Mutharika makes secret visit to site of Bingu’s statue

Advertisement
Bingu wa Mutharika

President Peter Mutharika on Friday made a secret visit to the site of late President Bingu wa Mutharika’s K120 million statue.

According to local media, Mutharika inspected the site of the statue at Parliament Building in Lilongwe yesterday.

Members of the public and National Assembly staff were told to leave the Parliament premises before Mutharika arrived.

“An hour before the president’s arrival, the main entrance to the National Assembly was closed with only security and those on Mutharika’s entourage allowed to enter the premises before the President arrived in a convoy of three vehicles without the usual sirens and police escort,” The Nation reported.

During the visit, Mutharika also had a brief meeting with Speaker Richard Msowoya, Clerk of Parliament Fiona Kalemba and State House Chief of Staff Peter Mukhito.

The Malawi Government hired renowned South African sculptor Jean Doyle to create the statue.

Earlier this month, Doyle said she is waiting for government to tell her when to deliver the statue.

“The Malawian government decided to postpone the erection of the monument. I still have the sculpture in my warehouse and I am awaiting instructions from them as to when I should deliver it. Presumably it will be sometime this or next month,” she explained.

Mutharika’s statue will be like the one constructed for late president Hastings Kamuzu Banda which was also sculpted by Doyle.

Advertisement