NDAGHA

What I found politically interesting in Malawi's 1st Qof2013

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 19:46:00 +0000

I rarely comment on politics but the events in the first quarter of 2013 have been very interesting. So interesting that I have failed to keep quiet.

The youthful presidential hopeful Atupele Muluzi of UDF is no longer in Joyce Banda's cabinet. He is on Facebook everyday and the young fall for him. Thoko who is son to longtime respected politician late Aleke Banda has surfaced throwing his support for Atupele.

Joyce Banda's administration faced two weeks of civil servants strike in February. It was seemingly a tough time for the president. A few days ago, it was announced she got in on Facebook and immediately got lots of followers. At this point she is the only female politician who is likely to compete against the men. Thankfully Malawi has done much better that the so called democratic USA in having a female president. Did we ever have a woman as president there all those years?

Early March saw the Midnight Six and other accomplices arrested on allegations for treason. They include DPP's presidential hopeful Peter Mutharika. Ahead of the party's convention in April, he now has a challenger Henry Chimunthu Banda (Speaker of Malawi's National Assembly).

In Malawi Congress Party, the ever-living Member of Parliament and great-grandfather of all parliamentarians John Tembo still insists he will stand for MCP presidency against the party's constitution. He is now being challenged by new entrants Dr Christopher Daza and Edwin Banda.

Mark Katsonga Phiri of PPM and Kamuzu Chibambo of Petra seem to be making own inroads. It is too early to dispute the likes of James Nyondo who only came up 5 months before 2009 elections and swayed people like anything. We know not who the new players will be by December this year. But yes we should be ready to embrace them.

One thing I like about the current political set-up is that none has made any noise to really disturb the status quo which leaves us not sure who Malawians can go for if we were to vote today. As a journalist, I find the current political debate boring. None of these guys mentioned are really raising issues and suggesting solutions.

You know what if it were me, I would already saying things like, "We will move the capital city from Lilongwe to Salima when we start running government..." This is my radical way of inviting national debate and I have good reasons for the shift of the capital city. By the way, if you ever hear anyone say that, just be curious they did not buy the idea from me!

Sometimes I find former Vice President Dr Justin Malewezi an interesting person as he often comes with something different in his comments on Malawi's politics. I wish we had more people like him to help wake up our active politicians.

Yes our Malawi politics are interesting. The sad thing is that each of these guys are scared of anyone who seems to be wooing more people towards away from them. Just imagine some of them are even worried by people who simple make comments on the situation like the Kachajes!

So as I look forward to 2014, I can not discount two things: political alliances and voting strengths based on tribal populations. This means each of these parties have to play their game well. Anyhow I am always proud of how strategically politicians think and act. How this translates into reality in May 2014 will only be for discussion after that polling day.

I am just encouraged that come May 2014, there will be lots of changes on our political scene and this is and will be exciting for me. Since that day I bought my first party card in 1981 (under compulsion), I have never wanted things to remain the same. Viva democracy in Malawi.

Personally my prayer is that the right persons for the game will make it. Sometimes I am bit concerned about the age and health for some of them. I feel like these political jobs are quite demanding and one needs to mind their health. Otherwise they should be assured, I pray for the situation in Malawi.

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:28:00 +0000

I started thinking money a couple of months ago. This led to my writing the article published in The Nation Newspaper yesterday. I did not know it had been published as I was travelling in/from Johannesburg. The rest of it as originally written is below.
....................

Where is the “Tambala” of the Kwacha?

A One Tambala coin could buy items like a match-box and a table salt bottle for the home in 1980. In 1981 I bought the Malawi Congress Party Membership Card at 50 Tambala after earning the money from a piece work at my teacher’s garden. I had no choice but buy the card!

Shops and transport providers could charge items and services in both Kwacha and Tambala. Bata Shops were famous for selling shoes at so much Kwacha and… Tambala.

The first time I took a bottle of Coke was at 19 Tambala. By the way, a One Kwacha note was (is) equal to 100 Tambala. Higher Kwacha denomination notes the 80’s were 1, 5, 10 and 20. In fact the first time I held a One Kwacha note, I felt rich.

Since 1971, the years the Reserve Bank of Malawi has introduced new Kwacha and Tambala coins and notes with varying images on them. Before 1971, the Malawi Pound was the legal tender.

During the Malawi Congress Party era, Kamuzu Banda’s image was on the coins and the notes. When the wind of multiparty politics blew into Malawi, we sighed with relief hoping we could no longer have an image of the head of state on the country’s currency. It is only recently that we did not have national currency coins and notes carrying Bingu wa Mutharika’s image.

The Tambala coins (1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 tambala) almost disappeared from circulation. The last Tambala coin (50) was introduced in 1986. In January 2007, five and ten kwacha coins were released into circulation. Banknotes of 20, 50, 100, 200 (since 1995), 500 (since 2001) and 1000 Kwacha (introduced last year) are favored over the coins.

Malawi is said to have 2.0 million Kwacha of the Tambala coins still in circulation. But that we still have the Tambala is becoming an issue of the past. I wonder if people accept payments in the weights of coins these days. Hasn’t the Tambala died?

In Zambia where the Ngwee (the unit of the Zambia Kwacha) has been elusive for some years, the Bank of Zambia rebased its national currency on 1^st January 2013 so that among others they could re-introduce “a culture of using coins which are more durable”. This has led to for instance removing three zeros off the 10,000 Zambia Kwacha.

In a press release, the bank said that a national currency is rebased “because of the need to address costs associated with an accumulated loss in value of the currency that undermines its basic function as a store of value, medium of exchange and measure of value. This loss of value is typically as a result of high inflation rates over a prolonged period of time.”

Will it be a surprise in Malawi to hear the introduction of 5 Thousand Kwacha note and then a 10 Thousand Kwacha note? What would happen if we just dropped of a zero or two from our currencies? With high inflation in Malawi, aren’t we heading towards rebasing our national currency like Zambia and Ghana?

Some countries however near and far still have their “Tambala” in use. For instance the US still has a Cent, Sweden uses the Ohr and India has the Rupee (note) and Paisa (coin) in circulation.

According to Reserve Bank of Malawi, The 1/2 penny was the first coin used in Malawi. This was succeeded by the Tambala coin introduced in 1971.

Asked what determines shifts to another and a higher coin, Reserve Bank of Malawi officials said that there are a number of factors including:

“The high cost of minting a note relative to its face value and the introduction of a higher value banknote sometimes necessitates a change in the note/coin boundary.”

The Reserve Bank of Malawi admitted in a questionnaire that coins have low value and plans to “demonetize the Tambala coins as Reserve Bank of Malawi stopped issuing them.”

