Malawi activists up against Mahatma Ghandi statue in Blantyre
Local activists have intensified their campaign against the decision by the Indian government to erect a statue of Mahatma Ghandi in Blantyre with an online petition, Ghandi Must Fall registering over 1000 petitioners within hours.
India requires the statue as a condition for funding construction of the Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Centre, a $10 million infrastructure project which India is replicating in nine African countries.
However, residents in Blantyre are outraged by the proposed statue, calling Gandhi “an ardent racist” who had “nothing but contempt for the black African race.”
Malawian citizens Mpambira Kambewa, Mkotama Willie Katenga-Kaunda, and Wonderful Mkutche launched a change.org petition to garner support for their resistance to the statue.
The petition in part reads: “As black Africans-Malawians we will find it very offensive to appreciate the value of the statue when the man himself thought we were inferior. If you erect this statue it will make a mockery out of Malawi’s independence movement which fought to extricate ‘classism’ between black, brown and white races.”
One of the activists Mpambira Aubrey Kambewa described Ghandi as a racist who never fought for the freedom of black people in Africa.
“He is not supposed to be honoured,” said Kambewa.
The online movement has joined a lot of Malawians who have shown anger over the government decision to allow India erect the statue in Blantyre.
City of Blantyre Council publicist Anthony Kasunda refused to comment on the matter.
Get rid of the statue just like they did in Ghana. No way we can erect a statue of a bigot in ANY part of Africa……
This DPP government has been captured by Indians just what they did to Jacob Zuma. Time is running out come 2019.
The problem with Malawians is they act too hastily. Please let the $10 million project start and finish, let the statue erect. Once all is done for the benefit of Malawi and Malawians we can sign petitions to remove the statue and if permission is not granted we can vandalize it. After all the project will be complete. Lets use the brains for once like these Indians do.
Hahaha do you think Malawians have brains? I bet you buddy, less than 1% of the Malawi population can use their brains for thinking like you. It’s not about acting too hastily itself that is problematic. Rather it’s their laziness in using their brains when thinking. Local politics completely erased their brains. Just read some of the the comments, very pathetic.
Get out of Malawi and get of of Africa!
Not acceptable! Lionizing Matma Gandhi, the man, rather than his ideas is stupidly ignorant
Here is a man who thought Africans were lower on the evolution scale than every one else. His model hierarchy whites on top, Asians and Indians (or Asiatics, as he called them) came second, and the Blacks (Africans) the bottom, or may be even the “basement”.
He did not hesitate to call us “Kaffirs” – extremely offensive term even at that time.
We can’t stand for that. Never.
The only good Indian is a dead one
I don’t think Malawians were consulted, as it would have been the case in developed and democratic Countries all over the world. In india we can’t build Kamuzu statue though he broke Chitaganya. Amalawi kutengeka ndi ziphuphu. Wina wadyapo ndalama apa. Usamunda udalowa chomwechi mmalawi munu. Kugulitsa dziko ndi sugar ndi mchere.
MBOLA!!!!!!!!@!!!!!!!! MBOLA.
Don’t listen to these misguided Malawians. We need the conference Center. Erect the statue. These people remain silent when the government siphons tax payers money. But make unnecessary noise on petty issues.
The problem is the mosque opposite the statue, sponsored by the paks.
Instead of you ass holes appreciating……. definitely you are bunch of ungrateful lazy arses NO WONDER Bushiri is also fed up with the non sense you guys give to people who looks after you lazy dim wits. Rather than using the damn petition to bring some bloody change in the state of this country…. you dimwits are busy opposing with this shit non sense. First sort out your fellow thieving malawians who are busy stealing and dont even care for each others and are busy messing up and ripping this country inside out. But NO….. that you guys don’t bloody see….do you? Grow up !!!!!!!!!!!FOR ONCE……. and stop taking out your bullshit frustrations to issues that are not even relevant. For Flip sake.
Shut the fuck up bitch. If Malawians want the statue of racist Gandhi removed they can do it if they want and there’s nothing your bitch ass can do about it.
Racist Pedo Gandhi should not be erected or respected ANYWHERE in Africa….
Osalola a Malawi anthu amenewa atilowenso ngati atsamunda aja kwao gule kwao psyaaaah!
Za zii!! What for? Kodi amenewa ayesa kuno mkwawo atti? Ndipo osainilawe uziwe kuti mkwiyo wa aMalawi uli PAMBWIYO pako. Even if u accept the money and this idle of yours wont be there chifukwa ine will be in the group of destroyers. Haaa!! Tayelekezani muone if you don’t know Nyasalande…mwaudze amwenye anuwo kuti ife chiboliboli chawocho ife takana & ndilama yawo ya ransom-yo apite nayo uko akagule nsapata za amwenye anzawo azikang’a aja. Ghandi ghandi nde kuti chani?
Just stop this nonsense. We have had enough of Indians and Asians under DPP. They are now everywhere, in villages. And they refuse to be counted in the National Census.
