Bingu Highway name strongly opposed: Malawi President petitioned as tension rises in Karonga
Tiwonge Kumwenda –Nyasa Times
Hundreds of irate residents of Karonga and Chitipa on Monday petitioned Malawi President Peter Muthalika against his decision of idolizing his late brother Bingu Wa Muthalika by naming the multibillion Karonga-Chitipa road to Bingu highway and have since threatened to hold protests on its official inaugurations.
Government announced that the naming of the road has come from traditional leaders in the Karonga-Chitipa and President Mutharika is set to install the name on May 30.
However, communities of both districts have vehemently denied the claim through the petition dated 23 May, 2016 and signed by 42 representatives. saying the process used is unacceptable in a democratic world.
“We as concern citizens of Nyakaronga and Chitipa are of the views that the decision made by the chiefs for asking your office to name Karonga-Chitipa road ‘Bingu high-way’ was ill formed and miscalculated,” argued the petition
The petition argued that “no consultation was done by the chiefs to all stakeholders in their respective areas and therefore we suspect that the chiefs made the decision is to gain favour and political mileage from your office.”
It further reminds government that the said road was initiated during the Bakili Muluzi era; completed by Bingu and officially opened by Joyce Banda administration therefore it is unfair to name it Bingu high-way.
According to the community, the name ‘Bingu’ has been spoiled by the death of 20 people during the 20 July, 2016 demonstration, Kayerekera issues as well as quota system among others.
The petition therefore asks the President to act as matter of urgent by withdrawing the decision in order to pave way for proper consultation while demanding the true evidence and process used by the chiefs to come up with the decision.
In a separate interview, the group’S leader Steven Simsokwe warned to hold massive demonstration on the said day especially if Muthalika fails to bow down to their demand
According to Simsokwe, the district has suffered with different problems such floods and cholera disease but the chiefs have failed to invite the President to address their suffering.
Meanwhile, the office of the Karonga District Commissioner has pledged to present the letter in time.
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The chiefs have joined the corrupt thugs of DPP, what a shame, just for money? The stadium in Lilongwe was named after Bingu because he initiated the project. This road was initiated by Muluzi, so it has to be named after him or another deserving Malawian past gone. BE CONSISTENT. Peter, you can force the people to accept your brother’s name for the road but remember when another government hostile to everything DPP comes to power in 2019, we will change the name to a name that is deserving. Only Kamuzu can have multiple projects named after him, not these… Read more »
Guys, there is no issue here. If you say people of Karonga, all 160, 000 people signed the petition? The arguments raised are baseless. I am one of the people in Karonga. No one is protesting here. It is the few monkeys are making. Allow the President to do his duties. I am not DPP or AFORD or PP or UDF or MCP. I am a noble citizen who loves his country.
BINGU HAS MADE A LOT OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE NORTH SUFFER THROUGH HIS STUPID AND NEPOSTIC QUOTA SYSTEM.ADDITIONALLY, NORTHERNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED MUCH MORE DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE THESE MUTHALIKAS RULE THAN UNDER KAMUZU BANDA, BAKILI MULUZI AND JOYCE BANDA RULE.THEREFORE NORTHERNERS DONT NEED THAT BINGU NAME TO THE KARONGA- CHITIPA ROAD.BINGU INITIATED THE RUMPHI- BOLERO- NYIKA- NTHALIRE -CHITIPA ROAD BUT HE FAILED TO SOURCE FUNDING AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.THE KARONGA CHITIPA ROAD WAS INDEED INITIATED DURING BAKILI MULUZI TIME AND ONLY COMPLETED DURING BINGU TIME.IT IS ONLY JOYCE BANDA WHO SHOWED TRUE LOVE TO NORTHERNERS. WE… Read more »
i am a million support to my home boys for boycotting this shit of Bingu Highway……Bingu don,t deserve to b honoured especially in the North !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Peter and his Bingu can go to hell for all i care,between them they have many Mpoto people. u can make a Bingu hi ghway in Thyolo or Mulanje or even Nsanje,not here!!!!! i don,t want to hear this nonsense @ all of Bingu high way in the North……
What an arguments for?name or no name the road is ts the road!will ppo fail to use the road because it has been named Bingu?that’s primitive nature,I guess the Office of Presin=dent even the Chieves wont be intertained with the petition.
I disagree here. People of Karonga have a valid case. All three presidents named in this article have contributed to the project. So why name it after one person. What place do the other two then take?
we don,t want any name that is Mutharika!!!!! so to hell with that nonsense
NAME SHOULD BE BINGU HIGHWAY. MWAMVA INU ABOMA
Auzenso atumbuka asiye yao ija.
Or name the road AFORD Highway
You can even name it Muntharika and sons investment. Stupid
Probably they should just call it Mathanyura and Sleepy Chaponda Motorway! Buladifulu government!
APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTHERN REGION The highway between Karonga and Chitipa should be named after a person from the Northern Region. I suggest one of the following: 1. Chakufwa Chihana Highway 2. Dunduza Chisiza Highway 3. Yatuta Chisiza Highway 4. Kanyama Chiume Highway Please people of the Northern Region, its time one of your own who contrinuted to the freedom of Malawi is honoured. Fight for this to be done. Bingu Wa Mutahiraka was a dictator who stole billions from the people of Malawi. How can you allow this long awaited road to be named after Bingu… Read more »
Are u saying that all the roads in South and Central Region that bear names of Northern Region personalities should change and be named after people from those regions? It is people like you that has tainted the image of northers as tribalistic and selfish. We have roads like Dunduza Chisiza, Mbelwa, Mzimba etc in Central and Southern regions and people are ok with it just because those names are Malawian. After all that road was initiated by Colonial Govt and failed, Kamuzu talked about it and failed, Muluzi failed too. Bingu had to sacrifice Taiwan for main land China… Read more »
Well said man. To that list we can also consider adding Mapopa Chipeta, though Chakufwa Thom would be the most suitable candidate for that befitting honour.
Good at naming other peoples’ developments. Shame on them trying to score points on what they didn’t sweat for. The problem with our chiefs is that they are attracted by money without listening to the views of people they are leading. Find another name please.