My Kenyan friend Fidel insists that Malawians are daft people. He always mentions what JB did to Malawians as a clear example of how as a people, we are easily ‘conned’.
Fidel claims when JB came to power, she sold the presidential jet and no one knows where the money realised from the sale went.
“You guys are too daft to even care about your presidential jet?,” he would provoke me.
I think most politicians think like Fidel. They consider Malawians as stupid. Two months ago Callista Mutharika talked about this issue. Politicians take advantage of low literacy levels to belittle Malawians.
We on the streets are still livid with the country’s Veep for belittling Malawians in his Tigawana Zida sermon. You see, the VP has been enjoying some positive media spins lately. But I do not think he will enjoy it any more when real scrutiny of his actions starts pouring in.
While attending a mass at Mpherere Parish in Ntchisi on May 26, he condemned the escalating cases of corruption and theft by some selfish politicians. Veep’s personal assistant quoted his boss on Twitter as saying: “Such unchecked massive plunder of State resources is torturing Malawians. We must stop these people.”
Well, ladies and gentlemen; your Veep is speaking out against corruption! But where has he been all this time? Which country has he been living in for the past four years?
We on the streets not only find these remarks insulting to Malawians but outrageous. So after staying in government for almost four years, the Veep—a very close man to the hot seat—suddenly thinks corruption is stinking in government? Is he not part of the rotten system? Is he not the system?
The Veep should know better that corruption is a sector of its own in our economy—destroying the national economy, but building up individual fortunes.
Citizens at all levels, from the Veep to religious groups and even the private sector must shed the pretence that corruption is a nasty practice they would never indulge in. Corruption is a sector on its own in our economy and that is why the impunity that comes with corruption has not only strengthened its principal practitioners, but has also emboldened many who were previously unwilling to join the fray.
I digress, but the word on the street for you Mr Veep is that Malawians are not daft. In fact, corruption in this country is worse today because of people like you, who are too uncomfortable to act, people who fear losing their hot jobs, people who play their cards too close to their chest in the name of ‘playing politics’.
But you know what, Malawians will not be hoodwinked with such empty statements. If our Veep really cares about this country, we on the streets dare him to quit his post and ‘hustle’ with us on the street.
A poor country such as ours will never develop if we have people who are too comfortable. The Americans, despite their many riches are not comfortable people. The Americans despite their vast wealth are always at war. If they are not fighting drug smuggling and illegal immigrants, they are at war with terrorists. America is always at war; in Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria and Syria. Millions of USA sons and daughters have died ‘to protect the homeland and US’s grip as the world’s super power.’
In case our second in command doesn’t know, Malawians for the past four years have been at war against corruption. CSOs have been at war with this administration for corruption, nepotism, lack of vision, poor education standards, poor funding to the health sector, erratic power supply and poor governance in general.
The youth have been at war with your government to provide them jobs. Women have been at war for equality. We, journalists have been at war to have Access to Information law passed. Where have you been, your Excellency? You even snubbed the CSOs when they wanted to deliver their petition through your office recently. Word on the streets is that soon people will make noise against politicians like you.
Actually, we on the streets will not be ‘conned’ by your statements’. Join this fight or give Malawians a break. Remember Mao Tse Tung once said “politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed”.
Join this war or forever hold your peace.
