Malawians up against Mahatma Ghandi statue: Bingu’s in offing
Some Malawians have taken up in radio call programs and social media to express concern over government decision to erect a Mahatma Ghandi statue in the city of Blantyre.
The government is erecting the statue of the leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule near the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre.
However, some Malawians feel it is a waste of money and resources, saying Ghandi is now irrelevant to the modern history and more to that, the government should honour Malawians who were involved in similar struggles.
Professor John Chisi, the president of Umodzi Party said Malawi has its own heroes who need honour and recognition.
“There are many Malawians who died fighting for the struggle to liberae this country. There are many Malawians who risked their lives for the love of this country. These people deserve statues, not Ghandi, we don’t need Ghandi statue here,” he said.
One of the callers to a radio station said there are Malawians like John Chilembwe, Dunduzu Chisiza, Levi Mumba, Attati Mpakati, Orton Chirwa, among others who need such statues.
“Can India allow us erect a statue of a Malawian in their country? How does the leadership of this country think,” says one comment in a post.
But Information minister Nicholas Dausi said the country has a large number of Indians who were involved in the struggle in the country, citing an example of the Sacranie family.
He alsi said Ghandi is a well-respected politician worldwide who needs to be remembered all the time.
The erection of Ghandi statue comes at a time when there is close ties between the DPP and the Indian businessmen with some of them, including Zameer Karim making huge donations to the party.
Karim pumped in K145 million to the DPP, a donation that caused stir as it came after his Pioneer Investments got a dubious K2.8 billion through police food ration deal, an issue which is now in court.
Meanwhile, published reports indicates taxpayers’ will have to fork millions of kwacha to finance the statue for the late president Bingu wa Mutharika, which government intends to erect at Parliament building in Lilongwe by December this year.
The statue will be erected in honour of what government terms “Bingu’s great contributions to the country’s political and socio-economic sectors.”
Accoridng to reports, government has engaged renowned South African Sculptor Jean Doyle Artistic Works Holdings Limited, who designed founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s statue which stands at the Memorial Tower in Area 18, Lilongwe.
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Surely a fool suggested this statue. In S Africa Gandhi was well known for considering Indians to be better than blacks, and simply resented that Europeans classed Indians in with them.. “the Indian is being dragged down to the position of a raw Kaffir” Gandhi 1893
Winston Msowoya,your comment on Ghandi is impressive and educative come back home we need you son of our soil and may GOD keep you well.Iam proud of you son and keep on educating these pigs!!!!!!!!!
We have our own Heroes, why erecting statues for Ghandi when we dont know even his history. Its all about Indians the racist people. May be this guy was a criminal and what are we propagating for the future generation!. We need statues for people like Rev Mumba, Orton Chirwa, Du Chisiza, Arron Sanga. We can re-write our Malawian history. Most of the guys who are in written in Malawi’s heroes book were criminals. Real heroes are no where to be found because of political regional and tribal/ethnic background
Mbuzi za anthu inu, What did Ghandi brought to malawi to be remembered with malawians? Tax payers instead of buying tablets mzipatalamu ayi ndithu mavuto alipo. Amwenye ngati akufuna atha kumaika mmanyumba mwawo koma kuti wina wadyapo basi?
This Dausi is corrupt Malawi got nothing to do with Ghandi ohno what are this?????? Ghandi in Malawi aaaa zikolathabasi
This is the last kick of a dying horse. DPP.
But Mahatma Ghandi was very ugly like the devil, let us not bring ill omen in this country.
You are a clueless moron. Pity on you.
We dont need statues here we need development. We dont have freedom fighters in Malawi. It is better if we had statues of Sir Glyn Jones or the Queen of England. If white were colonising our country we would have developed beyond recognition unlike bad African from Kamuzu to these DPP. No honor for freedom fighter amenewo adali anthu opupuluma.
Better erect a statue of Dr. Nelson Mandela
Koma amwenye atitola. They are involved in corruption…buying of crookedly from Ngos..some NGOs hv their staffs procuring corrupt with these amwenye…..
