President Mutharika’s body flown back home

heart attack on April 5.
Thousands of Malawians waited with new President Joyce Banda as a South African military aircraft touched down at Kamuzu International Airport shortly after 1415 local time, bearing the body of a man known at the same time as “father of the nation” and “Mr know-it-all”.
A 21-gun salute sounded as South African military personnel handed President Mutharika’s brown casket draped with the Malawi flag — a red sun rising over black, red and green horizontal bars — to Malawi Defence Force officers on the airport tarmac.
The armed forces mounted a guard of honour for President Mutharika as a military brass band played solemn music.
Bishop Joseph Zuza, head of the Malawi Catholic Church led a service in honour of the late leader.
Bishop Zuza told mourners that they had gathered to welcome president Mutharika’s body with “sorrow and love because death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of a new life.”
The crowds were not left unmoved.
“The reality that we have a funeral has sunk in among residents of the capital city. We want to give our dear leader a hero’s welcome from South Africa,” said Richard Phiri, a supporter of Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party, as he climbed down from a truck in the airport car park.
Even supporters of Mutharika’s rival Banda showed up, wearing the colours of their People’s Party.
“For once, the nation should be united over this funeral. Despite his failings, Mutharika was our head of state,” Sheila Gamute told AFP.
Government trucks ferried people to the airport amid fuel shortages caused by a lack of foreign currency blamed on Mutharika’s policies.
Neighbouring Zambia has given Malawi five million litres of fuel, which can last for five days, to “help with the funeral process.”
President Mutharika’s body will later be taken to Mzuzu in the north and Blantyre in the south, before burial on April 23, at a family mausoleum on his personal farm 20 kilometres from Blantyre.
“His wish was that he be buried next to his first wife Ethel at their mausoleum,” Mussa said.
There was also a sombre mood in Kamoto Village where the late President Mutharika hailed from with the area’s Chief Kamoto appealing to President Joyce Banda to bury the past and work to unite Malawians.
Chief Kamoto requested Banda not to neglect the people from her area just because the former president came from her village.
“We know what follows when something like this happens. The president (Banda) might think of neglecting us just because the former president came from this area. We are appealing to her not to do that but rather forget the past and concentrate on the future by uniting all Malawians.
“Our appeal to the president is to continue from where the former president stopped, by looking after us just like other people in the country,” she said.
The chief said the whole village was mourning the departed leader as he worked hard to develop Malawi and the area.
“We don’t know what the future holds for us because the president used to help us in many ways. During his reign we have been harvesting more than enough because of the fertiliser subsidy programme. We appeal to the new president not to abandon this good programme.
The chief also outlined some of the development projects the village would remember president Mutharika for.
“Apart from the subsidy programme, the former president built a beautiful hospital (Chisoka) and a beautiful hall; we have a tarmac road. As you know, this road used to be very bad and it made this area deserted. Now, this area is well known because the late president raised its status.
“We also have a community-based organisation which helps orphans and the elderly. These people were being supported by the late president. Now with his demise, we don’t know what will happen. We are speechless,” she said.
She said it took almost a week before she was officially informed of the death of the president.
“I first heard about the funeral on radio but yesterday (Wednesday), the family (Dr Matabwa and Mr Masamba) came here to tell me about the death — as you know when death happens in a village, the family is supposed to notify the chief as per our custom,” she said.
Communities in the area also mourned the departed president who they said will be remembered for his kind heart for the people.
“I am very touched by the death of the president. As neighbours, when he came to his house, he used to visit us and he promised to do a lot of things, now that he is gone we don’t know if these projects will materialise,” said Erick Macheso whose house is next to Ndata farm.
Veronica Danie who could not hide her sad feelings said the late president will be remembered for what he had been doing to the people in the area.
“This area was one of the under developed areas in the country, but now we have a good road and food was not a problem,” she said.
Foster Sacraine said he was saddened by the death saying the president developed the area by creating more jobs for young people through projects in the area.
“Many young people were able to get jobs. For example, at Thyolo University, where construction is still under way,” he said. — Sapa/AFP/ www.bnltimes.com/The Herald.