Kamuzu Banda was the leader of Malawi from 1961 to 1994 (for the first three years of his rule, until it achieved independence in 1964, Malawi was the British protectorate of Nyasaland)… By 1993, he was facing international pressure and widespread protest.
A referendum ended his one-party state, and a special assembly ended his life-term presidency and stripped him of most of his powers. Banda ran for president in the democratic elections which followed and was defeated.by Bakili Muluzi who also served in Banda’s cabinet as Minister without Portfolio.
Within Malawi, views on him ranged from cult-like devotion to fear. He portrayed himself as a caring headmaster to his people. However, this was a mask for a government that was rigidly authoritarian even by African standards of the time. Banda himself bluntly summed up his approach to ruling the country by saying, “Everything is my business. Everything. Anything I say is law…literally law.
Although the constitution guaranteed civil rights and liberties, they meant almost nothing in practice, and Malawi was essentially a police state. Mail was opened and often edited. Telephones were tapped, and calls were known to be cut off if anyone said a critical word about the government. Overt opposition was not tolerated.
Dr. Kamuzu Banda actively encouraged the people to report those who criticized him, even if they were relatives. Opponents were often arrested, exiled (like Kanyama Chiume) or died suspiciously (like Dick Matenje or Dr. Attati Mpakati).
All the history seemed to have been grossed over on Thursday as many of our political figures joined the MCP to celebrate his official birthday.
Malawi’s founding President, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, was a great and disciplined man whose perfectionism and determination, if emulated, would push the country to great development heights according to Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Goodall Gondwe.
The finance minister said this Thursday in Lilongwe where he represented President Prof Peter Mutharika at a commemoratory gathering organized by Dr. Banda’s family in respect to the former head of state.
Addressing the gathering which included Malawi’s first democratic president, Dr. Bakili Muluzi, Gondwe said; “He (Kamuzu) was a determined person who always had the welfare of Malawians first and when he believed that what he was doing was right, there was no stopping him.”
He added; “He was imprisoned, his people were imprisoned, some of whom were killed; but he still met his objective.
“This is a great lesson to all Governments, present and those to come, but we can’t emulate and achieve what he did without the discipline on which he insisted.”
In his remarks, Dr. Bakili Muluzi hailed Kamuzu Banda the man he dethroned as a beacon of unity and a father of the whole nation. What Muluzii failed to mention were the reasons for the referendum and why the International community exerted so much pressure for Kamuzu to allow multiparty rule in Malawi.
“Let us leave all our political differences aside and make Kamuzu Day ‘Malawi’s Day’ celebrating his life as one family because he was a father of the whole Malawi who represented oneness,” said Muluzi who further described Kamuzu Banda as a perfectionist and gentleman who led by example.
Also present at the event was president of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Dr. Lazarus Chakwera who said the late Dr. Banda would always be remembered for his unity mindedness saying when he dreamt development, he dreamt collaborative efforts.
The MCP president has since urged all Malawians to work in collaboration if the country is to develop saying “We are all Malawians and it is our collaborative efforts, irrespective of different political affiliation, which can push our country forward.”
The gathering also comprised former MCP president, John Tembo and former Vice Presidents, Justin Malewezi and Khumbo Kachali along with former Chief Justice, Lovemore Munlo among others.
Source: Wikipedia
