Lucius pays tribute to Bingu with special song
Malawi’s most revered musician Lucius Banda popularly known as Soldier has paid a moving and heart-rending homage to former President Bingu wa Mutharika pleading with Malawians to cast aside their political divide in mourning the country’s fallen third democratically elected head of state.
In the song, Lucius Banda mourns the death of the president as a great loss to the nation saying that dark cloud has befallen the country.
Lucius pleads with Malawians that despite having political differences with the President, his death must be grieved with dignity and respect.
The tribute song is titled‘Kuwala’ and in it the Balaka heavily built music icon is asking Malawians to remain steadfast , saying when human beings are weary God picks them up and give them hope.
- Lucius Banda: Tribute song
In an interview Lucius Banda said he did the song to give his respect to Mutharika as has been his tradition to pay homage to all prominent Malawians after their death for their contribution to the motherland.
“When the founding president, Dr. Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda died, I did a tribute, when Freedom fighter Chakufwa Chihana died, I gave him my respects, when the First lady Ethel Mutharika passed, I sang her a song in her respect and when Aleke Banda died I did the same,” said Banda
“Now that our president is dead it is only befitting to give him a tribute. Despite everything else, President Bingu wa Mutharika will go down the annals of history as a Malawian leader and he served his country as a chosen leader and democratically elected president,” he added.
The music kingpin said he is a firm believer that all leaders coronation in this world comes from nobody but God.
“In times such as these there is sheer need for Malawians to come together in mourning for our leader. President Mutharika gave his life to serving his country, and it only fair that we come together and give him respects. Political differences are nothing in times such as these and must not be entertained because before politics we are all Malawians,” said Banda.
Persecution
Lucius Banda was among those that worked hard in campaigning for the late president Mutharika to ascend to power in 2009 after President Bakili Muluzi handpicked Mutharika as United Democratic Front (UDF) presidential candidate, a move that sparked controversy and created a political pandemonium among UDF party gurus who felt Mutharika was a rank outsider.
But when Bingu rose to power he dumped the UDF and formed his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Lucius Banda who was now a Member of Parliament for Balaka north.
He then tabled impeachment procedures in Parliament which at that time were considered to be directed at President wa Mutharika whose style of leadership had now became self-centred and Lucius was arrested and jailed for possessing a fake certificate which the musician claims is nothing but political persecution.
During Mutharika’s rule, Lucius Banda suffered not only imprisonment but his music was banned from being played on state owned broadcaster’s MBC and TVM.
Banda who was sentenced to21 month’s imprisonment by Zomba magistrate court only served two months at Zomba maximum prison after the High Court in Blantyre acquitted him of the charges.
However, he subsequently lost his parliamentary seat.
But surprisingly, after Mutharika’s wife died, Lucius maintained his tradition of paying homage to prominent Malawians after their death, he sang a moving tribute for the First lady titled ‘Mtambo waked in which he lamented that death of a mother is a big blow not only to family but to the nation adding that Mrs. Mutharika’s service to the needy was a great contribution to the Malawian people.
“I might have differences with the late president, but that will not stop me to give him my respect as a God-given leader to Malawi. His death is a tragedy to our country,” he said.
In Mutharika’s tribute song, the Malawian music icon says Bingu’s was God’s anointed leader as such Malawians must give their leader a befitting burial adding that the love of mankind is greatly shown when one’s remains are interred into a resting place.
Lucius also urges Malawians not to lose hope as God has provided them a leader in President Banda and in her Malawians will see the light.
Many Malawians writing postings on various social networks such Facebook and Twitter have hailed Lucius Banda for his song saying he has shown that in he has shown his maturity as an artist by forgetting his personal tribulations and put the death of a leader as a national loss and tragedy worth his contribution as a mourner.
President Joyce Banda on Tuesday this week urged Malawians from all walks of life to mourn the late President Mutharika diligently with honour and respect.
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