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| National |
| Govt wants heroes acre |
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by
Zainah Liwanda, 16 June 2006
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06:13:04
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Government says a proposal has been submitted to Cabinet for a site for fallen heroes with specific recommendations for the National Assembly’s consideration.
The proposal comes in the wake of controversies as to where Alliance for Democracy President (Aford) leader Chakufwa Chihana would be buried. Aford earlier proposed that Chihana be laid to rest next to former president late Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
But government rejected the proposal on the basis that the said heroes’ acre has not been officially consented to, development that has attracted mixed reactions from the general public.
Minister responsible for Culture Jaffalie Mussa said Thursday a process which started in 1995 has already identified three sites in Lilongwe, including the place where Kamuzu Banda’s mausoleum is situated, the other two being close to the Malawi Institute of Management (MIM) and on the Presidential Way to the New State House.
Mussa said there are many prominent Malawians in various categories deserving the honour of resting at a heroes’ acre, adding that after everything is done, there will be need to exhume some bodies from their original homes and abroad.
He said the acre will have a provision for symbolic tombs to heroes whose graveyards cannot be traced, citing the father of African nationalism in Malawi the Reverend John Chilembwe and others.
Government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati also said in an interview yesterday after the identification process has taken place, government in consultation with families of those heroes already buried, will re-bury the bodies at the agreed upon site.
“If Parliament decides that all heroes should be laid to rest near Kamuzu, well and good, but we cannot do it without consultations,” said Kaliati.
She said when the bill passes Chihana’s remains in consultation with family members may be re-buried at the acre.
Meanwhile, United Democratic Front deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza Banda has refuted allegations by Kaliati that she barred President Bingu wa Mutharika from condoling widow to late Chihana, Christine, at Kamuzu International Airport on Wednesday.
Kaphwereza Banda said she would write Mutharika immediately after Chihana’s funeral to complain about Kaliati’s behaviour.
But Kaliati explained that she asked some women who surrounded the widow to pave way for Mutharika to greet her and over-heard Kaphwereza Banda mourning: “A Chihana mwakoma lero [Mr. Chihana you are nice today].”
Kaliati said she has nothing against her former UDF colleague and that she is free to write Mutharika.
Kaphwereza Banda denied she said such words.
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