DALITSO-Democracy-Forum

THE PRESIDENT MUST NOT DECLARE HER ASSETS

2012-05-28T23:36:00.003-07:00

It has been said now and again that it is a requirement according to the Constitution Section 88, Sub Section 3, for every Malawi state president to declare his/her assets upon acquiring the high office.

This requirement has been well gazetted for everyone to see since 1994.

It is my opinion that the framers of our post-one party state constitution had Kamuzu in mind when they came up with this article.

Coming from a background where we were ruled by a man who conducted his affairs in high secret, it was deemed necessary to get rid of any suspicion that people might have on the wealth of the their president.

In his 30-year rule, Kamuzu acquired enormous wealth that ranged from property, fat accounts in foreign banks and not forgetting a business empire, Press Corporations, which economy pundits say controlled almost a third of the economy at one point.

There was no accountability to the masses and no wonder people never queried how their taxes and money for card membership were being used.

FOR SURE KAMUZU NEVER DECLARED HIS ASSETS TO THE NATION

It, therefore, seemed right to have the Presidency account for their financial management in the high office hence the framing of Section 88.

Coincidentally, it is rumoured that Bakili Muluzi was close to being declared bankrupt before he became president. But we all saw how filthy rich he became overnight (enriching his cronies at the same time).

Despite being a proponent of the new constitution, he chose to look away and never dared to declare his assets to anyone (may be with the exception of his family).

At one time, Muluzi went around the country telling people during rallies that he gets K25,000 a month (the figure at that time was equivalent to the salary of a PO grade in government structure). The illiterate masses believed him while the enlightened felt insulted.

A couple of years later he had constructed a K300 million office complex (Keza Building) in Blantyre and had also rolled out an ambitious project to establish a Management Institute, a Radio and TV Station among other initiatives.

By the time he was leaving office he had entangled himself in a maze of K1.7 billion alleged embezzlement. It is this allegation that has hung over his head since he left office.

HE, TOO, NEVER DECLARED.

The trend continued in a rather different way when Bingu wa Mutharika came into office. Strong rumours (again) indicate that after being booted out of COMESA he was residing in Area 3 flats in Lilongwe and was driving his own minibus on the Likuni Road (We can not substantiate that)

But what we know is that his presidency helped him to acquire considerable wealth as we watched. To quell our fears he too started telling us during political rallies that he had property amounting to K131 million before he became president. Again, the illiterate masses believed, the enlightened felt more affronted.

Questions will always be asked about his Thyolo residence, Villa Casablanca, (We really don’t care whether it has 300 or 5 rooms). What is of importance to us is to know how he acquired so much wealth in just 8 years.

IF HE DECRALED, THEN I DON’T REMEMBER…HE NEVER DID

Exit Bingu, enter Joyce Banda. A few people have already started asking for the same. Whether she declares or not is up to her.

But I fail to understand why we should still keep a piece of legislation in our constitution which is not being used by anyone (Remember Section 88 also calls for cabinet members to do the same).

It seems they will NEVER EVER DECLARE so it’s a waste of time to anticipate for it.

JOYCE BANDA SHOULD BRING BACK OUR INITIAL NATIONAL ANTHEM

2012-05-28T04:03:00.004-07:00

Recalling my past during my primary school days, I dreaded the moment when I stepped onto the school campus after my friends had already gone to the opening assembly.

With class monitors wielding more powers than necessary, my lack of punctuality was their opportunity to mete out any kind of punishment on me, taking into consideration that I wasn’t one of the obedient chaps at school.

The school premises would be dead quiet as all pupils were at one corner of the institution. Knowing that the class monitors were always located on the boundaries waiting to pounce on anyone who came late, I temporarily employed a way of beating the system.

Wait for my colleagues to leave the assembly then as soon as the monitors are leaving their posts, I would dash towards my classroom’s door to join the rest. It wasn’t any close to being a wise idea. I got caught on several occasions and punished.

But there is a day I will never forget in my life. Having arrived late (again) I noticed that the class monitors were nowhere to be seen. I smiled and quickened my step towards the only classroom block that separated me from the assembly point.

I peeped from where I stood and was rest assured that if I turned into a “professional athlete” for a moment then I would manage to join my class queue right at the back. By the way, from the direction I was to come from, no teacher (no matter how good they were in spotting offenders) was going to see me.

One, two, three..I counted then leaped towards my destination then alas, a coarse voice from the middle of the gathering erupted into a song “OH GOD BLESS OUR”…then the whole group followed…”LAND OF MALAWI…….”

