Memorials set for Malawi dictators Bingu, Kamuzu

Malawi will from this weekend witness memorial services of its two dictators Kamuzu Banda and Bingu wa Mutharika.

The first memorial service will be of Bingu which his younger brother, President Peter Mutharika will attend on Saturday May 9, 2015 at Ndata Farm in Thyolo.

Bingu died on 5 April 2012 after a cardiac arrest and was buried at his sprawling farm in Thyolo next to his first wife Ethel in a huge white marble mausoleum called ‘Mpumulo wa Bata’ and labelled Taj Mahal by the media.

During the seven year rule of late Bingu wa Mutharika, an economist turned politician, Malawi suffered chronic fuel shortages which led to widespread civil unrest amid an increase in general inflation.

The controversial statesman was condemned by the international community in July 2011 when 20 people died after he deployed the army to crush protests against his government.

Late Mutharika was criticised when he expelled UK’s high commissioner to Malawi when the diplomat expressed concern over his autocratic rule.

The tyrant lashed out against Britain amid speculation the UK could cut aid to developing nations which fail to protect gay rights.

Kamuzu Day

Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) also announced it will next week have a memorial of Malawi’s autocratic first president, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, on May 14 which was his birthday and it’s a public holiday in Malawi.

Banda, the self-styled “president-for-life” ruled the country with an iron fist for three decades, but was finally beaten at the ballot box in 1994 in the country’s first multi-party elections.

After his death three years later, he was buried in a humble grave but a multi-million dollar mausoleum was constructed by late Bingu wa Mutharika which has, among other things, a library, a dancing arena, a viewing bay for Banda’s remains and a research centre where people can find out information about Malawi’s history

Hastings Kamuzu Banda died in November 1997.