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By Orchestra Kamanga
Former Traditional Authority Chekucheku of Neno district has strongly blamed Blantyre City Council (BCC) for constructing the statue of Indian Freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi at Ginnery Corner near Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre.
Chekucheku faulted BCC for not consulting Malawians on the issue.
He said it was not proper to mount the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Queens because it was officially opened by Mother Queen in 1957 and instead they should construct the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in front of Indian Embassy.
“It is not wrong to construct the statue of Ma Gandhi in the country because Indians have brought a lot developments but the only problem is the location,” he said.
He said Indians were the first people to open stores in towns and rural communities in the name John and Fredrick Moir (Kandodo and Mandala), and the Indians were the ones who constructed Nyasaland Railway line under British Administration and controlled all railway line stations.
“The Indians also trained blacks to operate trains and controlled stations from Salima,Balaka, Lirangwe, Blantyre,from port Herald Luchenza, Nansadi, Blantyre ,” he said, adding that there is Quarter India at Limbe because of their various developmental projects.
However he said the right people to construct their statue at Ginnery Corner roundabout are the country’s freedom fighters such as Kamuzu Banda, Henry Chipembere, Kanyama Chiumia, Orton Chirwa, just to mention but a few.
Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian activist who was the leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule.
Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