The rule was clear, upon hearing the national anthem you are supposed to stop where you are, throw everything down, stand straight with hands on the sides. And on top of that entire requirement package, you were supposed to join in song.

My bad, I had been caught between the rock and a hard place. I quickly threw my books down and stood there motionless. My voice didn’t come out audibly because I was shaking terribly. I don’t remember how many lines of the anthem I had sung along when it finished.

My initial sprint had attracted some attention and my isolation from the rest of the group during the anthem caught the eye of some ruthless teacher whose name I can’t remember. Another bad day it was and I was going to get punished (again).

The etiquette surrounding national anthem did not change a lot during Bakili Muluzi’s rule only that we had the freedom not to stop, not to sing and not to care.

However, one thing I miss about the anthem is putting my hands on the sides. Why on earth did Bingu wa Mutharika change our posture when singing our sacred song. Did he justify why we have to put our hand across the chest?

I miss those Kamuzu days..”OH GOD BLESS OUR LAND OF MALAWI”,while my hands are relaxing on the sides. May be we can change that as well if we really had respect for Kamuzu Banda.

Honestly, Bingu was changing some things just to nurse his ego

MULUZI SLAUGHTERED TWO COWS, SO WHAT?

2012-05-27T23:39:00.002-07:00

Time flies, subsequently, fading our memories into obscurity. Not long ago, Malawians were not sure whether they were worth having their own country let alone being called citizens therein.

As everyone was worried about “executive arrogance”, those in power never relented in causing more misery for the citizenry.

Then boom, came the D-Day. A day before Good Friday. God intervened and the nation was different in a flash. No need to worry about the exact date on which it happened (Nobody cares I guess).

Two months later, lousy allegations are cropping up accusing the former head of state, Bakili Muluzi of slaughtering not a cow, but two in celebrating the death of Bingu.

I stand to be reminded but if my memory serves me right, DPP top brass decided to act “clever” (rather otherwise) and kept the events surrounding Bingu’s collapse and death a secret for a couple of days.

It therefore came as a surprise when Mr. Namondwe, in his eulogy, pointed out that their family was disappointed because some people celebrated the death of their relation.

Now I hear that the accusations were directed towards Muluzi.

Give me a break. Bingu’s death remained a secret for some days so if anyone was in celebratory mood, who is to blame? And it is naïve to expect that just because one person has died then everyone’s chores should come to a standstill.

Don’t forget as well that this was Easter period when Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Don’t be quick to say Muluzi is a moslem so he has nothing to do with Easter.

He is a politician who served this country as head of state and that makes him a Statesman. To him, the political, religious, economic and social boundaries were blurred long time ago.

This then tells you that if he decided to slaughter two cows coincidentally during the period of Bingu’s death, it didn’t mean that he was celebrating the bereavement. Muluzi is human and more human than Bingu was, (I opine) thus his actions are always calculated before he does something.

Leave the guy to focus his energies on his K1.7 billion case and his failing health. Let him socialize with whoever he deems right, let him slaughter whatever he wants (besides a human being) on any occasion.

Lastly, the moral of the story is “Never hide the death of a prominent person. People will never stop living their normal lives based on speculation”

Slaughter the cows Mr. Muluzi, slaughter them freely!

THAT’S UNFAIR, JOYCE BANDA

2012-05-25T04:22:00.000-07:00

The message is clear to everyone aspiring for the country’s presidency in the next General Election scheduled for May 2014. One has to invest quite an amount of money, wit and intelligence to oust the incumbent.

Joyce Banda’s stint at the State House so far has revealed one thing; she has employed a political strategy that will see her at the helm beyond 2014, and who knows what might happen during the 2019 Elections.

We would argue that to an extent her job has been made easier because she just has to reverse all the “sins” committed by the previous regime. Fine and good but let us not forget that she is even restructuring the conduct that has been deemed normal for a very long time.

I was surely surprised two days ago to note that the country’s public broadcaster MBC was left untouched during the funeral of Banda’s sister (a Mrs. Chanthunya)

The logic behind the move was that, this (the funeral) was a family affair and it had to be treated as such. Good move.

And of late, the state broadcaster has become a platform where ideas are being marketed without segregation. It is soothing to see even the DPP leaders, who not long ago turned MBC into a propaganda tool, being given a chance to criticize the current government. Isn’t this democracy at its best?

People might have reservations about the MBC liberalization due to several reasons but those doubts have to wait the length of time to see if her move is authentic.

Muluzi tried to do it during his first months in office up until the weight of power was too much for him and he later abandoned the move. MBC was back to what it was supposed to be, ruling party’s mouth piece. The redrafted MBC Act, which was professionally done by the Law Commission ended up being tampered with at cabinet level and thrown into the fire place at State House.

