Money politics exploits Malawians

For the past five years Malawians have continued to be exploited by the leadership because they are poor.

There is a bad culture in this country that anyone, including chiefs invited to State House will come back with a khaki envelope full of cash. This is nothing else but bribery intended to popularise the leadership. What makes it worse is that it is tax-payers’ money being used at the expense of poor Malawians who do not even know where their next meal would come from.

It is appreciated that the leadership in the country comes from a political party. It has also been said, time and again, that political parties should have ideologies that would attract supporters. Unfortunately, in Malawi, parties have no particular ideologies and people look at how deep the pocket of the leadership is.

For example, most people, including independent members of Parliament would follow ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) because it has access to the public purse, to give out. Sadly, this is mostly done at State House. Every leadership coming into power must know that State House is a respectable place, where things such as corruption and bribery must not take place.

During the one-party era no candidate was allowed to give cash to people to buy votes. Once caught, he/she was instantly dismissed from the party by Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda. In those days, honesty was indeed the best policy and tax-payers’ money was used for its indeed purpose of development.

It is common knowledge, now, especially during DPP’s rule, that politics is really commercialised. One can have very good ideas about the progress of this country, but the fact that he/she has no money, no one listens to him. This attitude is against development.

It is unfortunate that in Malawi plunder has become way of life in most societies. To protect themselves, they create a legal system that authorises plunder. This is why there are stories in the papers that some lawyers have been bribed on the current fraudulent election case, to protect the powers that be.

The problem with commercialisation of parties is that the party in power fails to draw a line between party and government funds. This is why there are rumours of hefty bribes given to some decision-makers.

It goes without saying that for the past five years the priority has been to use tax-payers’ money to promote the party in power. This is why the media has been awash with stories of plunder of that nature. This is very unfair and cruel because it looks as if people are being punished by their own taxes.

Honestly speaking, by using tax-payers’ money to make the leadership popular is just as good as stealing. In fact, continuing with such leadership is suicidal to poor Malawians. This is the reason people are angry about their stolen votes and; therefore, demonstrations are indeed in order to express their anger. Most Malawians who are not listened to by the leadership thought that their ballot was to decisively speak for them. Exploiting Malawians by the leadership should stop.