Your country our rules
Who is Ghandi to Malawi? He is a nobody to us. He was not a Malawian. He did nothing for Malawi. He was a racist against the blacks. Malawians are black. Having Ghandi’s statue in Malawi will be an insult to Malawians and embarrassing to the whole country. Please my dear government, don’t do it.
MALAWIANS DON’T NEED A STATUE -THEY NEED DEVELOPMENT’S –PUT THAT STATUE INSIDE YOUR BEDROOM
PLEASE IF IT PLEASES YOU OR
IS YOUR god
We have our own heroes in Malawi. He is a hero in his own country not here.
How much have Indians paid in addition to K145m? Mahatma in Malawi?
Before the statue is erected, let the Indian High Commission first swear under oath that we will erect Kamuzu’s statue in Mumbai or Delhi. Have we sunk that low. Someone is selling us lock stock and barrel. Shame!!!
Another Indian story :(. The timing is bad. Who makes these stupid decisions? We are enemies of ourselves. When are we going to wake up??????
Tit for tat ya a Pumbwa, what’s the relevance of Gandhi’s history to Malawi? A Malawi tingolembetsa mavoti mwakathithi adzakhale malegeni olatsira mbalame zimenezi pa 21 May 2019.
You fools Malawians,why a statue of Gandhi and not for Chilembwe,Kwame Nkrumah,Patrice Lumumba,Julius Nyerere,Nelson Mandela,Tshaka Zulu,,Dedani Kimathi,Dunduzu Chisiza,Martin luther King,Malcolm X,Malcus Garvey and many others of African descent.Malawians,for how long you will remain fools? Also,we want to see the portraits in the Parliament of our first Ministers: Augustine Bwanausi,Willy Chokani,H.Masauko Chipembere,Kanyama Chiume,Yatuta Chisiza,Rose Chiwambo,Orton Chirwa,John Msonthi.After travelling to other African States and visited their Parliaments,for instance,,I found,Tom Mboya in Kenyan Parliament who died some years ago,why can’t Malawian Parliament put the portraits of our first Ministers? No matter what,you can destroy mausoleum, but you can not erase history.Anyway,the one who suggested that Malawians build Gandhi statue is literally,a FOOL,who is this Gandhi to us or to Africa? Do Indians have the Statues of our heroes in their country? Stop your foolishness you donkey!!!!!!!!!
great ideas
We have so many Malawians to be honoured , we must make awake.. munthu waku Malawi amalolera kuobeka wabwino kunja koma akudana ndi amalawi anzake… this is not knew me. We have so many people to be honoured koma olo kutchula mmalawi akuti Ghand DPP yatha ma plan ikuyenda ngati ka NGOs as if they are trying to search for project propasal for funding no clue at all anthu wokalamba wokha wokha amayenera kukhala alangizi basi
Mine is just a simple question to the dpp government, out of all the problems Malawians are facing, have you seen erecting a statue for this so called Ghandi from India is a priority?? Do you really think people will take you serious on that??
The only good Indian is a dead one.
Koma we need to understand the DPP government , you think Dausi now can think zanzeru….old guts
The article fails to tell us who will pay for the statue of Ghandi. I suspect that no Malawian money will be needed for it.
This is funded by the Indian government. If anything, Malawi has only provided the land which was, by the way, being neglected. With teh statue we will add beauty to the place. DPP is messing up but it does not deserve some of these attacks
Erect and we will pull down
honestly speaking Malawi is pathetic as a country with blind leaders, we are in shambles the country needs a solution to move forward but we are busy spending money on useless things tizagwetsa tsiku likubwera
rise Malawi Dzuka Mayi Malawi thawi yako yakwana
@ Che Wanimiliyoni, if the condition to build a conference centre in Blantyre is Mahatma’s statute then better we stay poor. We have enjoyed cordial relationship with India without this statute, what is the problem now? Recall Mahatma died trying to unite DIFFERENT religious groups in India. Even this time many Indians are opposed to Mahatma Gandhi ideologies. You can not force to have a statute Kamuzu Banda in India, no way. My take is that DPP has run out of ideas
Amwenye tsopano, kutilowa pang’ono ndi Pang’ono. If this is indeed a precondition for construction of the conference Centre, then let them not construct it. Malawi has enough resources and can built a conference centre on its own if the culture of KUSOLOLA is tamed. Let’s be serious as a country.