Then came Bingu with the same song. He at one time stopped the live broadcasting of his function in Thyolo opting for the live coverage of a football match. We loved him for that didn’t we? The time he realized that the state media is the only tool to maintain the grip on the electorate, he too dropped the idea.

Just as an extension of memory, during his first months in office Bingu used to turn away party women dancers whenever they followed him. “Go and work to earn a living” he would tell them. Slowly he accepted that things cannot be done otherwise.

Now Joyce Banda has begun her journey satisfactorily. I am so eager to see whether she is going to hold on to her philosophy. Is she ready to run her party without the use of state media?

For her to show seriousness in this issue, there is just one way. Dust the MBC Act as it is versioned at Malawi Law Commission, take it to cabinet then present it in parliament. Trust me, a true independent state media would be a major plus to our democracy.

Not that I don’t trust what she says, but the danger lies in the fact that some overzealous dude from the ruling party will wake up one day and decide to convince the president otherwise. To avoid that, let’s just have the MBC Act restructured so that every sitting president should follow the rules of the game.

Now I said Joyce Banda is being unfair right? Yes, she is playing her cards so right such that Malawians will give her their votes not out of sympathy but due to her wise ways.

With John Tembo dancing to the now famous “JB tune”, Peter Mutharika abandoned by a host of MPs who supported his late brother and the other “briefcase parties having nothing tangible to show, it simply looks rosy for Joyce Banda in the next elections.

The only main challenger to her might be my good friend Moses Dossi whose campaign is limited to an insignia on his mini car, only located in Blantyre.

LET IT BE

SO TOO, OUR GOVERNMENT MUST PUNISH TNM and AIRTEL

2012-05-22T00:07:00.005-07:00

We all love communication and all technologies that facilitate it. And in Malawi, we go a step further; we love communication aided by poor technologies. To be as objective as possible, the country’s two most subscribed mobile operators, AIRTEL and TNM, are giving us a raw deal.

Not once or twice, but on numerous occasions have failed to communicate effectively just because the network is poor, a text message is delivered 24 hours later or I lose my top-up credit even before I use it.

I might be to blame on the loss of credit, maybe it’s my inability to understand all these promotional formulas going on with the two operators.

However, give me a break when it comes to the other setbacks. Why on earth should a text message be delivered 24 hours later? This has happened on several even when the person on the other end is based in an area where there is supposed to be clear network.

I remember of a day when I over-scratched my Airtel top-up card. After so many attempts to get hold of a customer care officer, who didn’t sound so willing to help, I was told to wait for two days so that they have to follow up the information I had given. Imagine that, waiting for two days, to retrieve a 100 Kwacha worth of airtime.

It is disheartening how these two operators make so much noise with promotions where so many valuables are handed out to customers yet when it comes to making communication efficient and instant, they leave a lot to be desired.

I like what I have seen in today’s Daily Times concerning the fine that the Nigeria government has meted out on Airtel and MTN for bad service. The story goes further to inform us that this is not the first time for phone operators to be punished for negligence or laxity.

How I wish our government, through relevant authorities, kept check of how AIRTEL and TNM are providing their services to Malawians. And if they fail to deliver, let them be punished. It makes sense, doesn’t it?

No need for them to be obsessed by the growth of subscribers if they can’t serve them well.

I have taken frustration for long, may you take my advice just for a moment.

LET'S ABOLISH CHIEFTAINCIES PLEASE!!!

2012-05-21T01:43:00.002-07:00

I have always wondered, honestly so, about the role of chiefs in our society. In the whole spectrum of chieftaincy, there have existed elements of self-centeredness, manipulation, dishonesty and immoral acts among those viewed as traditional leaders.

“Trust the chiefs at your own peril” is the tag line for the modern mind.

In 2008, I enjoyed watching the people of Nepal getting rid of their monarch which had ruled them for more than 250 years.

For a decade, King Gyanendra ruled with an iron fist and continued the brainwashing of the masses, making them believe that within society, there is a family which is privileged by “divine powers” to rule over others at all times.

The case is similar right here at home and this kind of systematic manipulation has led to cases whereby one reasonable king/chief will be succeeded by a total feeble-minded who messes society with unwise conduct and decisions.

My heart bled when I saw a host of Malawians senior chiefs attending a meeting called by President Joyce Banda.

Without shame, our traditional leaders wore brave faces and smiled- cosmetically- at Mrs. Banda, who they had been victimizing verbally during Bingu’s era.

These are the same people who attacked us when we demonstrated on July 20, 2011. We were labeled as pro-gay protesters in a move to blind the masses about our real intentions.

