Deeper meaning in BBC onslaught
As I write this afternoon, there have been Malawians storming the BBC News Africa page on Facebook, tearing the broadcaster apart over and over again for soliciting comments on what they think about President Lazarus Chakwera’s offer to gift Flames players if they produce a desired result in their at the African Cup of Nations (Afcon).
It is a fact that Malawians gang up, especially on Facebook when there is an apparent attack on the country. Memories are fresh how they attacked a British adventurer who posted on her page that she had contracted bilharzia while swimming in Lake Malawi. Malawians were on her neck because most of them swam in the lake countless times and never contracted the disease. This was seen as an attack on the Lake of Stars, a major tourist attraction for the country.
There was also a time when Malawians and Zambians were involved in a Facebook onslaught on music. The citizens of the two neighbours were at it day in day out, claiming the supremacy of their music over the opponents. But when Kenyans tried to quash the two countries’ spate, the ‘cousin’ nationalities shifted, in unison, to butcher the Kenyans.
It is not my intention to delve into the intentions from Bush House to question the President’s seeming K1 million extravagance to the football team when the money could have been diverted to other endeavours. Neither is it for this space to decipher from the former colonial masters’ poking their nose into how the leadership spends its money because they may have felt this was just another point in following their donor money.
I will also not touch on the thought that the BBC was just continuing their colonial hangover that nothing good can come out of Africa, malawi. Neither will I wrack the little cloud up my head, the brain, to wonder if the broadcaster had ulterior motives on all this.
This is not a day that I will choose to take a middle-of-the-wall stance, because the facts are scanty on whether took the money from his pockets or used some State House resources. It is really amazing that the President could put on the table about K20 million for a team he previously hosted to a dinner to raise funds for their Afcon exploits.
If you ask me about State House funds and how they are used, it is a given fact that this an area in our midst that has a budgetary vote raising more questions than answers. This has always been the case even during the Dr Banda era when expenditure at State House was attributed to such things as hosting Mbumba za Kamuzu or chiefs. In this era, the questionable number of presidential advisors raises eyebrows, really.
As stated, it is not my intention to delve into these intrigues. But, the zillion kwacha question from the Malawians’ anger expressed on the BBC page is: Why now?
This was an e-demonstration. If Malawians had it, they could have been on the streets to Bush House, the home of the BBC to express their anger. But given the meager resources, they could not afford it but use the social media.
This must be a lesson to the Chakwera administration that when Malawians are vexed, they have learned to put it out. They are going by the maxim: Kalikonse kaoneka! The President and his cohorts know that people who are irked speak out like nobody’s business, on the streets.
The campaign promises the Tonse Alliance is failing to fulfill are a thorn in the flesh of Malawians. The cost of living, albeit being an international phenomenon, is itching enough for the people. The Chakwera shoddy fight against corruption is vexatious and obnoxious!
How do you explain a leader whose Minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa is embroiled in high-profile corruption allegations remains in office when his case is taking Sicily-like turns? Well, Msukwa, for now, remains not guilty but then the situation in which he got an injunction to stop his arrest raises questions about what really is going on.
The Public Affairs Committee, the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and the Youth and Society have already expressed their misgivings on Msukwa’s staying put in the cabinet in the midst of all this imbroglio.
When religious leaders speak, Malawians don’t feel weak.
The problem has been that the opposition is dead with leader of opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa in a petty fight with his leader former President Peter Mutharika. The other problem is that some bubblegum political activists like Bon Kalindo go to fight the very institutions every sane Malawian wants to defend at the moment. How do you trust such briefcase activists?
Listen to the voice of reason from the religious leaders Mr President. Read between the lines from the spate Malawians shifted to the BBC. They are seething with anger over so many things. They are turning to social media, like did the populace during the Arab Springs. We all know how social media power showed is greater than comfy bastions.
