Let us live the Bingu dream to develop Malawi – Mutharika

President Peter Mutharika has said he is geared to lead Malawi to for the second five-year term with a passionate determination to take it out of poverty and is upbeat to deliver by living the ‘Bingu dream’.

Mutharika was speaking after presiding over the statue unveiling ceremony for late President Bingu Wa Mutharika at Parliament Building in Lilongwe, sevenyearsafter his death.

The ceremony was followed with a memorial for Bingu with military honours.

“It’s now seven years since we lost my brother Bingu. Seven years since we lost our national hero! Seven years of precious memories,” said the President who was accompanied by  First Lady.

Bingu’s widow Callista Mutharika who is aspiring to be a legislator on the UTM Party led by Vice-president Saulos Chilima, was conspicuously missing.

“Every year in April, these precious memories return. Every year in April, we remember Bingu as a family man, Bingu the national legend, and Bingu the African Statesman,” he said.

Mutharika said the commemoration of Bingu’s death is  “in a special way” as they nation has unveiled  the former president’s statue.

“Many Malawians who loved Bingu would have loved to see Bingu alive in this statue. They would have loved to see him standing here. I have seen that desire for the real Bingu on social media,” he said.

“Unfortunately, Bingu will never live again. Bingu died, but his spirit still lives on. The Dreamer died, but his dream still lives on. The visionary died, but his vision still lives in you and me,” said the Malawi leader passionately.

In remembering Bingu, the President said his brother and former president was such a “remarkable soul” that history cannot forget.

“He was a multi-talented man, renaissance man. These are talents I witnessed from the days we were growing up together. And he sharpened them ever more from perfection to perfection.

“He was a gifted musician in his private life; a fine designer; a chef with tempting cooking; and a skilled political leader.  He wrote songs that are still played songs that are still played in the United States today under a pseudonym.”

He credited  Bingu who lived as a great leader and an inspiring statesman in Africa.

“In Bingu, we celebrate a man who inspired us to be economically independent. He was a man who inspired us to be ambitious. And he often said, in the pursuing our dreams, ‘not even the sky is the limit.’  And he worked hard for this country,” said Mutharika.

He reminded that Bingu often told the nation “to dream in colour.”

“In Bingu, we celebrate an African statesman who urged Africa to turn its resources into wealth. His African Food Basket dream inspired many Africans.

“Bingu reminded us that ‘Africans are poor, but Africa is not poor.’ He challenged us to believe that we are a poor people in a rich world – and never to make poverty our choice,” said the Malawi leader.

He said  Bingu is a political father to many Malawians, saying people can  only honour him by  pursuing his political dream.

“Bingu taught us to believe in ourselves. And he taught us to be believe in the power of ideas. He taught us to be bold, and to stand up for what we believe in.

“Bingu taught us to beat our own path to progress. And he challenged us that the only way to get to our destination is to walk upon the path that leads to it,” said Mutharika.

He said Bingu reminded Malawians to be united and  always loved to sing Tiyende pamodzi, ndi mtima umodzi.

“I know there are many of us who love Bingu even in his death. There many of us who still cherish his words and dreams even in our own dreams. And so, today, to all of you who love Bingu, I have one request today: Let us live Bingu’s dream.

“Let us continue the work he began. Let us finish the work he began. Together, let us move Malawi from poverty to prosperity. Let us move with one spirit, one vision as one Malawi,” said Mutharika, an international and constitutional law expert.

He said Malawians should  remember that “change will never come to us because we are the change we want to see.”

Said the President: “Remember that we cannot wait for transformation because we are the transformation we wait for.

“As we renew our vision, our mandate, our dream – remember that we have the work that we started to finish. We have a dream to live. We have Bingu!”

The President led the nation in paying tribute to Bingu when he laid wreaths at the bust of the statue.

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