By Salome Gangire
Mzuzu, November 18, Mana: Government has disclosed plans to construct a mausoleum for late Chakufwa Chihana as a way of honouring him for his contribution towards bringing democracy in the country.
Minister of Civic Education and National Unity, Timothy Mtambo, disclosed this Wednesday in Mzuzu when he paid homage to late Chihana at his cemetery behind Reserve Bank of Malawi in Mzuzu.
He said: “The Tonse Administration under the leadership of Lazarus Chakwera would like to respect our heroes.
“This is a lesson to young people and the nation that if we respect our heroes, we encourage the living to work hard so that they can be recognised in future,”
Mtambo said late Chakufwa Chihana remains the father and founder of democracy who was selfless, fearless and patriotic son and that he deserves honour.
“We need this place to be worked on and give him a befitting burial. This government will make sure that we set a heroes acre where all our heroes can be put so that they are all honoured in this country,” he said.
Church and Society representative, Paul Mvula, asked government to come up with a Heroes Act to ensure all heroes in the country are honoured.
“We have a number of heroes in Malawi and we need to have a proper law that governs on how to deal with them for posterity,” said Mvula.
He said other countries have a proper system that recognises their heroes which he described as critical for the nation’s history. He said it also inspires more freedom fighters.
Mvula said it is their wish that a proper mausoleum should be constructed for Late Chihana but also all the heroes including Rose Chibambo.
Chihana’s family representative, Gerald Banda asked government to consider deploying security personnel at Chihana’s resting place.
“This place faces a number of challenges as it has got no electricity and security personnel. This makes the place to look desolate,” Banda said.
In his remarks, Mzuzu City Council Mayor, Kondwani Nyasulu said the council is ready to provide land if government want to establish a heroes acre in the city.
He said it was high time Malawi identified a site where all the heroes need to rest. Chihana once served as State Second Vice-President of the country under Bakili Muluzi’s administration and was President for Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). He died on June 12, 2006.
