President Banda eulogizes late Mutharika
In a true spirit of reconciliation, President Joyce Banda on Monday threw behind all the condemnation she suffered just a few weeks ago when she took time to sing praises of departed leader Bingu wa Mutharika for the significant contribution he made to Malawi.
Until his death on April 5th, late Mutharika and members of his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) treated President Banda as their number one political enemy in the country.
But in her eulogy during burial of the fallen leader, President Banda described Mutharika as a great man who taught her many things during his time.
President Banda said, just like many Malawians, she learnt a lot from late Mutharika particularly the time she was minister of foreign affairs.
“I learnt a lot from this great man,” said President Banda in her euology.
“ When I was minister of foreign affairs I travelled with him to various places and he taught me a lot,” mourned Banda.
“He taught us to dream and not just dream but dream in colour… he challenged me and all Malawians that we can do better but the starting point is inner will,” Banda grieved in a no-retribution spirit.
The Malawi leader, who throughout her tribute described Mutharika as “my president”, said she will remember the deceased leader for championing self belief and independence of mind.
“He taught us that Malawi was not poor but it is the people of Malawi who are people,” recalled President Banda.
Banda also applauded late Mutharika for the significant contribution he made to the country and his ambitions to develop transform the country.
She then assured the nation of her complete dedication to fulfill the wishes of late president to move the country from poverty to prosperity.
“With God’s help we shall get there,” concluded President Banda ascended to the top post following Constitutional Order on April 7.
The Malawi leader was fired from the then ruling DPP in December 2010 after she refused to endorse Mutharika’s young brother, Peter, as the party’s torch bearer during the 2014 polls.
She then went on to form her own Peoples Party (PP), now the ruling party, and subsequently became a subject of admonition by the DPP.
However, despite being fired from the DPP, Banda remained the country’s vice president because constitutionally late Mutharika had no powers to remove her from her position.