Gandhi was not a democrat. Otherwise India would not have broken up into India and Pakistan. Indians are racists, they don’t tolerate other religions except Hinduism. They massacred Muslims during the partition of India into India and Pakistan. They believe in Class society, or Caste system. You can’t call these people democrats.
Indians and all Asians did not, and have never supported Africans in our struggle for Independence. During our struggle Indians and Asians align themselves with the colonialists and only change tune after independence.
We don’t need your road or conference centre. Period. Go and do that in India. They need more Ghandi statues than we do. Otherwise we promise to take it down
Better Mandela or Martin Luther king or our own John chilembwe and other black heroes. This is a disgrace for these thieving dpp thugs colluding with the most racist people who despise black skin most. Where is our pride? Shame on this prostituting dpp, selling itself for campaign money from Indians. And they calll themselves educated!!!
A conference centre can be built by using other sources of money instead of selling our souls or being held at ransom or being blackmailed by these racist Indians.
We will throw red paint and smear feces on that statue. Just wait and see.
tizachigwetsa,
foolish indians want to bring their Idols here – It will never happen, coz it will fall
To Hell with Mahatma Ghandi. He thought blacks were inferior. He started his movement against the Brits because he was angry that Indians were being treated like blacks in South Africa. He thought Indians were superior to blacks. That’s why he was mad. Now see the stupid Malawian government embrace him. Would Israel erect a statue in honor of Hitler? Would Christ honor Satan?
Give us the link. We wanna sign
By the way what is the use of this statue? I do not see any need for this statue. In as far our history as Malawians is concerned I don’t think that Mahatma Gandhi contributed to our welfare in way or another, hence there is no need for us to celebrate his statue in our own land. We have figures to be celebrated. For instance Mr. John Chilembwe.
Hope Sagawa – if you read a bit of history about Africa you would know that many African freedom fighters, including Nelson Mandela, Kenneth Kaunda, Kwame Nkurumah, Robert Mugabe, Sam Nujoma were inspired by Mahatma Ghandi. And that there are streets named after him in many African countries.
We don’t need history for us to know the right thing to do now, the point is we don’t want it here. Let them erect it in their streets in India. It is disgusting to our eyes
Kodi kwao kulibe malo oti akamange chimenecho . Ife kuno chitipindulira chiyani amwenye ake ankhanzawa akazuza a malawi mdziko mwano momwe aaaa zopusa
I support the activists.
Yes Mahatma Ghandi was a revolutionist that broke the grip of the British empire.
But independence brought and waged war against minority communities and religions in India after independence.
His ideology was far RIght Hinduism that had no space for forget any color but any other religion.
I am holding you accountable activist to never let a racists statue or person no matter from what race religion or color to ever be put up in Malawi.
I support you.
My Name is Salim is obviously an illegal Pakistani living in Malawi. Deport allPakistanids.
No where near Malawi unfortunately. Go deport someone else thank you.
I’m 3Rd generation Malawian so won’t be possible even if I lived in the country.
I’m probably as Malawian as the half of the so called Malawians who are from neighboring Mozambique,Zambia & Tanzania.
Ask peter? 🤣🤣🤣
He might be an illegal Malawian,but he is talking more sense than you,a true citizen.Gandhi was racist.Read about him first.Give this guy citizenship
Well said Salim,why should we have a statue of a half naked Hindu racist? This is another reason not to vote for this clueless American tourist Peter Muthalika
We dont need this statue. period
Dont want to c it,
when you sell your soul for a piece of silver.
It pains that for a bribe they received they want to su[press Malawians.
InSouth Africa though they never listened Cecil Rhodes fell.
Even if it comes to pass when this thieves are gone we shall destroy it. Nanji chili mu njira mwa ma demonstrations . Pachedwe makait shall fall.
In fact Ghandi was even evil in India, that is why the Sikh assassinated him and his daughter Indira and his grand son Rajiv, So why honoring him here.
Get your fact straight. Mahatma Ghandi was not related to Indira Ghandi or her two sons. Did you go to school and what did you learn President Mango?
Those Gandhis are not related to Mahatma
Make the noise fellow Malawians but the Statue will still be erected.
Please Indian govt dont listen to these misguided dissidents who are jealousy of any development happening in Southern region. When did Mahatma Gandhi became a bad person and where were they when the road where this statue is to be constructed was being named after him?
These people can’t pity themselves that out of 17 million Malawians they only have 1,000 on their side and out 9 other countries having a similar project they are the only ones protesting.
Blantyre city councils officials let the Indian govt have what they want and after that remind them to dualise the road and construct for us a 60,000 seated stadium kuti neba aphye mtima. We can even name Mpingwe location Gandhi.
Che Wanimiliyoni you are very stupid. You are the reason the black race is seen as inferior in most parts of the world. Selling your dignity for a road? You would probably let someone screw your wife for some quick cash too. COON!!!
He is an Indian hiding in Malawian name. We are not idol worshipers. We don’t need that doll here. Shupit
Why not ask them to donate medicine,you poor Malawian?
That’s nonsensical.Can you build Kamuzu Banda Statute in India?
Zaziiii tikufuna conference centre ife