Who can easily forget how chiefs bulldozed the introduction of the new flag. Day and night, these people made sickening noise on the state broadcaster, telling the nation that “their” people had agreed to the flag change.

Funny more, they collectively told the nation how they were against the devaluation of the Kwacha. It was evident that most of them never understood the issue under discussion. To them what mattered was that they partook in the State House lunch (which is always an extraordinary banquet by any standards) and got some money to manage their own lives.

Chiefs might have been in existence for decades but I believe that there might be a better option of governing people across the country than having one family which saps the privileges and retain substantial power even though they prove invalid in terms of wisdom, intelligence and conduct.

The “myth” of royal family is against democratic values of any sort. It is one kind of government which suits the needs of the "chosen" few.

The Senate sounds good to me, Chieftaincy doesn’t. They have too many power and they have evidently lost the trust of the people.

Let’s abolish Chieftaincies, if we can.

MALAWI'S INDEPENDENCE, A SICK EMBARRASSMENT

2012-05-18T04:58:00.003-07:00

As Malawi nears 50 years as an independent nation, serious questions are being asked on how free the nation is in implementing its own economic social and political policies with minimum or no intervention of foreign elements, especially the British, who colonized the county for almost a century.

In this special report, I take the acceptable burden in analyzing and highlighting the country’s position in the international community and whether the colonizer’s departure five decades ago automatically meant the strings were detached.

Recalling our past

It came as a Fools Day joke when on April 1, 1960, British Colonial Secretary, Ian Macleod, ordered the release of nationalist Kamuzu Banda who had been confined to Gweru Prison in Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia).

The indigenous community breathed a sigh of relief upon realization that time had come for Nyasaland to part ways with the British rulers who had dominated the country’s administrative and political spectrum for close to a century.

Elsewhere, the British had also colonized numerous African countries which were also demanding their self-rule during the same period as Nyasaland.

Africans were rapidly itching to run the affairs of their own countries.

The painful reality of losing something they valued most dawned on the colonists, most of which were Europeans.

However, the colonizers were very cautious on their exit strategy, a thing many African leaders overlooked. The effects of that tactic can be seen in the affairs of modern Africa.

Analysts have pointed out several factors that prove the cunning nature of colonizers; a behavior of not letting go the cow they milked for over a century.

One of the strategies used was interfering with the political fibre of the colonized territories.

No wonder, it is believed that Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, was overthrown with the help of British and America’s intelligence elements.

His sin was that he was seen as the icon of the nationalist movement across the continent and that he was almost unlocking the clue on how Africa would use her resources to enhance her development.

Nkrumah’s humiliation created paranoia among a breed of African leaders. The message was clear; the colonizers might have left the territory but were hiding somewhere observing the affairs of Africans.

In trying to address the problem of unnecessary coup d'état, leaders restructured the political societies and limited civil freedoms. That was the birth of dictatorships across the continent.

Even Nkrumah had become a dictator before he was overthrown; he understood the mind of the colonizer better than many leaders.

Kamuzu was a scholar in Nkrumah’s political school of thought such that many of his political tendencies were a copy of Ghana’s social strata starting from the one party system, Young Pioneers, Youth League and the requirement for all citizens to be members of the ruling party.

In trying to impose indiscriminate membership, all citizens were supposed to buy party membership cards. All these mechanisms were meant to instill fear in the citizens who might have had intentions to overthrow the regime.

The plan worked for several decades as leaders held a firm grip on power with minimal or suppressed dissent.

Even though Nkrumah had become a dictator before he was overthrown; he understood the mind of the colonizer better than many African leaders.

Concurrently, the peak of Kamuzu’s dictatorship came with a number of factors on the international front attached to it.

The Cold War between US and Russia brought a defined division between world states which were forced to side with either of the two giants.

Kamuzu played his cards cleverly such that he found himself operating on the border of capitalism and socialism without many problems.

Since physically vacating the mineral rich lands, colonists have managed to maintain their footprint on the continent.

Sovereignty in the African context has come with so many strings attached to it.

In making sure that Africa remains encapsulated in imperialist ideals several mechanisms have been used. These are the economy, trade and commerce, education and to an extent; religion.

…too many economic strings attached

The reconstruction of the world economy soon after World War II did not favour Africa which at that time was going through an independence wave.

Unfortunately, several economies such as South Korea, Germany, Norway and Finland got a blessing through the Marshall Plan which heavily industrialized these countries.

Ironically, it was during the same period that Ghana’s president, Nkrumah, drafted a massive plan to industrialize his country. His proposals to construct a $70 million dollar hydro-electric dam were shunned while twice the same amount was being channeled to individual projects in South Korea and Malaysia.