I personally liked the Tambala coin but now it appears we are raising a new generation in Malawi that will never have heard of the Tambala. And telling them life was better then, they have more reason to argue against in the absence of the Tambala. For sure government has lots of work to bring the Tambala back to life.

I can't deny this

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 05:19:00 +0000

On this day 12^th March 19.., I made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in that room G at Rumphi Secondary School. I thank God for using Pastor Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi Assemblies of God) to share from Daniel 1 and Mr Chirowe Mkandawire for arranging that impromptu SCOM meeting. The question “Where will you spend your eternity?” is still fresh.

Thanks to God for my parents, CCAP and SCOM for preparing me for that day. Come to Jesus Choir song (Kale Ndinali Wochimwa) remains special to this day-it made me shed tears uncontrollably. I thank God since then for using SCOM, Life Ministry, Trans World Radio, Zomba Baptist Church especially the Baptist Union of Students (BUS), many different churches and fellowships to build my walk of faith in God.

Friends in the Lord too numerous to mention-thank you. Thank you men, women, girls and boys of God for praying and standing with me all through todate.

Thanks for my place of worship in Lilongwe-I thank God for a good place like this where I learn and grow in my faith. Thank you my pastors at my local church in Lilongwe from where I feed, grow and learn to impact the world. Thank you pastors in all the churches and denominations for shepherding me. Thank you Gospel artists for the ministry of music in my life-you have no idea what you are doing to me.

Given my TWR work now, I have lots of people near and far who encourage and build me-thank you. Lord, I want to be a simple child in your hands, before you and others. Sometimes I fear death but because of this salvation, I know where I am going.

Why are we talking "again" via Face book

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:27:00 +0000

Haven't you wondered why people fail to resist being on Face book? Aren't you surprised how much time people spend on Face book? Does it disturb you if your friends, family members, workmates, classmates spend endless minutes updating and commenting on people's walls? Does office block FB?

I like talking even if it is to...

I think this social media platform is allowing people to talk again. Human beings are relational and have always wanted to talk, do some conversations, share, celebrate each other's succeess and get some sympathy or counsel.

In a typical village, people just walk to someone's verandah and talk. They take time to greet each other. Children just simply start gathering and play. The women converge at a water well and talk. The men gather and play ntchuwa. People stop talking only when they go sleeping.

In the village, they know each other and easily find space for conversation. With technological advancements, mobile phones allow us to connect with those at a distance. A step further now with social media, people want to express themselves even more because the phones are costly and limiting in conversation.

I have been thinking about this whole aspect of how FB is allowing people to talk "again." Relational that we are, we want to talk and if FB allows people to speak with others through text, they will do just that. Talking is healthy as it allows people to connect, share their hearts and get noticed. I know there are a number of people who are opposed to FB. I know they have valid reasons for not using the social medium. However as a communication advocate, I would not bar anyone from talking through any possible space. Let people breathe.

In a world where we have to rely on the vertical media to be noticed, people will always appreciate and utilize any space that gives them space to relate in real time.

What may just be needed is to regulate how much time we spend on the chats. But even if someone is spending hours on end, understand their real need and address it if you can.

Thanks Face book for letting us to talk again. Just mind what you speak online because it is assumed it comes from the abundance of your heart. That tells a story about you to all the world.

If Malawians had fewer children

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 11:47:00 +0000

If Malawians had fewer children, most families would be looking healthier, be able to provide better education to their children, reduce congestion in hospitals, change their view on a number of things, etc.

This is Maria at 18, my relative. The child was from a second pregnancy

For a moment, my mind was surprised by how many pregnant women and the Under-5s I saw at Nkhoma Mission Hospital yesterday as I passed through its corridors. The sight is common in all Malawi hospitals and what I saw is not unique to Nkhoma.

If indeed fewer children were born per family and not the 7 as is the situation, the women (mothers) would look healthier. The ladies I saw come from and of course live in that rural areas where modern family planning emphasis is yet to yeild significant results.

Most mothers and children I saw left a lot to be desired-crumpy, dirty, and just helplessly sickly. These are people who rely on the mission hospital to cure basic diseases which should have been prevented. These are families which cannot adequately feed the children hence they are malnourished. Unhealthy children and pregnancy-burdened women are not a good sight. I feel bad. A pregnancy should be a joy to others too!

When one sees a lady aged 21 and has three children, you wonder if they will take your message that they should have no more children. They curtailed their girlhood, cannot even go back to school and they have no idea what to do at home if they stopped bearing at 22. Women in Malawi love babies and this is compounded by men who want more children to serve as a social security for their old age.

Malawi is one of the African countries where limiting the number of children per family is still a hot issue. Politicians don't buy it because they believe it will reduce their potential votes-the more people the better. In addition, most politicians are not exemplary at all. They either are coming big families like me (God bless my parents for producing 11 of us) or cannot keep the number of children small at all. I decided never to take my parent's path. Even with the small number of children I have, I realize I need more resources to provide for my family. I take myself priviledged as I have some income but I wonder how very poor couples with 5, 7, 9 children manage.

Some children in Mchinji. These are dependents.

In a demography class over a decade ago, a lecturer asked for our desired family sizes. Most mentioned 2, some 3, a few of us said 4, one guy said 5 and a couple of classmates mentioned that they just wanted one child.

Todate, none of the guys who wanted 1 stayed with 1, those who wanted 2 went for 3 and the most realistic were those who wanted 4 and 5. I don't know what these shifts in family size mean? At least graduates are the priviledged few in Malawi as they have some means of regular ability to take care of the children but one wonders how tough it is for a primary school drop-out who cannot even understand the use of modern contraceptives.

If we had fewer children, the hospitals especially the maternity wings and children may have manageable numbers of patients. How can we have a population of 14 million and have half of it completely dependent! It is just too much. No wonder even government fails to provide adequate resources for the health sector. Even if Government tried its best, more pregnant women and children increase the dependency burden on the country's economy.

Seeing pregnant women is a common sight in Malawi and in most cases it is a silent pride for the men, the women and the parents-in-law. I hardly see pregnant women on the streets in developed countries. Malawians, we should change and have fewer children per family please.

I have decided to make special noise about family sizes following some observations I have made and the experiences I have been through. Malawians, let us have fewer children. I don't we are not pleasing God by having a family that we fail to take care of. It is in fact against the Bible's instruction that if someone does not care of their immediate family, they are worse off than an unbeliever (See 1Tim 5:8).

Bingu's name left out of Karonga-Chitipa Road

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:58:00 +0000

Final Works near Malawi-Zambia Boarder post at Chitipa

In my own simple mind I questioned when I heard that senior politicians and senior chiefs of Karonga and Chitipa had agreed in 2011/2012 to name the Karonga-Chitipa Road after Bingu. I asked one Member of Parliament in Chitipa about it and he argued that in fact government had already made a decision to name the road after Bingu. May be it was true there were indeed consultations and agreements.

