Chilima pays tribute to Kamuzu:  Brands Malawi first leader as ‘champion of democracy’

Vice President Saulos Chilima has hailed the first President of Malawi the late Ngwazi  Hastings Kamuzu Banda on Kamuzu Day – May 14 which was declared a public holiday by government – for his zeal to develop the country and that he  was a brave person, who liked order, hardworking and also very decisive.

Chilima speaking at the Kamuzu Day commemoration prayers at the Kamuzu Mausoleum in Lilongwe
Kamuzu: Malawi’s ruler from independence in 1964 to 1994.
Chilima: Kamuzu is the first champion of democracy because he allowed Malawians to vote for a multiparty democracy.
Chilima laid his wreath

Chilima joined family members of  Kamuzu Banda and  president of Malawi Congress Party (MCP)  Lazarus Chakwera with his party officials on Wednesday honoured  Kamuzu by laying wreaths at his mausoleum in the capital city.

He said Kamuzu [Alidzi]  is the first champion of democracy because he allowed Malawians to vote for a multiparty democracy when he called for a referendum and then gave up gracefully to Bakili Muluzi when he lost in 1994 elections.

“Had Kamuzu not agreed to a referendum there would be no democracy. Had Kamuzu not conceeded to usher in multiparty democracy there would be no democracy. So Kamuzu is the champion of democracy in Malawi,” said Chilima, who took an active role as a university student to fight one-party dictatorship and champion multiparty democracy.

Chilima further said Kamuzu should be hailed for fighting to liberate Malawians from colonial rule and that the legacy of the Father and Founder of the Malawi nation is the fulcrum around which the country will always hold.

He said Kamuzu upon arrival in Malawi he declared that he has came to end the “Stupid Federation [Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland]”.

Chilima said: “ That’s where we take our cue from; when you speak with decisiveness like when we say we will win [elections]! We mean just that we will win.”

He said: “There are three types of people; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder how things have happened. We want leaders in Malawi that make things happen not who wonder how things have happened. We do not want clueless leaders. We want people who can and who will.”

However, Chilima stressed that Kamuzu Day is an important and historic national event which must be remembered by the whole country.

Kamuzu Day falls on May 14, believed to be the birthday of Malawi’s founding Head of State.

He ruled Malawi for 31 years before losing power in 1994  to Bakili Muluzi following winds of change blowing at the time in this part of Africa.

He died in 1997 and  hailed from Chiwengo village in the tobacco growing district of Kasungu.

Apart from speeches, the ceremony saw Chilima and others in wreath-laying on the tomb where Kamuzu—the country’s ruler from independence in 1964 to 1994—now rests.

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Bristone Mabichi
Bristone Mabichi
3 years ago

Get an “Excerpt of the statement of apology …” by Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda (1898 – 1997) on January 4, 1996 after being acquitted in the infamous Mwanza Trial:
What he said will tell us who he was and what he was; the things he loved to do and what he did. MHSRIEP

Mwene
Mwene
3 years ago

Facts:- It’s a fact that Kamuzu called for a Referendum, Its a fact that Kamuzu conceded to Muluzi after multiparty elections. Those who disagree live in their own world or were born after 1992 and can’t know. All the killings apart from late Gadama, Matenje,Chiwanga+ Twaibu Sangala are hearsay. People who can explain better about these deaths are Bakili Muluzi, Dausi, Ntaba (DPP/UDF) but pretend not to know. Those who went into exile were supposed to be compensated through an act of Parliament (24,000). But after UDF/DPP politicians pocketed the money (500) the rest (23,500) have been left in the… Read more »

BAKALI
3 years ago
Reply to  Mwene

Kamuzu who refused to go for 30+ years and only called a referendum because he was too old he was shitting himself and had lost his trusted allies support?? osamayankhula zopusa!!!

Mfoloma mwale
Mfoloma mwale
3 years ago
Reply to  Mwene

called a referendum after brain surgery and became so frail he was frequently falling down when inspecting a guard of honor. Kamuzu ruined malawi

Kuswa Kuswa
3 years ago
Reply to  Mwene

This is one of the foolshiest comment I have seen. We’re not there when Kamuzu with his concubine on the bench.

john phiri
john phiri
3 years ago

what democracy is this guy talking a bout? he is getting confused now talk of kamuzu on other sectors not democracy . cheap politics.

Guga
Guga
3 years ago

Those killed by Kamuzu Banda and MCP regime – Aaron Gadama, Dick Matenje, Twaibu Sangala, David Chiwanga, Yatuta Chisiza, Atati Mpakati, Orton Chirwa (imprisoned and killed), Aleke Banda (imprisoned) Gwanda Chakuamba (imprisoned) Sam MPasu (imprisoned) ……. the list goes on up to over 100, 000 people

CheChamba
CheChamba
3 years ago

Our poor subsistence farmers had readily available structured markets for their farm produce under Kamuzu unlike these days when they are robbed by market vendors

BAKALI
3 years ago
Reply to  CheChamba

This current years is 2020 the world is moving on from smoking tobacco. Move along. Even Kamuzu would tell you

Maliko Thodi
3 years ago

Kamuzu and John Tembo belong at the International Criminal Court for crimes against Humanity and Mcp disbanded!! Not celebrating this nonsense that brutalised people.

Maliko Thodi
3 years ago

Maybe lack of maturity or political experience but every time Chilima speaks it’s mostly trash. One day Lazarus Chakwera will get enough of this. Watch this space.

BigMan
BigMan
3 years ago

Listen to what the VP said, don’t just bark like useless cadets.

Richie
3 years ago

Vice means on behalf of somebody
So when you do not agree with the body
You can not be vice anymore
Vice of who
You accept to be vice and later you disunite Malawi by thinking you are deputy

Forgive them
Forgive them
3 years ago

President wanu akugona ku nyumba zomanga kamuzu,akuchoka pampando pa 2 July opanda kumanga chinthu chooneka ndi maso,
Nzake ndi bakili kumangomanga mipanda ya masukulu omanga anzake 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

BAKALI
3 years ago
Reply to  Forgive them

TAX payers money and card money for something as simple as crossing a bridge or entering a market. people paid with their freedoms, while he built himself compounds and impregnated white women and built them houses.

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