After Nkrumah’s demise, his nationalist cronies across the continent became powerless at the hands of the colonizers hence they had to follow economic policies designed by Westerners.

Policies that were put in place solely to deal with the tremors of World War II have defined the world economy up to this day.

Institutions such as International Monetary Fund, World Bank and United Nations have become the core of world affairs in political, economic and social aspects.

However, these institutions have been blamed by poorer countries who view them as separatist in nature. No wonder, the world has been systematically divided into many blocs such as First World (Rich nations) Middle placed economies and Third World (poor countries).

Worrying to many critical observers is the fact that not much has been done to flatten the structure so as to move many poor economies into the middle bracket. This is where animosity between African countries and the developed world creeps in.

The functioning of these multilateral financial institutions leaves inadequate breathing space for small economies like Malawi.

It is rare for Malawi to develop or roll out economic policies without first seeking advice and intervention of the IMF and World Bank thus all the three regimes have forcibly been obliged to work hand in hand with the two institutions.

One contentious area between the country’s leadership and the two Bretton Woods institutions has been that of Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) which call for privatization of public institutions and a cut in government’s spending on farm subsidies.

This phenomenon affected the regime of Bakili Muluzi under whose leadership many public entities were shed off to private owners hence creating massive retrenchments, adding to the already saturated unemployed base.

It was during this time that companies such as Shire Bus Lines, David Whitehead and Sons, Malawi Post and Telecommunications Limited, Import and Export, Chipiku, Maldeco, Grain and Milling Company, Malawi Pharmacies Limited, Portland Cement, Malawi Book Service, Malawi Dairy Industries, Cold Storage, National Seed Company, Oil Company of Malawi and Commercial Bank.

One entity that had public sympathy in the privatization process was Agricultural and Development Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) and the deal was put on hold. Instead, the agro-bent institution was commercialized.

The wave also caught big establishments like metal fabricators Brown and Clapperton (B & C) who wound up business and pushed hundreds of low income earners into the unemployment pit.

Critics have pointed out that the anomaly with the conditionalities attached to IMF and World Bank loans to poor countries retard social stability and hence inhibit the intended goals and lead to an increase in poverty in recipient countries.

The IMF sometimes advocates "austerity programmes," increasing taxes even when the economy is weak, in order to generate government revenue.

These policies were criticized by Joseph E. Stiglitz, former chief economist and Senior Vice President at the World Bank, in his book Globalization and Its Discontents

He argued that by converting to a more Monetarist approach, the IMF no longer had a valid purpose and that though it was not participating in a conspiracy; it was reflecting the interests and ideology of the Western financial community.

Several world leaders like Venezuelan Hugo Chavez have dubbed both the IMF and World Bank as "the tools of the empire" that "serve the interests of the North".

Another well defined conspiracy about the intentions of the West in denying Africa total independence is how the two Bretton Woods institutions are structured.

Historically the IMF's managing director has been European and the president of the World Bank has been from the United States. The First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, the second-in-command, has traditionally been (and is today) an American.

One of the strongest criticisms of the World Bank has been the way in which it is governed. While the World Bank represents 186 countries, it is run by a small number of economically powerful countries. These countries choose the leadership and senior management of the World Bank, and so their interests dominate the bank.

Additionally, the Bank President has always been a US citizen nominated by the United States, the largest shareholder in the bank.

The two institutions have also been accused of being used by the rich nations to advocate for free market policies whereby the laws of supply and demand are the final- if not only determinants- on how world trade should be handled.

This is in total contrast to what the rich club did when their economies were young as most third world countries.

Writing in New African magazine, Osei Boateng reports that Britain with the help of its kings protected their textile industry against foreign imports for years. The same protectionism was used by economies such as America, Japan, Russia, Germany, South Korea, Malaysia, France, Singapore and Taiwan among others.

In contemporary affairs, China, which has become the world’s fastest growing economy, is still jealously protecting its industries against foreign competition. Despite outcries from America and Europe, the Eastern giant has proved that free market policies are not ideal for small economies.

Whether the West can allow African economies to protect their resources by adding value to them, is an issue for another day.

Mutharika also has on several occasions defied Western calls for him to phase out the Fertilize and Farm Input Subsidy programme which has become bedrock for the country’s food surplus in years passed.

His defiance was on cards again recently when the issue of independence and Western policies took a dizzying turn as he sent packing the British High Commissioner, Fergus Cochrane-Dyet, for remarking negatively on his political personality.