I got surprised though when reports appeared about the Chitipa people rejecting the name of Bingu on the road. Did he deserve it?

Later as the issue became hot in discussions, I shared my thoughts in an OP-ED (Opposite Editorial) for The Sunday Times. It was risky to argue against State House and the then ruling DPP. But I thought I had a point worth standing for.

I am glad that President Joyce Banda did not endorse the name as she officially opened the Karonga-Chitipa Road last Monday. The name Bingu Highway was not mentioned. May be it will come later or indeed another name. But why bother with names of politicians on this road? Finally the people there have a road to talk about. They are the winners not politicians as they have always wanted to. I thank God for this road coming almost 49 years after independence.

Now we seem to belong to Malawi and NOT in some southern part of East Africa just bearing a Malawi surname. Given what the Chinese are doing in Malawi, even reconstructing some major country's infrastructure, it won't be surprising if someone adopts a Chinese name for campaign towards 2014. How I am thankful to God for this major development. You would never appreciate the happiness if you never used the road before 2010.

Road Traffic Directorate Disappointing

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:47:00 +0000

The same issues as raised over and over the years since multiparty. I wrote the post almost five years ago but you can bet the same experiences apply today. I dread going there to change the number plates while policemen are busy reinforcing the new number plates!

The problem is that the people who can make things improve don't go there. One wonders if Malawi has a minister or a principal secretary or a director responsible for this. How do they go to sleep and earn a salary with such perpetual problems? Media people are even tired highlighting the problem.

This is what I wrote (see http://ndagha.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-i-saw-at-road-traffic-office-in.html):

Day One

I arrived around 10 am and found probably around 50 or people mostly men seated on benches next to the Examiners Room overlooking Room 4 (0ther offices known as 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, etc carrying names like Application, Photograph, Fingerprint and Scanning, . As I was making my way into one of the offices, I asked one guy who appeared to be an official since he had a traffic identity card. I wanted him to show me the right office to go to process what I had there for. He told me, “Muyenenera kuonetsetsa kuti you are dealing with the right people chifukwa pano pali anthu ena omwe akuchita pose ngati ma traffic officers!” He warned me. Then he pointed me to the office I was supposed to visit first.

I was on the queue but noticing that not much progress was being made, I moved towards one officer on the counter who appeared busy looking for people’s driving licenses in old filing cabinet. He then directed me to another office to make payments where I was served the fastest..

The next office to visit was to be the most disappointing as the officers in question were busy with so many things without attending to those of us on the queue. They even locked us out of the main entrance so that they could first deal with what they had left over the previous days and those special requests from friends, relatives and …

Knowing that time was nearing 12 O’clock which would be lunch time, I knocked on the door of the senior officer and when I was allowed in, and I understood why the line was not making any progress. There were lots of people in his office waiting for his attention.

Meanwhile his colleagues kept bringing documents supposedly of friends and relatives so that he could assist them quickly. Over the windows on the other side of the office, I saw several people behind his office making some transactions and passing on the same documents and cash so that the traffic officers could attend to them. I now understood that being on that queue was a big sacrifice and we needed patience.

About 5 minutes to 12, the officer who was supposed to attend to us excused himself to another officer, saying he would be back in a moment. The ‘a moment’ was actually a goodbye off to lunch and we were left wondering. One of the officers in that room ordered us saying his boss was now out for lunch and would return about 1:30 pm.

When I returned at 1:30 pm, the officer in question was far from arriving back at the office. One of his colleagues even argued, “Kodi mwayiona galimoto yawo itabwera, musativutitse sanafike bwana aja.”

Due to my other commitments, I could not stay longer and beyond 2pm so I left the road traffic department premises frustrated that I could not finish what I had there for.

Day Two

They say ‘once beaten twice shy.’ This being the case, I arrived at the same office at 8 am only to find a few of the offices open and a number of us needing the attention all over. As I joined the queue again, someone complained saying he had been there the whole day the previous day and was not assisted. His story reminded me what a friend of mine said as he was dropping me at this office. He said that getting the attention at the road traffic office is so frustrating that whoever wants to do things in a transparent manner really has to be patient and fight. He said he was not surprised that there are many who get the driving licenses through the backdoors.

While on that queue, there came a daughter of honorable… and no sooner had I greeted her did I see some official coming over to pull her away from the line. Within a few minutes, she was sorted out and left. I admired her opportunity. As if this was not enough, I saw a European-like man walking around and he ignored the line, directed by some traffic official I suppose and off he went after being attended to.

In these days when mobile phones are part of our lives, one might appreciate how annoying they can be if someone is actually using them to overtake you on the queue. An hour later, the line moved and I was now at the entrance into this office. The officer on the other side of the counter kept interrupting our line so that she could attend to this and that request presented to her by colleagues and her bosses. You could literally see that we are on the line but that she did not seem to care how long we were going to be standing waiting for her to process our requests.

Within the 2 hours that I was on that line, over 14 colleagues of hers brought various documents to process in our full view and delay. Apart from her, two other colleagues came over to process other documents that they were assigned. Meanwhile most of us that were ‘not favored’ remained stuck on the slow moving line.

It was a sigh of relief when finally I was on the counter talking to this officer who did not seem to give much attention to what I came for as he kept looking towards the windows where some people were speaking to him. He complained that this day was another tough one adding that he had to knock off at 6:30 pm the previous day simply because he had too many people to attend to. I could somehow sympathize with him.

I just wished his office was a bit more efficient and transparent. It was easy for me to blame the officials and the system they are in. I was tempted to be judgmental but then quickly thought there might be many innocent officers who are working hard to ensure that things improve at the road traffic office.

Happy that I am done, I walked out of the office only to meet my schoolmate and former colleague who had come to register his car. Looking frustrated, he said processing almost anything at the traffic office is very frustrating. He was told that the officer responsible was out of office. Disappointed with the state of affairs he told me he would just drive away and tell traffic police (should they stop him) that he was not assisted yet at the traffic office. We then parted as I took the picture you see.

