By Richard Kanyenda, African Brief
The common colloquial expression which seems to be the new kid on the block is partly in one of the local languages, Chichewa and partly in English and it goes: ‘Pa ground sipali bwino’.
Whatever such a cliché means is subjective depending on the situation one’s life is going through. However, based on what the expression literally means, one is evidently able to deduce it even further and apply it to the unimaginably scathing situations Malawians are currently going through.
To someone, the expression is used to refer to the economic challenges that their life is being subjected to. Speaking without mincing words, most people-both the youths and the adults-are passing through unspeakable economic hardships.
For the youths, the situation is even bitterer whenever they remember the fact that a year ago, a million of them was promised jobs by the incumbent political leadership, but to date no tangible results are seen on the ground; if not more unattainable promises which are now thrown to as far away as 2063.
Truthfully speaking, most youths in the country; both those with employability and those without it but with other talents and the physical abilities to do some menial works for a living, are living a very despicable life. So many graduates from virtually all professions are busy gallivanting on the streets in search of jobs but to no hope.
In public schools; both primary and secondary, there are no adequate teachers to balance the teacher learner ratio. But what is now boggling the mind is that even the primary school teachers will have to first undergo interviews for them to have a job in the public schools.
Perhaps this development is part of the most touted public sector reforms. Be what it may, the development is not reflective of the situation on the ground.
The education standards in the country are miserably dwindling because of; among other factors, lack of well trained and competent teachers in schools at all levels.
Imagine a primary school with classes from 1 to 8, having only four teachers?
The only sin it committed is that it was located at a hard to reach, rural area and so no one wishes to stay and work there.
Additionally, the authorities at the district council level has no more teachers to deploy at such work places.
As much as the situation on the ground is like that, if the government had the passion to employ more of them, the local councils would have a wider pool of human resources to tap from and deploy them evenly across the board.
The cost of living, on the other hand, is skyrocketing every passing day.
The prices of consumables and charges other essential services are unaffordably going up each day and it is more shocking to note that the political leadership seems not to notice the sad unfolding.
Lest we forget, one social media influencer, Manice Abiti William Dawood wrote on her Facebook page and I quote her verbatim: “Boma la PP, linapita chifukwa anthu anali ndi nkwiyo wa Cashgate ( The Peoples Party – PP led government was voted out of power because it angered people with the cash gate scandal). Boma la DPP linapita chifukwa anthu anali ndi mikwiyo yambiri ( The Democratic Progressive Party – DPP led government lost its leadership for it angered the voters in several ways).
Boma la TONSE ARE LIARS, be careful, anthu ambiri ali ndi mikwiyo ( many people are angry), you are repeating the same sins DPP and PP did. Mukulembana ntchito nokhanonkha (you are employing one another based on cronyism) interviews just for formality.
“Mukuyambilanso zokuba ndalama ku ma Parastatal organization cholinga muzipanga fund zipani zina muyike mthumba (You are further defrauding government parastatals so as to fund political allies).
No matter how much you steal for campaign in 2025, anthu akakwiya akwiya, no amount of bribery will work. This thing ‘Pa ground sipalali bwino’ might seem like a joke, but it’s true, anthu akuvutika ( People out there are starving.”
Verily, verily I say unto the current leadership, the playing field is not level, but you are the hope of Malawians and so please, do not let them down!
