President Peter Mutharika once said his government is a political government. One might say there is nothing wrong with such a declaration.  However, taking a closer look at the statement and the experience in Malawi reveals that when politics takes a centre-stage, it is done at the expense of meaningful development.  So far, it seems the DPP-led government pegs most of its activities on politics.

After winning the 2014 elections, it is surprising that the DPP leadership is still trying to legitimise their win.  Therefore, whatever development ideas they can come up with, must be seen to popularise the ruling party and government.  The current strategy that the President seems to employ, to promote his popularity, is the putting up of foundation stones for intended construction.

The sudden proliferation of foundation stones has surprised many people.  The main question is that why should this be done now, when the Malawi economy is on dire straits and that there has been no progress on some of the previously launched foundation stones?

Most probably, as some Malawians seem to suggest, these foundation stones are a campaign tool for 2019 elections.  Furthermore, the foundation stones are for the President to leave a legacy as there is a plaque on every foundation stone which has a name of an official who launched it.  For political purposes, this matters more even if there will be nothing built after the foundation stone is erected.

It is obvious that the DPP will convince voters that the foundation stones are part of the development that it promised in its manifesto.  Any sensible person must be able to loot at the reality of so many foundation stones now.

If the government failed in four years, what magic will it have to come up with lots of construction during the last year of his term?  Apart from wooing voters with the foundation stones, some people will be convinced that there is need for President Mutharika to continue because he has unfinished business.  Malawians have heard such sentiments before.  One of the reasons president Bakili Muluzi wanted to extend his tenure was that he had unfinished business.  Any person who thinks like this shows lack of knowledge that government is continuity as every president is expected to continue from where his predecessor left.

It has so far been seen in Malawi that the so-called political government ends up having lop-sided priorities.  There are so many examples on this.  It is common knowledge that the country is lacking a lot of things, some of which are very urgent.  So far, the media is doing a good job of informing Malawians about various situations, including shortfalls.

Recently, it was reported in one of the newspapers that patients admitted to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, which is the biggest referral hospital in the country, are sleeping on the floor in corridors and in any space available.  This is due to lack of space and beds.

At the same time one hears of a football stadium being launched in Karonga, and many more promised by government to be built in every district.  For goodness’ sake, if the government has the money to build stadiums why can’t it first use that money to extend referral hospitals and buy beds and mattresses for all the hospitals that do not have enough space and beds?

Why should a stadium be a priority when people are suffering so much in hospitals?  Indeed, only a political government, which is always looking for popular support can come up with a stadium as a priority, instead of creating more space in hospitals.

The other political gimmick are the piece-meal road constructions.  No road is finished on time.  It is always work in progress as a sign that government is busy all the time.

Malawi will continue to be least developed county as long as politics remains to be a factor of development.