Bingu’s farewell at Ndata

The sports fraternity will this Monday be among scores of Malawians to take former State President Bingu wa Mutharika to his final resting place at Ndata Farm in Thyolo.

 

FAM, NAM and Maba are some of the associations that confirmed their attendance of the funeral. Bingu Tigresses, the netball team that the departed former Head of State sponsored, also said they would attend the burial ceremony.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said he will lead the football fraternity in bidding farewell to the former Head of State.

“We will fondly miss him as one of the pioneers of football development in the country and we will be there at Ndata Farm.

“It will be our chance to say thank you for all the good things he did for us and the introduction of the K60 million Presidential Cup comes to mind. It’s just sad that he has gone too soon. May his soul rest in peace,” Nyamilandu said.

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) president Rosy Chinunda also said the netball fraternity will be there at Ndata Farm.

“Now that he is gone do we truly appreciate that we are now without him and it is important that we escort our departed leader to his final resting place to say goodbye.

“However, we find solace in that her successor, Her Excellency Joyce Banda, also has passion and she will hold our hand,” Chinunda said.

Malawi Boxing Association of Malawi (Maba) vice-president Henry Sakala also said the boxing fraternity will be represented at all levels.

“We will be represented by members of the Maba executive board, regional committees and the actual boxers.

“We will have to pay tribute to the man who helped develop sports in general and boxing in particular through the Presidential Initiative on Sports. He also took time to meet our celebrated boxer Isaac Chilemba to congratulate him for his exploits on the international stage and we deserve to bid him farewell,” said Sakala.

Bingu Tigresses team manager Hellene Mpinganjira said the entire team spent the night at Sanjika Palace on Friday and will also travel to Ndata Farm.

“We did not look at him as our sponsor, but our father and such we have lost a parent.

“It is very unfortunate that things happened this way and we have no choice but to accept what has befallen us.

“We were there at Sanjika palace from Friday and we will travel to Ndata to bid him farewell. As for the future of the team, only God knows,” Mpinganjira said.

Mighty Wanderers general secretary David Kanyenda said as a team that won the Presidential Cup twice in the past three years, they feel saddened by the former State president’s death.

“That we were the first team to win the Presidential Cup and that we won it twice, means a lot and we will always remember him for having introduced the cup,” said Kanyenda

Meanwhile, The sports fraternity, led by officials from Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and Sports Council, paid their last respects on Saturday at Sanjika palace.