Soon after the decision was made, a cloud of uncertainty hang over the minds of government critics who anticipated the British wrath which would in turn affect the general population.

Britain supplements almost 40 percent of Malawi’s annual budget on top of other development interventions.

Mutharika, however, remained defiant and insisted that donor help should not replace sovereignty and respect for domestic authority.

Only time will tell whether the former president’s outbursts were meaningful in a situation where the country is still operating on a Western platform in almost all facets of social order.

Caught in the pangs of United Nations

Malawi’s affiliation to the United Nations has been minimal in the way world affairs have been set to operate.

It is only on rare occasions where Malawi has aired out her own voice in the chambers of the UN.

For example, at one UN General Assembly several years ago, Mutharika advocated for the admission of Taiwan into the world body. This was before Malawi switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to Mainland China.

The late president has also advocated for the inclusion of Kosovo into the UN though he has not taken the issue on a larger forum as was the case with the Taiwan matter.

On the reverse, the New York based institution has also proved a thorn in Malawi’s political flesh.

Recently, the country’s civil society resorted to finding solace in international bodies, African Union and United Nations where they reported human rights abuses.

In contrast, it is rare or non existent to see a European or American civil society group reporting its government to the United Nations. No wonder the bureaucracy at the UN is that the US bulldozes its policies and agenda just because it is one of the largest contributors to the institution.

Patriotic observers have said that by becoming crybabies in the slightest human rights abuse, Malawi’s civil society unknowingly expose the sovereignty of their states, deeming them incapable of handling their own affairs amicably.

One wonders whether the essence of domesticity is respected by how the UN handles its affairs.

Furthermore, Malawi-with her African contingent- has surely been at the peripheral of things at the institution, mainly due to her poor financial standing. Ten powerful nations (no African nation here) provide 73 percent of funding to the UN while the remaining 182 members only cover the 27 percent.

Though Africa has voiced herself out through African Union, her decisions have been overridden by the powerful wave of Western influence.

No wonder, the Ivorian political deadlock was only put to rest when the UN and France took things in their own hands to force Laurent Gbagbo out of power. This happened some months after the AU- under Mutharika’s chairmanship – had failed to put things in order.

Thus far, one wonders whether the decision in 1945 to establish the UN was founded on the basis of an intention of continued domination of weaker states.

In that vein some branches within the UN have become dominated with super powers, for example the UN Security Council which still denies Africa any chance of vetoing its decisions, save for sympathy from Russia and China who use their permanent membership in trifling the selfish interests of America, Britain and inland European powers.

One of the United Nations’ eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG)s is that there should be a global partnership in development. The policy is found wanting in the wake of Western dominance on economic, social and political issues, making the partnership a pendulum stuck on one end.

Former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian national, planned to initiate some reforms in how the organisation is run but his efforts faded into obscurity up until he finished his tenure in 2007.

Annan is the best witness on how the West can bypass the UN when it wants to serve its interests. Without the legitimate mandate of the organisation, the US invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam Hussein under the guise of getting rid of weapons of mass destruction.

In the lifeline of the UN, over 80 colonies have attained independence but only just. The West still have other ways of determining the social, economic and political fabric of these so called independent nations.

Surely, independence has had its own setbacks in the face of foreign intervention in domestic policies.

…learn it my way or you are ignorant

The African education system has for many decades operated on Western syllabus so the continent’s human resource at any given point has been well-indoctrinated with foreign knowledge.

It seems late with the advent of globalization as a scapegoat for dominance. Some have queried why globalization should still have the West dominating the affairs of Africa instead of the system operating on equal leverage?

One weapon used to colonize Africans’ minds is the imparting of foreign languages mainly English and French. Take a cardboard and make a map of Africa, carefully cut out the countries that use the two as their official languages, and see what you remain with.

Technically, it is the West that has trained Malawian lawyers, economists, journalists, bankers. The resultant effect has become a determinant to the way life rolls on in Malawian society.

No wonder our lawyers put on regalia in a way many Malawians fail to understand and the etiquette of our own parliamentary proceedings seem foreign to most Malawians even though the issues discussed have a direct bearing on their lives.

One area which seems irreversible is that Africa can not get rid of Western knowledge from their academic fabric.

Education came on the same boats with religion by the early missionaries who established first conventional schools. Sandwiched between Western education and religion, Africa had no chance to remain authentic.

In the spirit of globalization, whenever the education system is being restructured it has to be tallied with foreign standards to ensure desirable and acceptable quality.

Upon realization that all fundamental institutions and social order are always attached to Western way of life, there is little proof to show that Malawi is totally sovereign; by the way, no country is.