Additional Note: The Road Traffic Directorate in Malawi is a public institution but sadly it is viewed to be a place where corruption is high according to these links http://www.geocities.com/mcpmalawi/swindlemalawi.html, http://www.business-anti-corruption.com/normal.asp?pageid=366

How Leaving Gives Room for Growth

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:19:00 +0000

I left my mum's womb to be a baby then a child now an adult.
I left my parents to go to primary school that first day which turned into weeks, later years
I left primary school to go to secondary school
I left secondary school to go study at university
I left student life to start paying taxes to Malawi Government

I have to keep leaving to move on-This is Jamaican picture on the sea

I left "hopes" to marry Thembi
I left my parents and siblings to cleave to Thembi.
I left other job options to concentrate on this one.
I left some place to stay here-I can't be in both places however nice that land was.
I left some joys to accept this challenge...
I left some people so that I move on with these ones.
I left certain tasks so I create space for the ones I am undertaking now.
I left a life of not knowing Christ to have assurance of salvation.
I will leave this life to reign with Jesus forever.

So leaving is part of life. It looks like we have to keep leaving to give way to something new and more desirable.

I have left 2012 to grow into another level of my life. I have to leave behind several things if I am make proper progress in this life. Yes I have to leave doing certain things which though I like, I just have to leave them, to move on. So leaving is party of life. Give me grace to leave certain things to grow.

What Matters Most to Me

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 18:26:00 +0000

The last few months have given me experiences which have led me to conclude that my health deserves the best of my attention. My being in good health has many good implications on my work, marriage, family and other associations I am part of.

I recall a couple of times this year when my health suddenly deteriorated-though others may not have known, I knew that I was not feeling ok. I visited hospital several times for check-up. Thankfully most of the times, I got to learn that my ailments were stress-related. Then I got to learn how that stress built up. I am now doing to avoid the stress levels that could lead me to the hospital again.best

My health should be a priority because if I fall down dead or better off just still ok somehow, the organisation I work with will easily find a replacement. I will soon be a forgotten piece in the history of the institution. Life will move on in my absence.

So as I end the year 2012, I thank God for good health I have enjoyed. For the first time in my living memory, I have not suffered from malaria for a full year and one month now! I am thankful to God for this as it has never been the case for as long as I remember. Malaria has been a big bother to me since childhood. I can't claim I have done something special not to suffer from malaria during this period!

Yes my health is important and I have to think and plan for it. No one else could. Now I am learning everything I can to help attend to my health. It is my duty and no body-else's.

I thought I should conclude my blogging for 2012 with that note on health. Thank you so much for reading this.

Twitter and Face Book kills Blogging in Malawi

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:19:00 +0000

I took time today to read and scan through about 102 blogs by Malawians on Malawi. It is encouraging to see that there are growing numbers of bloggers in the country at least counting by the number. But it is disappointing that almost 80 of these blogs were last updated more than a month ago. Almost 40 of them never at all this year 2012!

It is also encouraging to see more ladies taking part as well as to see the breadth and variety of issues being blogged about.

Yet when you check the author's names, you are likely to bump into their presence on twitter and face book where they are more active. I find blogging to be giving one more space for conversation with oneself and others.

I often read the blogs on Malawi to do stories for Global Voices. But if the blogs are not updated, then may be all we can to are the social media sites. This is certainly welcome but but does not give much depth to the stories.

Hey Malawian bloggers, where are we? Are twitter and face book killing you?

Editing the Life of a Malawian Broadcaster

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:52:00 +0000

This is my gift to myself on this birthday. It is in print and I intended to announce this today. I would want to do a nice quality copy.

The costs of printing in Malawi however are prohibitive-I never knew until this time as I was working on this. It is a copy that can also add value to journalism students in Malawi especially.

I am looking for advice and support is welcome. I will be glad to share more details when we get in touch via email or skype ndagha. I may even share the pdf copy to potential sponsors.

Jesus Christ was the best Human Rights Activist

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:41:00 +0000

When church people hear of human rights, it seems to some if not most that human rights are an aspect of the evil world today which has to be avoided as much as possible. But as I read and study the Bible, follow the life of Jesus Christ, I learn that he had the interests of all people at heart.

He did not discriminate against anyone. He interacted with the young and old, poor and rich, believers and non believers, men and women, the unlearned and the learned.

He did not condemn the wrong doers but accepted and provided direction. He encouraged and provided hope where there was no hope. He paid taxes. He valued the dignity of all.

Without human dignity is just as good as being roasted for a bite

He defended the poor, the weak, healed many and corrected their beliefs. He ate with sinners. He was misunderstood but did not fight back. He did all these without pay. He must have saved enough-no, he walked by faith. He was humble-no position had he.

He sacrificed lots for others to the extent of dying for the world for its sins.

I was thinking today that if he was to be in person in Malawi or the world at large, many so-called human rights activists would not tolerate him as many of these would not match Jesus standards. No wonder today when we talk about human rights, it is received with some skepticism as some people think it is there to promote evil. In Malawi now, human rights are about promotion of minority rights one of which is homosexuality.

I strongly believe the human rights are in God and those who claim to be His followers need to examine carefully what really applies to the dignity of man and woman as they glorify God.

Christ was the best human rights activist so are his followers: the Christians. As someone has said the best human right is to be loved. Jesus loved and his followers too loved. But most of the so called human rights activists just talk, no love! God help us. They don't even love the very minorities they claim to stand for.

Chitipa People Deserved a Better Road

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:15:00 +0000

The national population census (2008) found that the Chitipa District had 179,000 people making it the fourth lowest populated in Malawi after Rumphi and Likoma in the north, Mwanza and Neno in the South.

If infrastructure development initiatives are determined by population size, then it explains why Chitipa, Neno, Mwanza and Rumphi are among the least developed in Malawi. After all how does one expect people to occupy the hilly areas of these districts blessed by national parks and game reserves?

During Kamuzu Banda era between 1964 and 1994, Chitipa (Fort Hill) was described as a dead district yet at the time it had produced some of the best academicians, politicians, educationists and farmers just to mention a few. Some of its people migrated to Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre while many others live and work in the Diasporas. In fact there may be more Chitipa people resident outside the district than those within.

Chitipa has many people who are traditional farmers and livestock keepers. You go to Misuku; you appreciate the coffee productions on the steep hillsides. Tobacco is also widely grown initially in the Meru area once inaugurated by Kamuzu Banda. Some are traders given the border trade connections with Tanzania and Zambia.

During the thirty years of Kamuzu, the road was fairly good on gravel with buses plying the road. The aerodrome was also busy until a few years ago when it was abandoned. Both needed some attention. Hope was there but never realized.

When Bakili Muluzi took over in 1994, some of his first cabinet ministers came from Chitipa. With promises on attending to the road, hopes were raised as part of the road received some attention. Unfortunately the hopes were dashed due to what has been said to be a diversion of funds to another road elsewhere in the southern region. Chitipa people revolted, the injured were many and deaths reported at the time.