K145 millio is talking. Koma ndiye DPP yatha nzeru. When did Mahatma Ghandi become a Malawi hero? There are so many people who fought against colonialism in 1957, who spent time in jail but are not kown to the public, why not put a statue for them? Statues usually tell a country’s history and Ghandi is not part of Malawi’s history. Who came up with this stupid idea?
Tikamanena kuti Mtchonayu akapume, this is what we mean..
It’s seems kuti he is losing his Mables…
Mutumu mawaya anasokonekela kale kale because of extremely old age..
They is nothing worse than a sanile educated old fool…very stubborn and full of nonsense ideas
Malawians have you forgotten already that just last month Indian govt announced that it is going to construct a magnificent and big conference centre in Blantyre and it will be called Mahatma Gandhi? So what’s wrong if Indian govt asked for that statue as a small token of appreciation? Don’t tell me we want to spoil the existing cordial diplomatic relationship just because of that issue. Remember Mahatma Gandhi is almost god in India and if we say such silly things they will withdraw the offer. And who loses? Blantyre city of course? Don’t we have a statue of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta in Blantyre and are we losing anything?
Zaziii! Nonsense
Well said… you are indeed sensible. Not like other unappreciative thickheads. One needs intelligence n IQ to understand who MAHATMA GANDHI was. There is no comparison with GANDHI. HE IS RESPECTED N WORSHIPPED AS A SAINT. SO CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE EMPTY DRUMS ARE TALKING ABOUT. GROW UP
Conference Centre for free or a gift to Malawi? I understand some Malawian will get employment , over 90% of profits will go to India……..more
This is now talking sense. Please put some sense in these below empty drums n thickheads
Ghandi was a racist ,he doesn’t deserve any statue in any African country..Stupid Malawians
You must be a very serious idiot. These indians are the ones killing this country
Boss we don’t want any other God in our Country except Jehovah and Not Gandhi. We are not idol worshippers nooo.Let’s lose whatever projects these people 2ant to do.We can do tht on our own if we defeat DPP
Students at one University in Ghana earlier this year revolted against idea to honor Mahatma Gandhi, because there is a letter he wrote during his stay in South Africa where he described himself as being superior than black people. Please Malawi,say NO to this rubbish.
U r the one taking rubbish. Coz u full of shit. Stop being thickhead.
You are the one talking rubbish here. Grow up. Stop being a thickhead.
Really, thick-head! The wise are reserved in their words. We were born with two ears and only with one mouth for a reason. Far too many insightful minds have been on this earth since the ancient Greeks, and the so called “thick-head” should never be equated in that context. Respect, respect, respect one another …
Sould we say Malawians have no love for the birds that had made that place their abode or that the owners of this project forgot to do a proper EISA?
KOMA DPP WHAT THE HELL SO YOU CAN CONTINUE CORRUPTION
DPP guys don’t even know what to do at the moment. When people are suffering they spend tax payers money on statues. Oh my God, have mercy on us.
We are really captured by these Indians. What has Gandi has to do with us Malawians. Stupid DPP government is selling our country at a cheap price
Stop smoking chamba iwe. By putting statue is not selling the country but it’s showing respect to a truly statesman and a LEADER. Indians have contributed immensely way before u cannot even comprehend. Empty vessels is making too much noise.
indians contributed what to malawi????? apart from stealing from poor malawians. malawi is poorest country in the world because of these indians, they own this country, check who owns all the buildings in our cities.