LET THE CHURCH EMBRACE HOMOSEXUALITY

2012-05-18T02:27:00.000-07:00

There is, surely, an atmosphere of unease with the growing consciousness of minority rights. At the centre of these minority communities is that of homosexuals whose plight seems to appear in every document that exchanges hands between government and its Western cooperating partners.

Demands by these partners sounded heavy on the previous government because the issue was one of the items to be addressed if the donors were to resuscitate the much needed aid.

We are anxiously waiting to see what the current government is going to handle that particular issue in the light that aid has started trickling in.

In the midst of that tension, churches have taken their own specific stands some of which are too extreme to be taken by men of God.

Some months ago, CCAP Nkhoma Synod made scathing remarks on homosexuality and made it clear that as a church, they are going to organize a protest march to parliament if the lawmakers decide to bring the issue of gay rights under discussion. An acceptable move because it is biblical that homosexuality is evil but isn’t it the church’s prerogative to minister to sinners?

This issue needs to be looked at from three perspectives, legal, cultural and religious.

It is within government’s jurisdiction to consider legalization of homosexuality by weighing the pros and cons of such an action.

Culturally, homosexuality is labeled as a taboo such that verbal tirades such as ‘homosexuals are dogs or animals’ and many more unpronounceable phrases are common.

It is thereby surprising to see the church trying to play the roles of state and cultural institutions at once.

Christianity, just like all religions, is defined by love, a virtue that is at the core of all undertakings of such institutions.

It, therefore, remains disheartening to note that religion nowadays has become divisive in nature whereby personalities are segregated and condemned on so many platforms, sexual orientation inclusive.

Painful is the fact that, the more the Christian fraternity sidelines the gay community, the more their intent defeats the whole purpose of spreading the gospel as commanded by Jesus Christ before he ascended to heaven.

To this day, any Christ-centered church should base its principles on that command. The spreading of the gospel is therefore an endeavor that should not be undertaken with emotional strings attached.

The approach taken in preaching Christ should not magnify one sin and blow it out of proportion because the bible tells us that we are all sinners (Romans 3:12).

Outlining all sins would be a frantic and endless struggle but to single out one from that long list is surely misplaced egoism and self justification.

The moment any Christian starts pointing out other people’s sins, that is when love starts to fade away.

The big question is “How does Christianity embrace gays and lesbians?” The notion does not arise from a blank page.

In a country which has deep roots in culture and religion, there is need to answer the above question in relation to these two institutions.

Having received cold reaction from other institutions relief would have been sought in the Christian spectrum due to the element of love that defines the creed.

Sadly and unfortunately, in a country where it is estimated that 80 percent of the population are Christians, the approach towards homosexuals has been a contrast to the ideals that circumscribe the creed.

Much as homosexuality has “rightly” been highlighted as sin, it is the treatment of human beings who have homosexual orientations that brings tears to an objective heart.

Whether we accept them or not in the body of Christ, it does not change the fact that homosexuals exist. Denying the act does not mean denying their existence.

Have you thought about it that the person sitting next to you in church might be gay? What about the beautiful lady who all guys at church think she is a senior spinster yet she is lesbian? At the point of knowing their sexual status, do you boot them out of the church system or handle them with love so as to show them the way to Christ? Isn’t coming to church the consequence of our inborn sin?

If we are to take a look at our filthy pasts, don’t we think we would have deserved the same condemnation, if that was to be endorsed as the right approach towards any sin?

As government is still contemplating whether to legalize homosexuality, it is the Christian community that can offer a solution by showing love to the gay community thereby offering them insight on the will of God in their lives.

Only when the church becomes sober to look into gay rights critically then the issue will be broken down into smallest pieces. Some aspects can be taken on board thereby bringing the church into right perspective in as far as homosexuality is concerned.

There is a Christian idiom which says, “What Would Jesus Do?” It then exposes the most fundamental question, “If he were to be in our generation, would he have condemned homosexuals as we do? I beg to differ; surely he would have embraced them to show them the truth.

By “embracing” we might be dealing with issues of semantics but no matter how diverse our perceptions may be, it is high time Christianity found a way of dealing with homosexuality except “ignoring it”.

Mutharika to be accompanied by MCP?

2012-05-16T04:51:00.002-07:00

Nation newspaper (16 May 2012) carried a story on the sports page which indicates that some football officials in the central region have been taken to task for allowing DPP women accompany their Acting President, Peter Mutharika, to CIVO Stadium last weekend.

I am baffled to find out why this issue is being blown out of proportion. Since when did it become a crime for a political leader to be accompanied by his/her supporters?