When Bingu wa Mutharika took over in 2004, there was talk of shift in bilateral relations from Taiwan to China. It was a hot debate on how Malawi was to dump its historically long friend from 1964 for China, country known to be penetrating Africa for its own interests. In no time, China came on the scene, all Taiwanese projects left hanging. This included the Karonga-Chitipa Road in 2005.

The good news was that China Road and Bridge Construction Company was to work on the road. As machinery and plans took shape, hope resurfaced amongst the Chitipa and Karonga people. The politicians too wanted to capitalize on the opportunity by claiming they deserved the achievement.

Politicians have all along forgotten that Chitipa people and all travelers to and from the district have braved bad road conditions all these 47 years of independence.

My mum told me that soon after independence they would get on a bus from Chitipa Boma through Nthalire then Uyombe on Zambia border and then arrive at Mzimba after 12 hours. Some people would take the Rumphi-Nyika and Nthalire route to Chitipa on.

Owners of lorries ferrying people between the two towns have made a fortune over the years and one had no choice but use them at any fee they charged. It would take about 5 hours to travel between the towns on a distance of 101 kilometers.

Normally the lorries were overloaded with people and luggage. Any luggage that appeared to be a trade item attracted a separate fare. The road being a dusty one meant that any traveler had to brace for the thick layer of dust along the way. During rainy seasons, one expected the rains wetting you as well getting stuck in some mud along the way.

Three years ago, some of the visitors from the UK had to make a U-Turn some distance on the Karonga-Chitipa Road because their vehicle could not withstand the dust much as it was air-conditioned. One day upon arrival at Chitipa Boma, I had to change clothes before proceeding to my assigned destination just because I was not in a shape to be attractive.

Several accidents resulting into deaths and serious injuries have been no news over the years.

My first trip on the Karonga-Chitipa road was in 1984 on a truck whose travel time I cannot recall except for remembering that we were in Karonga during the day and then had to sleep at Kapoka 15 kilometers before Chitipa Boma. The first bus trip was in 1993 only to get on board the next one 19 years later. Now the town boasts of two daily “public” bus services run by AXA and National Bus Company. Each trip between Karonga and Chitipa takes about 2 hours or less depending on the number of stops on the way.

With a proper road, new investments are underway. The banks have followed the money. Traders are making new plans for the town. There is generally relief as talks about traveling to and from Chitipa knowing you can make it in 90 minutes between Karonga and Chitipa down from 3 hours last year when I drove on the same.

The people are the ones who have experienced the most pain due to lack of a proper road connecting them to the rest of the country. Over the years, country’s presidents would just fly in on a helicopter normally once in five years or so often to woo voters for the vote. Now they are the same ones wanting the glory having seen the road finished. They never experienced even an inch of pain. One can be sure that any statements they make are for selfish reasons not the interest of the people they serve. I think the vote should go to Chitipa people. They deserved this long time and no one should get votes for this.

Note: I wrote this a few hours after arriving in Chitipa for a holiday.

Why Wait for Elections to Fix Ifumbo Health Centre?

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:24:00 +0000

A ward at Ifumbo Health Centre, Chitipa

Ifumbo Health Centre is about 18 kilometers north of Chitipa Boma on the border with Tanzania. It serves the populations around Senior Chief Mwaulambya with some people coming down from the Misuku Hills and the surrounding areas of Tanzania.

If one lives in the border areas, the national politics do not affect your blood ties hence you go to the nearest health centre of hospital where you can get the help. After all who would know you are Tanzanian or Malawian if you speak the language and have married there, all that separates you is Songwe River determined so by some European colonialists seating somewhere in Berlin in 1884?

Mr Morodan Mwanja (my uncle) was sick that week and admitted at Ifumbo Health Centre. I decided to visit him at the hospital (in the village, a health centre is still called a hospital). The ward had both men and women. I learnt that that was normal at the centre because of shortage of resources; they mix the patients in one ward.

The main surprise though was how the ward looked like. Though it was built in the early 80’s starting as a dispensary, I did not expect to see the floors cracked and in bad shape as if no maintenance had been scheduled since then. On the larger corner were building materials stacked together giving the impression that the ward was also the stores room for the centre.

There were only three beds in the ward and to be given a bed is a great honor in such centers. They were not in the best of their shapes. I do not know the condition of the maternity ward. But another health centre in the plateau of Vipya North at Mphompha in Rumphi demonstrated similar deficiencies. Their experiences are very similar. Under-resourced. Under whatever influences, it is not surprising when the Mponela people revolted the shift of beds to Mzimba. Though the practice is nothing new, it raises many questions on how the Ministry of Health resources the hospitals.

Often politicians are at the centre of development initiatives in their constituencies. I wondered why Ifumbo Health Centre was in a such bad state. Knowing Malawi’s rural politics, it is very likely that the situation will be addressed as 2014 elections get closer. Politicians in Malawi want to do well or facilitate development in their areas in order to woo voters for their bids not necessarily to help the people.

The conditions of many health centres in Malawi leave a lot to be desired. Most are served by one nurse who is often overworked. The medical assistant or clinical officer if any available would be attending to hundreds of patients. The transport services are poor. Ifumbo Health Centre has to call for an ambulance from Chitipa District Hospital about 18 km away to attend to an emergency. The road itself is bad, bumpy and narrow.

When people express interest to help, they are often seen as potential contestants against the politicians who fear them or plan everything possible to keep them away. This is what sometimes keeps potential local helpers away. I wondered what the Chitipa politicians would do if someone mobilized resources around that health centre. Since health is very close to the hearts of many, anyone doing a good job for a health centre is helping many voters. It is easy for many people in an area assisted to think of giving back through votes. Ask our Minister of Information’s experience in 2009 in his constituency in Blantyre.

Having written this, I am likely to get calls from the politicians about this centre. Some will appreciate that I have written about it. The pictures here were taken with my mobile phone and are not the best shots but tell something. Others will say I have embarrassed government while others will think I have political ambitions. God willing I will write again. I am only doing my job as a journalist.

I am certain that Ifumbo Health Centre just like many others across Malawi will be attended to by May 2014. But should we really be waiting for election time to address infrastructural issues in health service delivery?

Air Malawi considering new fleet

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:19:00 +0000

This is a bit advertorial for obvious reasons!

There was quite some relaxing

Air Malawi says it will provide quality services to the public when its fleet has been further modernized and increased. The company made the remarks Monday evening at a dinner at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, after a demonstration flight on a new ATR 72-600 craft made in France.

The demonstration flight took senior government, Air Malawi officials and the media personnel from Kamuzu International Airport to the space in Salima and Nkhotakota. I was one of the invited media executives on board and report accordingly.

