Muluzi wants Freedom Day back as Malawi silently commemorates 23 years of multiparty democracy
Malawi former president Bakili Muluzi said the country should have the Freedom Day on June 14 back so that citizens should commemorate reintroduction of multi-party democracy in the country and share history to the youth on the struggles to end one-party dictatorship.
On Monday, June 14 1993, a referendum on reintroduction of multi-party democracy was held in Malawi which paved the way for the adoption of multiparty democracy as a form of government. Kamuzu Banda’s three decades of dictatorship was consigned to history.
Muluzi, who ruled Malawi from 1994 to 2004, said interviews monitored on Daybreak Malawi program on Capital FM that as someone who helped bring democratic change in the country he was also happy to see the current administration upholding democracy.
“We must guard our democracy,” said Muluzi who authored ‘Democrcay with a price, Mau anga’ book when he was in power.
Malawians used to commemorate June 14 as Freedom Day, the day they voted in a referendum in 1993 but the day this year went unnoticed.
Muluzi, Malawi’s first democratically elected president in 1994, said the nation should not bury its political.
He paid tribute to some of pro-democracy activists including the influential Catholic church through its bishops, late Chakufwa Chihana, late Aleke Kadonaphani Banda, late Collins Chizumila, late Wenham Nakanga, late Alhaji Shaibu Itimu, late Eunice Kazembe, late Edward Bwanali, Edda Chitalo, journalists, “people from Chitipa, Mangochi, Mulanje and too numerous to mention.”
Asked by Capital Radio’s Rhodes Msonkho if the country has made gains after attaining democracy, Muluzi said there has been progress but called for consolidation of democracy.
“As someone who helped to bring the democratic change together with my brother [late] Chakufwa Chihana, I am satisfied with the progress Malawi has made so far,” the former president the self-styled political engineer who founded and led the United Democratic Party (UDF) for over 10 years before retiring from active politics in 2009..
Citing institutions such as the Malawi Law Commission, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Malawi Human Rights Commission, Muluzi described the organisations as instrumental in supporting the country’s democracy.
The former Malawi leader wants Freedom Day to be bacl for the people of Malawi to commemorate what happened on this day in 1993.
He said it was important for young Malawians who were born after 1993 to learn what the country went through to attain the freedom they are enjoying today.
Malawi attained independence from Britain in 1964 but for the next 30 years, Kamuzu Banda ruled with an iron fist.
After the 1993 referendum, Muluzi won the first democratic presidency in May 1994 and served for two five-year terms before his bid for third term in 2004 was blocked by Malawians.
He wanted to contest in 2009 but was also stopped by constitutional order.
Analaysts say without improvements in the lives of the people, freedom brought by multiparty democracy remains an elusive dream.
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Yes we need 20 July holiday not 14 May rubbish what did u do to Malawians in order to remember u very useless person. We can’t accept that holiday. You are the one who arrested Kamuzu without reasons but you were in the forefront accusing Bingu when you were arrested of cash gate.Go away uziwe kuti tikuvutika chifukwa cha galu iwe choncho uyiwale.
TIkukuvutika kwambiri. Why a holiday. No sense! Dziko linali lokoma. Timadya bwino ku University. Fees yottsika . Kunalibe kupha Albino. Zikhale momwe zili. Usatiputilenso mkwiyo wina.
Freedom day should come back. Those that are against this day were Matchona when we were voting in that referendum. It was not easy to outs Kamuzu. By the way has it crossed your minds that you are writing/contributing on this topic because of the same day you are rallying against? How ironic.
Multiparty system of government has brought misery and untold poverty to the people of this country.Therefore it is an insult to Malawians for Muluzi to call for the come back of the ‘Freedom day” holiday.It’s time Malawians asked the British to re-colonize this country as the citizens of Malawi have proved to be incapable of governing themselves.To hell with political pluralism!
i like the above points,,let Britain bring old glory back,,malawian leaders have failed us
Britain was colonized by EU, having a referendum next week in the hope of creating its own FREEDOM DAY!!
Wake up man!
Very true. I was one of the campaigners. The day we selected our committee, we thought it was a secret fortunate enough police came at night while we made it in the morning.Yesterday l was expecting it but really nothing happened.ln my home area people voted for the lamp because of me.l did the job before slipping abroad where lam up to now.
it should have joint cerebrations with independence day on 6th July if we cant do that i agree with Bakili Muluzi.
This day brought misery to Malawians,we are suffering bcz of this day and few greedy people like him. We have too much of freedom that civil servants squanders tax payers money like tomatoes,killing albinos,corruption,nepotism you name it. We are still operating a one party rule in a democratic system where by the ruling party wants everybody to be on there side, TBC……
Freedom of Steeling Government money and go unpunished? Democracy has given ordinary Malawians a very raw deal.
ambwiye apa nde siku lililonse likhala commeraration tu,,,,,,,,,i also propose that 20th july be a a day of comemoration………aaaaaaa
Yes, we need Freedom Day back