

APPEAL TO PEOPLE OF THE NORTH
Peter Mutharika is an accessory to the stealing of billions of Kwacha by his dead brother Bingu wa Mutharika ALL northerners must stand together to STOP this thief from receiving a warm welcome in Karonga. Rally together against this aspiring dictator and thief. Mutharika is a tribalists who supports quotas in education.
Remember when you the brave people of Karonga demonstrated against Bakili when he was President? Do the same to this thief Peter Mutharika. Let Mutharika know that the people of Karonga are not cowards.

Jelbin Makamo
Jelbin Makamo
7 years ago

That’s how the DPP deals with dissenting views they employ young people who have nothing to do but waiting for handouts. The DPP is an evil party that feeds on human blood, how can they always respond to any accusations or criticism with violence???? These fools must be banned in Malawi. Malawi is no longer the warm heart of Africa because of this very same party.

Dengulanga
7 years ago
Reply to  Jelbin Makamo

Please create good jobs for our youth rather than use them as cadets. The cadets too are silly since the MK500 they give you will be lost in few minutes. Adzakuchotsani mafupa ku Karonga chenjerani!

The Patriot
The Patriot
7 years ago

Zoyambana dala sizabwino! A DPP you are trying to provoke our youths! Its very clear that Bingu hated the North and Northerners and to name our road Bingu highway is mockery at the least. Wait until DPP gets out of government and the Thyolo Mulanje road will be renamed Chakufwa Chihana highway, thats when you will smell the coffee. DPP cadets, beware the North is not a playground and no matter how smart you think you are , one day mudzasimba tsoka! Governments do change and there is always pay back time! Anyamata athu siwopusa ayi akukuonani, ngati mukufuna zipolowe… Read more »

Chipapwiche Kajhalwiche
Chipapwiche Kajhalwiche
7 years ago
Reply to  The Patriot

Just think of the name: Chakufwa road…kkkkkkkk road to death? Not the Blantyre-Mulanje via Thyolo. Try another one e.g. Rumphi –
Nthalire via Hewe

Leicester
7 years ago

Much ado about nothing!

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