ATR-72 600 is a 72 seater while Malawi ATR has 42 and now aged

As we took off from Kamuzu International Airport Monday evening, we had no idea where and how far the flight was to be. This was a rare flight as the 72-seater ATR 600 on demonstration in Malawi on its way to Johannesburg for an air show later this month.The company ATR in France decided to come through Malawi to show Air Malawi that they have a new ATR which they described as more economic, highly advanced, more comfortable and highly reliable. It has to be known that Air Malawi’s ATR 42 – 600 currently in operation was bought in 1991 from the same company and as the years have gone, its performance has grown of age.

Small screens still wrapped as new

Air Malawi’s Chief Executive Officer Patrick Chilambe said his airline will make the position of purchasing the ATR 72 -600 clear after implementing the new ownership structure being undertaken as part of the privatization of the country’s airline. He said that the newer fleet would open new opportunities for Air Malawi and can help improve the flight services in Malawi and the region.

As the pilot announced that we were to land in 2 minutes time, I did realize that actually we had flown over Salima and Nkhotakota for a total flight of about 42 minutes. The more aircraft, more reliable and more affordable flight services, the more Malawians will be able to fly on Africa’s Friendly Airline Air Malawi.

Attempting to capture the sunset from the sky

On its part, Government was reluctant to make a commitment on purchasing the ATR 72-600 which was launched in 2007 in France. Minister of Tourism and Culture Daniel Liwimbi said that Air Malawi should be to purchase new crafts like the ATR which he described as classic, comfortable and quite nice.

Until then, companies like ATR will just be making us admire their crafts enroute to other countries. ATR has todate made over 1200 ATR crafts. Air Malawi has a fleet of three. While officials were evasive on the price of the new craft, I found that it would cost Air Malawi not less that 5 billion Malawi Kwacha to get the new ATR72-600.

5 Phases of Marital Sex Management

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:12:00 +0000

A few days ago, I was chatting with my wife about how difficult it is to carry on in love after being married for over a decade now. We talked about our lessons noting that sexual life is being affected by the following factors: Ability to have children or not, Desired Number of Children for the couple, When to have the Children, How far apart and How to manage sexual life after this bearing period.

On blood pressure observation at Kamuzu Central Hospital

We always marvel to realise what a blessing it is to have children. For reasons we may never know, it is not every couple that is blessed with children born physically by them. The inability becomes a big problem if not properly managed. It can cause a untold pains to couples. We only imagine what they go through in handling people's reactions to their situation. Some go through lots of temptations of helping God and do shortcuts. All our friends and relatives with this challenge are in our prayers and thoughts.

I have often said and have since convinced myself that as a man, I will never win on my desired number of children. A few male friends have also agreed with me. Almost ten years ago, a friend in Swaziland vowed that all he wanted was one child. I vehemently argued that unless this was coming from his wife, he was not to succeed with that decision. He did not agree at all to almost a fight with me. Last year, he admitted that he had failed as his wife was at the time pregnant with the third. Why? She really wanted another and another! Similar incidents abound.

Women have the final say on how many children they want. This seems to true for both urban and rural Malawians. They know what to do when they want another child and a man does not have much control apart from giving in to her pleasure! I like the power women have on this. And they talk of their achievements amongst themselves. I will not speak for them here.

There could be a good number of factors to determine when to have a child. Career, age, health of the mother, financial readiness, etc are all factors that may affect when the couple wants a child. Career women have needs which have to be accommodated by their hubbies. Lack of agreement on when to have a children can create tensions in marriages. This area needs understanding and management by the two. Without that, the reality may breed disappointment and lack of trust between two. Some of us want to have grandchildren by the time we are 40! I often look back with mixed feelings having been born when dad was 29 and mum 25!

When I got married, I heard that it is possible for a woman to have a child every year. I could not believe it as I had grown up in a rural area where parents seemed to have been doing a good job in child spacing. Of course, there were occasions when wen we saw a couple or two left in some bushy area for some 4-6 months, only being served with food from a distance. They were not allowed to eat salted food! Later I learnt that the community was punishing them for having had another pregnancy within one year and half years. The practice was called Chibulira. They put them in that bushy hut as a way of exposing them to the community that they had not been fair to the small baby already born. But also the practice served as a warning to others in the village so that they don't produce kids that quick.

Reality now tells me that the space in between children needs proper management. I personally don't believe that pregnancies occur by mistake. So uhhhhh when to have the next child means taking every sensible care before engaging in the most intimate and vulnerable act a man and woman under heaven can have. Unfortunately in those moments, all senses move away to...

Given my age and other factors, I am now appreciating the need to understand and manage life after bearing children. A time when you don't produce anymore children has its challenges and joys. I think to myself: "So I will never see my wife swing moods again, not in that gown, no longer being "soft" because she is pregnant, never in that labour ward, etc. At this time, her size and tenderness may be constant for ages! Her girl kids are growing and competing with mum's height. She has to manage them now as friends.

More importantly we have to manage our love life. She has more time for me and I need to create more time for her. The bonding levels have shifted from children back to me. She wants to be more visible now, more outgoing, has others who look up to her, she feels more important, needed by younger couples and mothers, accomplished and I need to affirm all that. Because of my prominence (which she has contributed to), I am also more appealing to others and she needs to be jealous! Yes he has the right to be jealous...

...................................................................................

I have written this having been inspired to be more open and promote dialogue between couples. These are my thoughts and experiences. I am no expert. There is an ongoing campaign in Malawi this month and next on couple communication.

Why Malawians Need to Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 10:08:00 +0000

“Blogging needs to be demystified”

Panelists addressing audience

At least that seems to be the message I was getting as I sat in the auditorium of the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in Lilongwe on Friday.

This was during an introductory blogging session organized by the US Embassy Public Affairs for a cross-section of persons which included journalists, students, civil society and government workers.

It was the first of its kind for Malawi in Malawi’s capital with plans to extend to Mzuzu and Blantyre.

Public Affairs Section said having gone onto Face book two years ago, it has increased visits by over 700 percent.

Moses Kunkuyu

The Charge de Affairs at US Embassy Lisa Vickers said that blogging was as one way of utilizing the freedom of expression which she said has many benefits.

Guest of Honor Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu advised Malawians to take advantage of the social media which he also observed has many benefits.

He said that Malawi Government is committed to ensure that everyone has access to information even the most rural Malawians. Kunkuyu declared that Internet access is no longer a luxury but a necessity.

A Cross-Section of participants

He then announced that his ministry will soon be on Face book. The youthful Kunkuyu while not stating if he blogs confessed that he initially avoided Face book.

He praised the Malawian bloggers including Media Institute of Southern Africa Malawi Blogger of the Year Kondwani Munthali for his stories especially on the July 20 (2011) demonstrations and death of President Bingu wa Mutharika in April this year.

