MY THOUGHTS ON BINGU AHEAD OF HIS COMMEMORATION THIS SATURDAY

I will live to remember this visionary leader

Nobody believed it was true. The Nation was swallowed up with whispering voices of uncertainty. The news started making rounds around 11am in the morning. It was a Thursday morning by the way. 

A Thursday that brought an end to the life of a legend. A visionary and great son of Malawi who was so passionate about his country.  He was a man who loved everything about Malawi and had loved to be understood by his own people. A great leader whose legacy can never be exaggerated.

Each time we use all these adjectives and flowery language in trying to describe this fallen hero, we get buried into a sea of recollections that once upon a time there was Bingu Wa Mutharika the third President of the republic of Malawi.  

He came to Malawi as a nonentity politically. Apart from what we used to know of him at Comesa, there was no footprint for him on the political ground. Of course he co-founded the United Democratic Front UDF together with Bakili Muluzi in 1992, but that history seemed to have been swallowed by names that registered their significance on the road to the national referendum then. 

In 1999 he gave it a go on the presidential ballot with his United Party, sadly he finished last. An ordinary man would predict political doom for such a man. I would have declared him as a finished politician if it were me making an analysis of the 1999 polls. NO! Bingu never gave up. The passion for his country propelled him to display traits of greatness to the admiration of one political engineer.

In the political engineering process Bakili Muluzi made Bingu the Governor of the Reserve Bank, before roping him into cabinet. It never ended there, Bakili named Bingu as his successor in 2004. That marked the beginning of the manifestation of vastness in Bingu.

Bingu proved to the continent and the entire world that Africa needed an African solution to its problems. He instilled a sense of ownership of the country’s resources to the citizenry. He preached a message of self reliance. He reminded us of the vastness of our natural resources and how we can work to achieve even more in terms of production other than consuming. 

Bingu spoke with authority. His language depicted him as a craftsman of all trades. He was touted the “economic engineer” not out of sheer comedy but absolute enormous.  His first term was labelled a success by people from all sectors of our society.

Today as we think of joining his brother on Saturday, 9^th May, 2015, who will be leading the Mutharika family and the entire nation at Ndata farm where he is sleeping peacefully, it’s that time we reflect on the life and times of Bingu. What he achieved for this country that he loved so much. As a human being he might have made some judgemental errors, but they can never put to rest the Bingu legacy. They can never take away his dream that keeps living up to this very day.

Here was a man who was so committed to changing the face of this country. Who made us become proud of being called Malawians. For once we smiled each time people called us Malawians.

History can never be erased!

Till we meet again!