By Deogratius Mwalamoyo

Malawians have described the late Bingu wa Mutharika as one of the visionary leaders the country has had in the post-democratic era.

Malawians on April 5 remember late president Bingu wa Mutharika who ruled Malawi from 2004 to 2012.

In his memory, President Peter Mutharika on Friday unveiled Bingu’s statue at Parliament building in the capital, Lilongwe.

People in the cities of Zomba, Lilongwe and Mzuzu told YFM in random interviews that in his first five years of presidency, the late president demonstrated strong and developmental leadership.

They also praised the late Bingu for achieving a phenomenal economic growth and turning Malawi into a food exporting nation.

Veteran politician and former United Democratic Front (UDF) Member of Parliament (MP), Humphreys Mvula said the late Bingu was passionate about changing Malawi from a donor –dependent nation to a self-dependent nation.

However, Mvula said in his second term of office Bingu’s administration was slowly turning into a dictatorial rule.

He said this led to the collapse of the economy as evidenced by the unavailability of foreign exchange, shortage of fuel and withdraw of donor support.

Government spokesperson and minister of Information and Communications Technology – Henry Mussa said the nation shall remember the late president as a great leader who lived his dreams of developing the country.

Late Bingu wa Mutharika died on April 5, 2012 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

His body was laid to rest at Mpumulo wa Bata mausoleum in Thyolo District where his first wife – Ethel Mutharika was also laid to rest.