MALAWI: PRESIDENT BANDA ATTENDS CLOSING RALLY OF RULING CONGRESS PARTY CONVENTION IN MZUZU

Record ID: 215156

  • Title: MALAWI: PRESIDENT BANDA ATTENDS CLOSING RALLY OF RULING CONGRESS PARTY CONVENTION IN MZUZU
  • Date: 20th September 1967
  • Summary: PRESIDENT BANDA GREETED BY VAST CROWD; DANCERS AND DRUMMERS; BANDA MOVING THROUGH CROWD; DANCERS WITH SPEARS; BANDA JOINING IN DANCING. (NATURAL SOUND THROUGHOUT) Initials RM/V/JF/JG Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th October 1967 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MZUZU, MALAWI
  • Country: Malawi
  • Reuters ID: LVAA5J10937ZMCIJH6JNDHR6TUUH
  • Story Text: PRESIDENT KAMUZU BANDA OF MALAWI ATTENDER A HUGE RALLY IN MZUZU ON SUNDAY AT THE CLOSE OF THE RULING MALAWI CONGRESS PARTY'S ANNUAL CONVENTION THERE. IT WAS AT THE CONVENTION THAT PRESIDENT BANDA ANNOUNCED THE MALAWI GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH SOUTH AFRICA.

    MZUZU HAS A POPULATION OF SOME 8,000. THE CONVENTION THERE WAS MARRED BY AN OUTBREAK OF INFLUENZA, FOR WHICH THE LOCAL HOSPITAL HAD TO TREAT ABOUT 20 DELEGATES A DAY. A FURTHER 12 DELEGATES WERE CONFINED TO BED. BECAUSE OF HIS ATTENDANCE AT THE CONVENTION, PRESIDENT BANDA WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS YEAR'S SUMMIT CONFERENCE OF THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (OAU) HELD AT KINSHASA, IN THE CONGO, AT THE SAME TIME.

    ON SUNDAY, PRESIDENT BANDA ACCUSED AFRICAN LEADERS AT THE OAU SUMMIT OF "SAYING PLEASING THINGS IN ORDER TO BE ACCLAIMED AS GREAT STATESMEN." ADDRESSING THE CLOSING SESSION OF THE MZUZU CONFERENCE, HE SAID: "IDEALISM IS ALL RIGHT, BUT YOU MUST MAKE A MIXTURE OF IDEALISM AND REALISM. I HOLD STRONGLY THAT AFRICAN LEADERS ARE DOING THEMSELVES NO GOOD -- AND ARE DOING AFRICA NO GOOD -- BY LIVING IN THE AIR INSTEAD OF ON THE GROUND."
    THE PRESIDENT DEFENDED HIS DECISION, ANNOUNCED AT THE CONVENTION THE PREVIOUS SUNDAY, TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH SOUTH AFRICA. HE POINTED OUT THAT 80,000 MALAWIANS WERE WORKING IN SOUTH AFRICA. THE CONVENTION EARLIER DESCRIBED THE DECISION AS "REALISTIC AND COURAGEOUS", AND DELEGATES AGREED TO "THREAT WITH CONTEMPT", ANYONE CRITICISING THE DECISION.
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