Show me a day when- John Tembo, President Joyce Banda, Peter Mutharika, Kamlepo Kalua, Kamuzu Chibambo, Mark Katsonga- will walk alone with party stalwarts, and I will in return show you a bird without wings.

Could someone explain to me what these so called football authorities are thinking to raise such a “shallow” argument.

Did they expect MCP women to flood CIVO Stadium when it was Peter attending the function? Wasn’t it during the same weekend that Vice President Khumbo Kachali attended the belated Labour Day celebrations at the same venue. Who came with him? PP supporters, I am made to believe.

My conclusion on this matter is that, some people become nervous for nothing. You mean somebody could be fired for letting DPP women get into CIVO Stadium?

Malawians, are we this “naively cautious” to think that just because the government has changed then everyone affiliated to the old regime ceases to be a Malawian with all the privileges and rights of a legitimate citizen?

Let’s stop being unnecessarily political. Some of these issues are trivial and they can pass quietly.

So, I believe

Joyce Banda can nicely hold that umbrella herself

2012-05-16T00:53:00.000-07:00

During their reign, former Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi paid each other a visit (I can’t remember who hosted the other). They spared time during the trip whereby they strolled along a beautiful beach wearing what I would call their most casual attire in public eyes.

Both were carrying beautiful umbrellas as well. It left the media with some of the best pictures one would take of any two powerful heads of state.

The west as well has a way of portraying their leaders to the world audience. Memories are still fresh of Russia’s recycled president, Vladmir Putin walking in the woods, his belly exposed and carrying a shotgun in one hand. Every time each year he spends time bird hunting, one of the many hobbies he has on top of karate and judo.

Talking of the US and UK, it is not strange to see Obama spending moments to play with Bo, his dog or going to grab pizzas and hamburgers for his stuff. George Bush used to jog with cameras following him. Former French President is also obsessed with jogging and during his presidency he was all over the media dressed in a white vest and black running tracks. What a way to spend one’s time in the Presidential Palace.

My writing today has been extracted from this kind of background because I fail to understand why we treat our presidents in a more rigid manner. The only time I saw a Malawian president doing something outside the traditional protocol was when late Bingu wa Mutharika attended a golf tournament organized by his SilverGrey Foundation.

Never mind his putting on the golf course, it was terrible and unprofessional but his involvement changed the way how we have portrayed presidents for a long time.

I have always wondered why there is always a guy or two behind the president carrying umbrellas which sometimes are not necessary. Why two umbrellas at a time when the sunrays are just manageable? Won’t it be possible for the president to hold the umbrella herself?

With due respect to the security detail of our head of state, I strongly think there is no need to add some more personnel behind her just to carry umbrellas. Come on guys.

May the rightful authorities help in redefining the image of the presidency in the eyes of the citizenry. These people are humans. Allow them to live their lives normally to an extent.

Instead of going fishing in Portugal, let them fish right here in view of cameras. It would be interesting to see any Malawian President working out in a gym, or taking a walk in the lawns of the palace.

But for the umbrella, please, let her carry it herself sometimes. It would look incredible I tell you.

I rest my case, if it so wishes!

The Systems, not Ken Lipenga, should go

2012-05-11T01:13:00.001-07:00

It pains me to realize that all of a sudden we have woken up and behaving as if we are angels in our own right. Ken Lipenga might have made a mistake and the blame is being heaped on him. But why should we ignore the fact that what MRA did has been part of our rotten system? Do we clean the system by firing people anyhow or restructuring it so that it automatically guides those who are put to serve in various roles?

For years, we have allowed the Executive arm of government to have direct control over the revenue collecting institution. It is a known fact that upon the resignation or firing of Dr Lipenga, President Joyce Banda, using powers vested in her, will appoint another person in his place. She might as well go further to replace Lloyd Muhara at MRA.

The new Finance Minister and the new MRA Chief will have their own working relationship but trust me, President Joyce Banda will have the final say on how the two officers should execute their duties.

It looks easy for the President because she is still operating on public sympathy thus her regime seems to be accommodating and open. Wait up until things start hotting up, you will see a regime that will flex its muscles and use their powers to manipulate, again, the weak systems that we have in place.

My last words, let's create a revenue collection body that will directly be answerable to Parliament only so that we stop this malpractice of the Head of State having too much powers to determine what should happen with our revenues.

I beg to move

Welcome folks

2010-11-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. It is here where we can share more about our country's democracy in as many aspects as possible. This is surely a positive step in ensuring that our democracy which we re-attained in 1994 remains on course and becomes as inclusive as possible. All vices of the system are definitely our common enemy. Let us begin, God bless you