Coz you retarded intellectually with negative IQ levels…. no wonder you utter rubbish without knowing Who even MAHATMA GANDHI was. Gandhi is respected all over the world so who the hell are you. This is tavern talk you are talking so go back to Chibuku
What is rubbish? What is tavern talk? Whatever you are saying, you are trying to downgrade very loud criticism on an issue which has generated a lot of interest among Malawians.
Ridiculously foolish fools !! Where are our own Malawian heroes ? Is Bob Mugabe going to be next ? Pathetic !!
These people in govt are crazy. If this really is true then, our country has been sold to foreigners indeed. Mahatma Ghandi liberated India not Malawi, no wonder this country is getting poorer and poorer everyday because lazy and backward thinking of our leaders. How is Mahatma Ghandi relevant to Malawi’s politics? Who do they want to please? This is another cashgate (they want to syphone money and fund DPP campaign activities). Erect Malawi’s true sons and daughters who for Malawians’ welfare sometime back. Zikuoneka kuti dzikoli lagulitsidwa ndipo tsiku lina ma foreigners adzatithamangitsa ndithu. They are almost everywhere in Malawi without control from authorities. What are we doing in Malawi?
Are foreigners free to move anywhere in other countries as we do it here? Is it possible to erect Dr H Banda’s statue in In Punjab, New Dheli, Pune or Bombay cities in India? We have crazy leaders. Amalawi dziko lathu likupita ili, May, 2019 tidzavotere moganiza chonde aMalawi anzanga. Taonani m’mene nkhalango zikuthera, koma ana athu adzapedza kanthu m’Malawi muno 30 to 50 years to come/
The statue will be a symbol of Indian supremacy in business ventures in Malawi and their racist behaviour towards local Malawians under their employment. There is Indian encroachment and gradual destruction of Malawi’s economy through dubious externalisation of foreign currency. In South Africa, statue of Cecil John Rhodes was pulled down at its position outside the University of Cape Town. Black South Africans were uncomfortable with it because of Rhodes’ racist past behaviour. Elsewhere, statues were poured with paint or excrement. Bingiza, where are you? Get ready with excrement …
Empty drum…. always makes no sense noises. No difference between you n empty drum. Totally thickhead
Do not rush to utter words “empty drums” and “thick head”. Just come in the open and furnish reasons why you support the installation of the Gandhi statute in Malawi. facts are needed here. Not what you have posted.
hahahahahaha kkkkkkk with owen khamula being the writer i knew the 145m will come up. Khamula what had dpp done to you? jkkkkkkkk koma ndiyetu unya uona ikawina chaka cha mawa. But yeah i agree with some of your points, i would also love to erect statue that honers our fellow malawians. Unless the indians are paying for the construction otherwise please my government don’t waste money on erecting useless statues.
We don’t need it even if it’s Indians paying for it. The statue will use our space which isn’t for Indians.
Iwe ndi Chitsiru….. go sleep with whore n produce useless babies and dance n drink as that’s what u good at, rather talking rubbish not knowing jack shit. Grow up madam chod….. ja tari Maa ne chod….. raandh na petna.
Whether these foreigners are paying for their statues or not, but we can’t allow that to happen in our soil. Akaike kwawo osati kuno. This country is for Malawians and their children, period. K145m yawadzungudza mitu akumipando. Malawians will take it down, yerekedzani muone
If you don’t see the connection here then you’re stupid and shallow minded. You must have bought your Malawi citizenship from Uladi Mussa.
QueenB u Queen of Bitches.! Who are you to question my citizenship in malawi? I’m a true son of Malawi. Bwanji osabvula tione ngati uli mmalawi weniweni?
kkkkkkkkk a nyasatimes penapake mumandimaliza bwanji. mwadulanso chibaluwa ndinamulembera queenb chija? kkkkkkkk anyway thanks chifukwatu ndiye ndinamuonjeza. please a nyasatimes simungapange njira yooti tidziposita ma recording notes?
The word is HONOURS and not HONERS so-called pathfinder.
kkkkkkkk sorry man for hurting your eyes, it was a mistake.