On the stairway of Chancellor College (now University of Malawi) library, there is a fine sculpture of Malawi’s first president Ngwazi Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda in a rather intense gaze.
It is that stare that is so serious; so serious that even at a mere sight of it, a deep feeling makes waves in the body at the realisation of the magnificent institution one is at.
Marble, brick and cement in a concrete embrace that is enormous in size and solid in standing: That is Chancellor College, which was birthed in the fine brain of the man now immortalised as a constant reminder that without him, that institution would not have stood, or if it had to, then it could have been, perhaps, years later.
When we were students, we used to joke that the strength of the walls of Chancellor College was because Kamuzu himself weighed every brick and cement before they were put together and he made sure that everything was in order.
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That is how awestruck we were and still are at the building that has survived years on end and is still standing and growing.
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If one would look at the works that were done during Dr Banda’s era, there are standards, real acumen and class oozing from them. He never compromised on standards.
One building that attest to standards during Banda’s reign is the Civic Centre in Blantyre. A building that was built a long time ago with a touch of British style still stands unmoved although with some unnoticeable blemish here and there because of the passage of time.
The solid structures that Kamuzu left for Malawi bear testament of his solid leadership that made Malawians solid in unity, loyalty, obedience and discipline.
Because Kamuzu emphasised national unity, Malawians have never experienced tribal or regional strife. We have remained one for years even after attaining multiparty democracy.
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Because Malawians were loyal to their country, contractors would not do shoddy work because in them, there was a spirit of patriotism and they knew that whatever they were constructing was theirs.
Because Malawians were inculcated with a spirit of obedience, they developed into a people that made sure they respect authority and be law abiding citizens.
Because of the spirit of discipline that Kamuzu etched in Malawians, the country is very organised.
Once-upon-a-time, Malawi had the hardest working and disciplined civil service in this region but, regrettably, after Kamuzu’s reign, there is some sagging in discipline in Malawians from all sectors.
Most times, those of us who experienced the leadership of Kamuzu look back with nostalgia at how those days were.
Malawi had a salubrious environment; the streets were always clean and buildings were built in an orderly fashion.
Back then, those who lived in Malawi Housing Corporation houses were privileged to have the houses painted every year.
During school days under Kamuzu, people learnt to assume leadership, responsibility and hard work from a very young age.
Students were part of development, especially during what was called Youth Week. During that week, students contributed to national development by constructing structures such as bus shelters as well as bridges.
Some of the bridges are still passable today. However, most bus shelters are derelict and all what remains are sad reminders that we failed to maintain the good structures that were otherwise youths’ contribution to national development.
Back in the days of Kamuzu, education was taken seriously. The government even made sure it provided to its students free school materials such as writing materials. Those who were meant to travel to access education elsewhere were given concession tickets to travel to and from school.
That Kamuzu was a man of vision one just has to look at the M1 Road that stretches the length of the country, schools of pride such as Kamuzu Academy—The Eton of Africa—the five colleges built on his watch and many more.
The look at Dr Banda alone was an inspiration because even in appearance, there was everything regal in it. Kamuzu dressed the way a leader is supposed to. Kamuzu was always spit and polish and this was how his mind worked.
Those who were privileged to live under the reign of Kamuzu look at all the great works he did; even his voice continues to reverberate with an insistent resonance, leaving us with the pride to tell the world that we lived during the time of Kamuzu, the lion who roared progress.
