Yesterday, seeing women gathered at Clock Tower to sing and dance for President Chakwera’s entry into Blantyre was a reality check, and my hope in the promise of a new Malawi died a little.
President Chakwera rode into power on the promise of real change to public service through ‘servant leadership’.
This was important because, after six years of absolute blundering by the aloof Peter Mutharika and his band of DPP thieves, Malawians were tired of tone-deaf leaders who would Lord over us, while enjoying enormous perks paid for by us.
So we were sold on the Tonse agenda, and we started imagining Malawi anew—a country where the president doesn’t need 20+ plus vehicles on his loud and intimidating convoy;
…where roads are not shut off for 40 minutes before the president passes; where ministers and top government officials are not lined up at the airport each time the president arrives or departs;
…where women are not best for dancing at political gatherings but left out of important appointments; where a president is too valuable to be going around opening Chinese hotels;
…where corruption is frowned upon and ruthlessly crushed; where upstanding characters are employed in public service and those of dubious character are discarded like an old rag;
…where women and young people are given opportunities to prove themselves, where…But, on the evidence thus far, it seems the Malawi we imagined is one that will not be allowed to exist.
Perhaps it is true, after all, that Malawi is too broken to be fixed. I am sad.
That is normally what happens when you expect too much from a novice. Malawians tend to amplify triviality only to be disappointed at a certain stage. Some of the people whose reputation is questionable were failures in their own parties and now you want the same people to deliver at a much senior post given massive work?
Mostly, we want to outshine each other soon as a new government is instituted by clapping the loudest because we would want jobs, appointments or monetary kickbacks. If that does not come forthwith, we start castigating the same system we praise sung about. With such practices, Malawi will never improve. Not surprising to see the same people jumping from one party to the other then complete two/three circles representing same failed parties. Bottom-line is poverty, politics shouldn’t be treated as gold mines where you go with intentions of enriching yourself and the rest of your kinsmen. It is hightime people started embarking on such journeys with objectives of serving and not gold digging. Therefore brace yourselves for a multitude of disappointments since the next election will be held after 6 years according to rumours from within.