Gondwe said this in Nkhata Bay on Saturday during the 53rd commemorations of the March 3 killings in the district.
“Third March 1959 marked the end of Nyasaland and the beginning of Malawi. Our friends that died here made political history. However, since 1891, we have been depending on donors…We are not independent. We cannot be independent if we still rely on donors
“This is why we want to start making economic history now. Starting in July 2011, we started being independent and making economic history because we stopped depending on others with the zero-deficit budget,†he said.
Gondwe said there are always conditions attached to aid; hence, donors can demand that Malawi be run according to their wishes, including embracing homosexuality.
Gondwe said the commemorations were significant and that government has plans to renovate graves for the 30 people that died.
George Mkorongo, 91, who was district chairperson of Nyasaland African Congress and was arrested alongside other leaders to spark the 1959 demonstrations that led to the killings, was present during the event.
