So far none of the sharp-tongued civil society organisation members appointed into the parastatal boards this week have cited conflict of interest and turned down the appointments.
The nation has so far heard from Billy Banda, appointed as chair of the Gaming Board, welcoming the appointment and dismissing any talk that he has been compromised. He has instead promised to do his best for the nation in his new role.
Others such as Steve Duwa of Malawi Electoral Support Network (Mesn), appointed into Escom board, largely welcomed the position although he insisted that he was not consulted. He too dismissed any talk of being compromised.
Yet others such as John Kapito, who is now chairperson of Southern Region Water Board and Luther Mambala, a member of Teveta Board, remained mute, perhaps, they too, signalling their willingness to serve at the pleasure of President Peter Mutharika.
But the civil society movement has served this country well since the multiparty dispensation in 1994.
The activists have spoken against the excesses of the ruling elite when their actions have run counter to the aspirations of Malawians as enshrined in the supreme law of the land.
At the height of the first DPP administration malfeasance, under former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika, that culminated in July 20, 2011 protests that led to 20 young people to be shot in cold blood by the police, civil society members provided resolute leadership.
They clearly saw our priceless democracy being plunged into the dungeon because of the intransigence of one man and decided to do something about it by boldly and unflinchingly speaking against it without due regard to their own safety.
It was at that time that characters such as Undule Mwakasungula, Billy Banda, Billy Mayaya, Voice Mhone (now Ambassador to Germany) and many others made their names as uncompromising defenders of our civil liberties.
That time John Kapito was chairperson of Malawi Human Rights Commission and, using that State muscle, he was firing from all cylinders, complementing the good job that other activists were doing outside the realm of the State.
Fast-forward all this to today and my verdict is that the civil society movement in the country is in doldrums. There is downright lethargy that does not bode well with CSOs mission and agenda.
There are just a few voices in the name of the Gift Trapences or the Michael Mtambos of this world that you tend to hear sense from, once in a while.
Others speak only when the media has provoked them to speak.
When I compound all this with the present appointments, my heart loses a beat.
The President may have just dealt the final killer hammer blow to the civil society movement in this country.
I have nothing against what those that have been appointed have said. Whether they mean what they say, that they will do their job as defenders of human rights but at the same time bite the hand that feeds them, is yet to be seen but only time will tell.
But I will remind them that we have been down this road before and that experience had shown us that some civil society members are after all human beings who would be weary of going against the very same person that gave them a lifeline.
If they want to prove me otherwise, I would be their guest. I just have a gut feeling that APM has just muzzled the civil society. Call it my sixth sense, if you like.
