Sunday, December 3, 2023
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Enation
  • Mother’s Fun Run
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Enation
  • Mother’s Fun Run
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Entertainment This and That

Kamuzu jazz!

by Johnny Kasalika
23/11/2012
in This and That
2 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

The living legends awards bestowed on reggae queen Rita Marley and President Joyce Banda in Lilongwe last Saturday are a reminder that not all heroes are dead.

This is why I felt “let the dead bury the dead” when President JB added the New State House to a lengthening list of public structures named after founding president Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

The newness of the so-called Kamuzu Palace, like  the New Parliament Building, was  perishable like boy-meets-girl songs, but the names from political tongues speak volumes about dwindling creativity in our country where even musicians often name their bands after a song and football teams at Bangwe call themselves Madrid.

What is it about Kamuzu that the best bridges, hospital, stadium, roads, mountaintop views and airport bear his name? Who will save the French Cultural Centre from this Kamuzu jazz? 

One would think Kamuzu is the best thing that happened to the nation, but was he not the despised despot rejected with an overwhelming vote in a referendum on June 14 1993.

Of course, most of our leaders grew up when Kamuzu was killing free thought and they are casualties of robot thinking.

Just when victims of Kamuzu’s high-handedness expect us to stop glorifying dictators, our leaders are still singing the 1971 mbumba anthem Zonse Zimene nza Kamuzu Banda (all we have is Kamuzu’s). 

Nowadays, no dictator deserves prolonged applause. Dead or alive, they are a hazard to our teenaged democracy. 

The problem with politicians naming public possessions after their fellows is that it presumes that there are no more deserving achievers outside politics.

Yet, Malawi was not built by politicians alone.  In our midst are numerous unsung heroes, including artists, who can save Kamuzu from undying veneration as well as replace names of foreign despots which litter our streets. Name-giving is an art.

We may be a society which takes pride in honouring achievers when they are dead, but what did our praise-singing benefit fallen writer Legson Kayira and musicians Allan Namoko, Michael Yekha, Michael Sauka, Stonald Lungu,  Saleta Phiri, Bright Nkhata and Evison Matafale?

Previous Post

Malawi in fashion extravaganza

Next Post

Agwira ‘onyoza’ mtsogoleri wa dziko lino

Related Posts

This and That

Music collabos guarantee success

December 1, 2023
This and That

Honestly, the stunts stink

November 3, 2023
This and That

Chibade sings from the dead Chibade sings from the dead

October 27, 2023
Next Post
The Nation Online Agwira ‘onyoza’ mtsogoleri wa dziko lino

Agwira ‘onyoza’ mtsogoleri wa dziko lino

Opinions and Columns

People’s Tribunal

We haven’t learnt lesson on holding protests

December 3, 2023
Big Man Wamkulu

He named our kid after girlfriend

December 3, 2023
Musings on Corruption

Beware of social norms, pluralistic ignorance

December 3, 2023
Guest Spot

‘MPs must scrutinise IMF deals’

December 2, 2023

Trending Stories

  • OPC under scrutiny over recruitment

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  •  Fire Kawale, LMC urged

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Forex rates stabilise after kwacha ‘floated’

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Democratic Progressive Party chaos persists

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Malawian migrant worker dies in Israel

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Loading
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2023 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Enation
  • Mother’s Fun Run

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.