More than 3,000 people have so far signed an online petition to stop Malawi’s government from erecting a statue of Indian anti-colonial campaigner Mahatma Gandhi in the commercial capital, Blantyre.
Gandhi believed that “Indians were superior to Africans” and had made numerous disparaging remarks about them, the petition said.
The government has responded by saying the statue is aimed at recognising Gandhi’s role in the struggle against colonialism in India and Africa.
But a campaigner against the building of the statue, Mkotama Katenga-Kaunda, told BBC Focus on Africa that it was “offensive” to honour Gandhi, who had “nothing to do with Malawi”.
“We don’t even honour our heroes. The only statue we have is that of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, our first president,” he added.
In 2016, a campaign was also launched to remove a statue of Gandhi from a university in Ghana.
But Gandhi was praised by South African anti-apartheid icon President Nelson Mandela who said his teachings helped the struggle against white-minority rule in the country.
Ethiopia’s then-Emperor Haile Selassie I, was also an admirer.
“Mahatma Gandhi will always be remembered as long as free men and those who love freedom and justice live,” he said.
Malawi shares good relations with India and the Indian government plans to build a $10m Mahatma Gandhi Conference and Convention Centre in Blantyre.
