By Our Senior Reporter
As Malawi is facing probably one of its worst economic turmoil in history, the government of President Lazarus Chakwera has set aside about MK3 billion to construct a tombstone for former Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President Gwanda Chakuamba.
According to the Ministry of Local, Unity and Culture, who have been charged with the responsibility of overseeing the works of constructing the late Gwanda Chakuamba’s final resting place, identification of a contractor to do the work has been done and now they intend to award the job to the successful bidder.
In a statement issued in the local media on Monday 4th November, the Ministry of Local Government has disclosed that the late Gwanda Chakuamba’s tomb will be constructed by PMC Limited to a total cost of Mk2, 701, 085, 480.00.
The Ministry says that the successful bidder PMC Limited, met all necessary requirements for the bid hence the intention to award the company this contract. They have further appealed to people who have reasons against this business deal to contact the Ministry by the 18th of November stating their reasons to stop the process.
The intention by the Lazarus Chakwera administration to construct the late Gwanda Chakuamba’s final rest place, comes at a time when the country is facing probably the worst economic period with acute fuel shortages, drug shortages in public hospitals, a serious hunger situation and a sky rocketing in basic commodity prices making it very difficult for a common Malawian to afford.
Further, the construction of the tomb for the late Gwanda Chakuamba has overtaken plans for the construction of a similar final resting place for the late democratic icon, the late Chakufwa Tom Chihana who founded the opposition party, the Alliance for Democracy.
Working alongside former President Bakili Muluzi, the late Chakufwa Chihana is accredited to have championed and fearlessly fought the single MCP rule under former President late Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
Though he is held in highest esteem in as far as the coming of multiparty democracy is concerned in Malawi, the late Chakufwa Tom Chihana has never had an honour of having a proper befitting tombstone constructed in his favour.
The late Chakufwa Tom Chihana died at the age of 67 in a South African hospital in June, 2006 and was laid to rest in the northern region city of Mzuzu with the hope to have a befitting final resting place constructed in his honour but that has never seen the light of the day.
However, the late Gwanda Chakuamba, who died 10 years after Chakufwa Chihana will now have a befitting tombstone contracted in his honour.
The late Gwanda Chakuamba died at the age of 82 at the Blantyre Adventist Hospital in October, 2016.
He was laid to rest near his residence at Chinyanje in the Lower Shire district of Nsanje.
Gwanda Chakuamba was the current ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President from 1994 to 2003. He replaced the late Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
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