Other blogging panelists included Austin Madinga and SoyapiMumba.

Though by no intention, the Global Voices Author Victor Kaonga (in attendance also) received a number of questions regarding blogging and Global Voices work.

Active bloggers are still under 100 in number in Malawi-most of whom are males.

The session included a practical hands-on blogging.

Travel Makes Me Meet My Radio People

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:39:00 +0000

It was like a joke that I the chance to get to Nairobi, Kenya. Though I travelled for a very important Global VoicesSummit, I decided to stay on afterwards to visit TWR and rest a bit if possible.

Global Voices Attendees at Nairobi 2012 Summit

This was a special visit to me because at TWR Kenya, I met people who I had been listening to 20 years earlier when I was in secondary school.

At that time in Malawi, when we talked radio, it meant the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) which was fully controlled by the state and the Malawi Congress Party.

So why was TWR special at the time? This was the only radio station broadcasting on Shortwave from Manzini Swaziland with programmes that I found uniquely relevant in my life as a teenager.

Why not a pose with David and Helen?

There was (on TWR Shortwave) a programme called A New Dimension which was being produced in Nairobi, Kenya but transmitted to East and Central Africa on Shortwave.

The moment I discovered this programme, I knew that this was to be a special programme to me. I kept wondering how the persons presenting the programme looked like.

Then there were those who could do the audience relations. One such was Helen Ogore. She could respond to listeners' letters including mine.

Those were days when receiving a letter with your name printed brought lots of excitement and even envy by schoolmates. More than that getting a letter from outside the country meant you are a special person. No wonder I still keep those letters!

Helen and Mike

These people had no idea then what I was to become 20 years later. As a visitor to TWR Kenya now, I was received with a lot of respect deserving someone who heads the same organisation but in Malawi.

They were all joys to see that their work of many years earlier had produced someone who now is in key leadership of the same.

Global Voices Sub Saharan Africa Team

I was challenged by their commitment that they were carrying on with the work years later. It was a joy for me to be in the corridors where programmes that transformed my life are being produced.

I got reminded on how faithful I also need to be in my radio work as I have no idea who I am broadcasting to and especially what they will become.

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Posted By Blogger to Radio at 7/18/2012 01:55:00 AM

Social Media Has Power

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:47:00 +0000

Global Conversations underway. Pic Source

As part of the ongoing GV Summit, the public meeting on Monday started with a focus on using social media.

From the presentations, conversations and panels, it is clear that in many countries in the world, the political authorities are not happy that netizens have the online access to express themselves.

That is why I believe the Internet infrastructure is often poor in most developing countries and purely made so by the same government to structurally frustrate freedom of expression.

Few authorities see the positive side of social media. They don't know that social media tools are used for connections, reporting, sharing complaints to authorities, advocacy, campaign, warning during disaster, politics, etc. They do not appreciate these roles. Instead they set up against the bloggers.

It is also clear that social media has power to bring movements (together) down. Examples now abound given the Arab Spring as well as some now not very visible products in some circles. There are governments which while promoting freedom of express online, have other ways of obstructing the same elsewhere.

This means that governments are fully aware of the power of social media and are doing everything possible to counter the negatives effects on them.

Equally influential are the diasporas but there is need for these to connect properly with the locals on the ground. Some of the people in the diaspora may be more concerned with one issue which is quite irrelevant to the country-persons back home. There is also need for the diaspora community to be united on a cause. This is especially critical amongst Africans in the diaspora who quite easily rally around each other along tribal/ethnic lines.

Social media deserves credibility and the users need to demonstrate some kind of identity to attract respect and credibility. I have problems in following someone on twitter whose profile I can hardly tell. Any contributions they make are treated with some suspicion.

I notice with interest in Malawi that politicians heading towards 2014 elections are intensifying their presence online. I look forward to someone being deliberate about policies. I will expect to hear them talk about online media and freedom of expression.

Yes social media in today's world is at centre changes in whether legislative, social, economic, cultural, advocacy, media programming, etc. A summary from the sessions I attended encouraged communications between communities online and offline.

I am ashamed at my big laptop

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 06:47:00 +0000

I see lots of friends at this Global Voices Summit with much smaller laptops, notebooks, etc. I am still using my Esprimo Mobile laptop bought 4 years ago. It has been reliable, still performing quite well except for the battery-I have to remain hooked to the mains! Thanks to Zac Zeke Zeke at TWR for keeping it in shape...

I don't even one as small as this one: Pic Source:

Next to me are all friends on their notebooks, running well, not worried with the weight and seemingly enjoying the connection just as I do. When I first attended such a meeting in Hungary in 2008, majority of us had my size type laptops. A few did not have any laptops at all. Now we are counting who doesn't have the modern small... I am one of them. Is there someone to donate one to me please...? Or can consider layby.

All this is happening now the beginning of the four day Global Voices Summit in Nairobi, Kenya where more than a hundred bloggers, authors, academics, online activists, etc are meeting.

Co-founders Ethan Zuckerman and Rebecca McKinnon have both said the future of Global Voices is now in the hands of the online citizens. In the opening remarks as we start this summit being held for the first time in Africa. In fact am on the same chair line with Ethan-he is just doing all his work on his mobile.

Global Voices Summit in Kenya

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:43:00 +0000

I have been honoured to be included on the list of bloggers and more importantly authors for Global Voices to attend the GV Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. This post is mainly for promotion. More details as you follow GV pages....

Hypocrisy of Facebook in Malawi

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 17:48:00 +0000

I am on Facebook. That is my declaration. But my confession is that I am very lazy in updating my status. Why? I find it to be too much work. However, I like it as it helps me connect to a number of people who are also on FB. However I have not succeeded to find some of the most precious people to me. They are not there. The ones I easily find are those I could easily have met anyway elsewhere.

At Highway Africa, Rhodes University, South Africa

I am amazed at how much time people spend on FB. For some, it appears they are on it every second of the 24 hours. I wonder when they work, travel, sleep, etc (end of thinking capacity).

There are those who put up some images of themselves which are far from who they really are. Uh, is it for public imagery boostery!

Then there are those who simply want to impress one that they are also connected. They just created an account or joined this and that group. But there is no activity from them. A month can go without ever getting into their account and using it. Why get on FB if you can't update it anyway?

Some institutions have moved to embrace social media to promote a certain cause or communicate with a certain clientele of their beneficiaries. While announcing that they are on FB, they don't know or indeed can hardly keep the FB conversations going. So one wonders why they got into such social media if they can't be committed to keep it "live." Your visitors feel cheated if you are not updating or responding to the visitors.

