Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture says it intends to award a contract for the construction of former Cabinet minister Gwanda Chakuamba’s mausoleum estimated to cost K2.7 billion.
Under the Monuments and Relics Act of 1990, the ministry is mandated to preserve and conserve Malawi’s heritage and, according to the notice published yesterday, one of the ways of doing this is through construction of monuments.
“Therefore, the ministry would like to construct a mausoleum for Gwanda Chakuamba in Nsanje District, in recognition to his political contribution to the country,” reads the notice.
The contract will be awarded to PMC Limited following a bidding process that started in July this year.
In an interview yesterday, Senior Chief Tengani of Nsanje welcomed the development, saying chiefs and people in Nsanje were worried about delays in the implementation of the project.
He said the construction of the mausoleum will be an honour to the people of the Shire Valley.
In a separate interview, Chakuamba’s nephew Noel Chakuamba said the family is delighted that government is set to fulfil its promise to construct the mausoleum.
Chakuamba, who served in various Cabinet positions and led Mgwirizano Coalition in 2004, died in 2016.
He was buried at his home village of Dogo, Traditional Authority Mulolo in Nsanje District.
He served in various parties namely Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Republican Party and New Republican Party.
The Lazarus Chakwera administration is also on record to have promised to construct mausoleums for pro-democracy advocate Chakufwa Chihana and MCP founding president Orton Chirwa.
Chihana, the country’s former second vice-president, died on June 12 2006 and was buried in Mzuzu.
His son Enoch Chihana, who is also Alliance for Democracy president, told The Nation in February last year that the family was mobilising resources to begin construction of the mausoleum.
