President Mnangagwa describes paying homage to Kamuzu Mausoleum as an honor to Zimbabwe

By Kondanani Chilimunthaka

President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe who was on a three-day State visit to Malawi said his visit and paying homage to the mausoleum of late Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda in Lilongwe is an honor for to the Republic of Zimbabwe.

Speaking at Comforzi tea plantation factory in Thyolo on Friday, 2nd June, 2023, Mnangagwa said he felt honored to be granted a visit at the Kamuzu mausoleum in the capital Lilongwe.

“I am here at the invitation of my young brother to visit the sister Republic of Malawi. I thank the Malawi Congress party followers and all Malawians for warmly welcoming us in thousands.

The most important honor granted to me by my dear brother was the visit of the Mausoleum where the founding father and the first President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Hastings Banda lies. I feel greatly honored. That was not an honor to me as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, but an honor to the republic of Zimbabwe because then, I represented my country in paying my respect to the mausoleum.” Said Zimbabwe President.

On what he saw at Comforzi tea plantation, Zimbabwe President expressed his impression to have seen how the tea that is much liked in his country is produced and the excellent value addition of the Macadamia nuts.

However, Mnangagwa expressed his shock to have seen how Malawi was heavily devastated by Cyclone Freddy in Sochi mountain and some parts of the Southern Region.

“And the most devastating which Zimbabwe felt impact of that devastation was the Cyclone which affected Malawi in Sochi mountain where over 1,000 people lost their lives, lost their property, and several hundreds also were injured.

I was able to see the impact of the devastation as rocks cake from the top of the mountain, coming down and erasing the houses and infrastructure. When we heard about that disaster in Zimbabwe, I appealed to the people of Zimbabwe to say, our brothers and sisters in Malawi have had this disaster, this calamity, and we made to stand with our brothers and sisters.” Said Mnangagwa.

He then promised for more humanitarian support including timber, food stuff, school materials, and cement to assist Malawi in its recovery plan following the cyclone, saying people of Zimbabwe have responded positively to mitigate the impact and suffering the calamity has caused to Malawi.

Earlier in the day, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he was deeply saddened and horrified to witness the devastation caused by cyclone Freddy in Blantyre and its surrounding areas.

But he was quick to say his government will continue supporting Malawi as the brotherhood of the two countries dates back to the early days of the founding fathers of the two nations, late Hastings Kamuzu Bamda and Robert Gabriel Mugabe who were very close to each other.

President Chakwera has since expressed Malawi’ gratitude to President Mnangagwa, government, and the people of Zimbabwe for standing with Malawians during the trying times of tropical storms.