President Chakwera Renames Chileka Airport and Major Roads After Former Leaders
Published on August 19, 2025 at 9:07 AM by Evance Kapito
President Lazarus Chakwera has renamed Chileka International Airport in Blantyre to Bakili Muluzi International Airport, while the Area 18 Interchange in Lilongwe will now be called the Arthur Peter Mutharika Interchange. In addition, the previously unnamed portion of the Lilongwe Western Bypass Road stretching from the M12 intersection to the M1 Kamuzu Procession Road intersection will now be known as the Joyce Banda Highway.
According to a statement signed by Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba, the new names came into effect on 9th August 2025 and will be published in the Government Gazette.
Reacting to the development, former President Arthur Peter Mutharika, who also leads the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), welcomed the decision to name the interchange after him but questioned its timing.
Through his spokesperson, Shadric Namalomba, Mutharika said:
“People say the Opposition never appreciates, but we do. We requested this long ago, and we acknowledge the gesture. What surprises us is that this has only been done now, just weeks before an election, when the interchange has existed for years.”
Mutharika also expressed surprise at the renaming of Chileka Airport, saying:
“All these years they have failed to upgrade Chileka to truly look like an international airport. Now, just changing the name to someone’s name can you really be proud of that, with how it looks today?”
Meanwhile, former President Bakili Muluzi expressed joy and gratitude at having the country’s second-largest airport named after him.
“I thank President Chakwera for this great honour. It is very important to appreciate people while they are still alive, and I am happy to be recognized in this way,” said Muluzi.
President Chakwera’s decision to honour his predecessors has sparked mixed reactions among Malawians, with some praising the gesture as a mark of respect, while others view the timing as politically motivated ahead of the September elections.
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