By Focus Maganga
The renowned media manager and proprietor, Gospel Kazako, must have, by now, surrendered his official vehicles and other privileges he was accorded to, in his capacity as the minister of information which also made him the official government spokesperson.
I imagine, just one day into the life he practiced over two years ago, is enough to teach him life out here is no cake walk. It’s tough.
But those who know Gospel would attest, money is not really a big headache in his briefcase. What would, however, give bwana Kazako a bit of some headache is the way people have celebrated his fall, and more so, why he has been chopped from cabinet, in the first place.
The man who seemed to have answers to all questions must now be cruising down the day with a million questions, but no single answer to his own credit.
From a far, it’s tempting to think Gospel believes he did everything right for the position.
Here is the man who invented “Government Faces the Press” and appeared to have all the motivation to walk and talk with the media, all day.
That could be less. He did more. For the first time in history, we had a man who brought poetry to the position.
And you ask him one simple question, Kazako would go all the hours, paragraphs and paragraphs to explain his point.
On social media, Kazako was also conspicuously available. He clearly loved what he was doing. He was in love with his job.
At the heel of his career, here is the man who courted everyone’s admiration and praise when he told the South African media “to ask themselves how Bushiri moved out of their country instead of burdening the Tonse government with questions that are meant to be answered by the South African government”. Wow, and most people seemed to have agreed with his gospel.
History has a tendancy of repeating itself, and for Kazako he enjoyed the second round of a show when he lectured BBC Africa to have a life, and leave Malawians and their president alone when the president decides to spoil The Flames in response to their impressive performance at AFCON.
Kazako even ignited BBC Must Fall Campaign which saw Malawians flooding every other post by BBC, and calling for the giant media outlet to bend its knees and apologize to Malawians for asking Gospel such a question. Of course BBC never apologised, but the message was put across.
But reading meticulously between the lines, one would detect some rays of arrogance in these very responses from the man, many believe is one of the finest poets the country has ever produced.
And it is in the parade of the same degree of arrogance that might have put the final nail to Gospel’s fall.
And how is that?
The gospel according to Kazako preached in local sermons was founded on the very same narrative: The war in Ukraine and COVID-19 has made the global economy tough; the previous government messed the economy; and we are now rebuilding the economy.
But now Hon. Gospel Kazako, come to look at it, Malawians eventually didn’t buy that rubbish. And even your principal, the President, figured your tactics became too stale.
You provided too much information, mostly doctored, at a time your narrative was increasingly becoming more unbelievable even to the very gullible populations.
The excuses here, excuses there and excuses here again, became evidently unhealthy, unpalatable and boring- to say the least.
That’s why you, the once everyone’s favorite boy, became one of the black ships in the cabinet.
But I don’t really blame you. When the president travels too frequently both locally and externally; when the economy is messed and life begins to bite hard; When the president appoints his daughter, who is already privileged by virtue of being the President’s daughter, to a diplomatic position; When government divorces and moves away from its own promises—-Your poetry and flowery language couldn’t save it. There is little you, Gospel, could do, sadly.
Your tactics and approach could be effective, but practiced at a wrong hour.
In all fairness, you really tried. But your efforts became somewhat irritating. And asking Mneneri Joshua Mbele whether it is true he is murderer or asking broadcaster Brian Banda whether it is true he didn’t read well enough academically- all because ‘people equally say so was too dishonorable, petty and arrogant for a person in your office. More so, for a personal with your standing in the society.
Nevertheless, In the cloak of all this madness, I feel you are now much better off in politics than behind broadcasting microphones.
It could be that you were at a wrong portfolio, and it exposed you unfavorably. But I am hoping the President will consider you for some hot position in the party structure.
But just learn, sometimes, it is more honorable to say nothing when there is nothing to genuinely say.
