Civil rights activists in Malawi have stepped up a campaign for the return of donations made to Scottish and US bodies by former leader Hastings Banda, reports BBC Online Monday.
Collins Magalasi from ActionAid Malawi says “millions of dollars” was donated to institutions such as the University of Edinburgh, where Banda studied.
Activists say it is immoral for rich countries like Scotland to benefit from philanthropy from poor Malawi. But officials from Bandas party say the donations were his own money.
– The total amount may not be known – at least as of now – because we are everyday uncovering new donations or hand-outs made by Dr Banda, Mr Magalasi says.
He said Banda donated 2 million US dollar to Wilberforce University in the United States in 1979 – which he says would be worth 12 million dollar in todays money.
In 1982, Banda gave 350.000 pounds (600.000 dollar) to the Scottish Royal College of Surgeons after an appeal by the University of Edinburgh, according to Malawian scholar, Professor Thandika Mkandawire, Executive Director of the UN Research Institute for Development in Switzerland.
Mr Magalasi said that if the money could not be returned, then “technical agreements” should be worked out, for example helping Malawi to train more doctors. Earlier this month, Scotland pledged to increase aid to Malawi following a visit by President Bingu wa Mutharika.
The campaign comes as a new $500,000 mausoleum to Banda is due to be unveiled on Saturday. Hastings Banda, who died eight years ago, qualified as a doctor in Scotland. After 40 years abroad he returned to Malawi in the 1950s to lead the fight for the poor countrys independence from Britain.
Links between Scotland and Malawi date back to 1859, when Scottish explorer David Livingston arrived in Malawi, BBC adds.