But possibly one area that I find most surprisingly hypocritical is when people set up a page for this declared purpose yet it is simply meant to collect input and content for a completely different project which has not been stated on page. This tends to discourage some people from being active in use of such media. One thing some people forget is that any media simply extends who we are. Hence if we are on FB we are supposed to be who we really are and not the other picture that we are not.

It in interesting also to see how many celebrities are gradually getting on FB in Malawi. Personally I am most interested in high level politicians. I just get worried at times if they really mean business as they get on FB. Malawians will feel cheated if they are not communicating with their members and admirers. The hypocrisy that is there so far is annoying.

Finally I am only hoping that FB with its many exciting developments is not encouraging some married people to flirt. Yes indicating marital status as single yet someone is married and even has kidsssssssss.

Do you agree with me on hypocrites on FB?

Rare Experiences and Commodities-Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:22:00 +0000

There are certain moments that I experience which make me wonder what life has for me. Moments when I long for a laughter and not mourning. Moments when I need to dance and not meditate; relief in place of pain; hope instead of disappointment. Yes times I wish I could just be myself, put on my short trousers, a Golf-Shirt and walk in the cool of the morning and not worry about ...

Thankfully the more I experience some of these "tough" moments, the more I experience the grace and peace whose origins are undoubtedly God's.

One day I asked myself when I started or stopped praying for the issues surrounding my life. In fact it is not many issues at all. It is just one thing. The same is both my biggest challenge and motivation.

As I wake up each day, my mind goes back to it. One day last week, I went into sleep lost in some thoughts about it and only realised it was morning and I needed to go for a shower. I wondered how I managed to get into sleep with such heavy thoughts and eventually got lost into it.

So I wonder if I am the only one experiencing such moments that seem so exclusive and difficult to share even blog about. Is my situation beyond sharing? Don't think so. My tomorrow will be ok too. Yes I am speaking to myself again possibly. But thankfully I have that peace, that one that transcends understanding. It is guarding my heart and mind.

At last some freedom in Malawi

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:54:00 +0000

I kept raising fears on this blog. This I did most of last year and this year. At some point I felt not safe to keep blogging about Malawi. The DPP-led government managed to intimidate journalists and indeed we feared. It is amazing what change we feel now since the ascendancy to power of Joyce Banda following Mutharika's death last month. Oh what a different Malawi now. We have had fuel now running into the second week-thanks to the Zambian Government for the donation and many others.

What I see is that people are generally happy that president for the country is no longer Bingu. But it is also clear that Bingu are not happy that Bingu died. I think it is important to separate the two since Bingu was not equal to a president. And generally even traditionally, no one is supposed to be happy when someone is dead.

As a journalist, I feared last time in a Sunday Times OPED about our situation. I was reacting to a State House Press Release at that time. I look forward to improved media situation in the country. So far JB has started well and she has to keep it up. A president cannot afford to hate the media, civil society, the church, the judiciary, the electorate and academia in Malawi and expect that things will run as usual.

Yes God keep it a land of peace. God loves this country. No one should take it for granted.

Writing about Deaths of Presidents

noreply@blogger.com (Victor Kaonga) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:55:00 +0000

First it was Malawi’s former President Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda during is 30-year dictatorial rule. Under his reign, a journalist would not publish or broadcast anything about the government unless sanctioned or provided by them. Whether the president was sick or not, you had to wait to be told. Came 1992 around the time winds of multi-partyism blew across Southern Africa, little would be hidden about the State House. Soon we learnt how healthy our president was.

When eventually he got sick to death in 1997, Malawians were keen to follow the events surrounding his health. At this time of course, it was Bakili Muluzi’s government in power so they tried to convey to Malawians the best that was demanded of them about the country’s former but first president. But even in this case, to get information about the former president’s health was not easy. News of his death that November 1997 shocked many much as majority of Malawians knew he became of too much age and his health was to fail him eventually.

During Muluzi’s reign (1994 to 2004), government was at it also-fully in control of what the media needed to say about State House, the health of the president and all the stories so called private. Government forgets that Malawi is a democratic state where their citizens basically have a right to know if their elected employee is in good health or not. Any stories pertaining to the health of the president were denied, explained away, refuted, etc.

The trend did not change when Mutharika took over power in 2004. Not long after though news that his wife Ethel had cancer started spreading in social networks. Foreign trips for treatment were always kept away from the knowledge of Malawians. Fortunately or unfortunately in age of the information highway and social networks, stories spilled, some information leaked and the very members who should have shielded the State House could not hold the cover for too long. When the nation eventually knew the health state of the First Lady, it was too late. But at least government admitted she was not ok. That helped many be sympathetic to Mutharika even when the wife passed away eventually. There was no need to hide the sickness as some Malawians desired to know how to best to pray or support the sick at state house.

I recall that several times since 2009, President Bingu’s spokesperson Hetherwick Ntaba told the media that the state president had a clean bill of health. This followed revelations that he had prostate cancer. May be the biggest drama was in 2011 when he dashed off with his wife Callista for about three weeks to some land in South Asia. It was heavily speculated that he had gone into hospital. His cabinet members argued away and told Malawians that the president was in fact on holiday. One wonders what would have happened if they disclosed that he was at hospital anyway! I still doubt their holiday story.

People can easily see that this person’s body looks to be wasting away due to poor health. Malawians love to see their president in good health and to hide information about the contrary is doing a service to them.

Meanwhile it has been encouraging to see how much publicity Bakili Muluzi’s health has received. May be it is because of his attempt to come back in the presidential race in 2009 and the cases of corruption linked to him. But it does not help to hide sickness unless it is an African pregnancy.

Recently, I was impressed when the South African President Jacob Zuma kept updating his people about former president Mandela’s health. Is there really need to keep these a secret? If you can keep sickness a secret, would it a wonder then to hear that someone death day is actually four days earlier than when it is announced!

That is the scenario we had in Malawi just this past week. It soon became common knowledge that our president Bingu wa Mutharika had died that Thursday when he suffered from cardiac arrest. Yes it took more than six hours for government officials to tell the nation that the president had gotten ill. As if that is not enough, international and some local media were already reporting that in fact Mutharika had died that time.

But government only announced so almost 48 hours later. By this time almost all other private media houses (local or international) had already spread the news of Mutharika’s death. Death is death and for a person like the president, the government should have removed people’s anxieties and speculation earlier.

Sadly for Malawi, we still have to beg government for information since the Access to Information bill is still lying in someone’s office 7 years after it was drafted. The delay is intentional as government wants to remain in control of information. So may be they are right to keep us in darkness about the persons at state house. Unfortunately these days we are in an information-seeking society and once found, it is shared in milliseconds. Even the hospital guards know how to use Face book and tweet!