Malawi considers Banda reburial

Banda: Family complained his grave was neglected

By Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre

After protests from relatives of Malawi's late President Hastings Kamuzu Banda that his grave was being neglected by the government, President Bakili Muluzi has announced a committee to look into building a proper tomb for the country's founding father.

A brief statement from state house said the president had taken note that very little was been done to care for Banda's grave site.

Muluzi: Previously wanted Banda prosecuted

He said as the first president of Malawi, Dr Banda needed to have a decent resting place.

Mr Muluzi and his United Democratic Front (UDF) previously tried to prosecute Banda and senior members of his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) over human rights abuses, but no charge stuck for lack of evidence.

Hostess

The new committee, to be chaired by labour minister Thengo Maloya, includes two members of the late president's family - niece Jane Dzanjalimodzi and uncle Elia Katola.

Cecilia Kadzamira: Banda's official hostess will help decide the fate of his remains

Also on the committee are Dr Banda's official hostess and confidante Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira, Lands Minister Thengo Maloya, and Chief Kaomba from the central district of Kasungu where Dr Banda hailed from.

But the appointment of the committee has surprised many people since government last year announced that Banda's remains would be exhumed and be buried at a new site to be named Heroes' Acre.

Heroes' acre

President Muluzi actuallly appointed Hanna Ndilowe, the then principal secretary in the Ministry of Defence, to chair a committee to look into the establishment of the Heroes' Acre.

She was leading a team of cultural experts to look into the possibility of turning the Heroes' Acre into a museum.

But when asked whether the Heroes' Acre idea has been shelved, Culture Minister Mosses Dossi told BBC News Online he would have to study the terms of reference of the new committe before commenting.

Banda, who died in 1997 aged 101 following pneumonia complications, ruled Malawi with an iron fist uninterruptedly from independence from Britain in 1964, until he was deposed in the first multi-party elections in 1994.