No sacred cows, Mr President
Events in Malawi are hapenning at a supersonic speed like we are on a bullet train! Is it because of social media that has let information to spread like bushfire in the ancestral savannah that there is an information overload?
Figure this. While you are mulling over police overzealousness with tear gas to quell demonstrations organised by beleaguered former UTM Party director of youth Bon Kalindo in Blantyre, allegations that police commissioner Stan Kaliza, head of human resource department, slept with some 40 or so female police officers in return for promotions or appointments to UN peacekeeping missions. It didn’t take time for the police to act and interdicted Kaliza.
It is apparent that Kaliza may have abused his office, if at all he was involved in any form of this sex-for-promotion affair. At face value, there was no sexual abuse here since all these were consenting adults and in Malawi there is no law limiting how many sexual partners one can have. While Kaliza has been interdicted, and may end up getting disciplined, one can also hope the originator of the screenshots has to face the cyber-crime law. This is a typical example of cyber-bullying which has bad psychological results on its victims, in this case Kaliza, his family, the women, their families and so many more.
Before the Kaliza fire could simmer down, you get the backlash on Lucius Banda, presidential adviser on youth. It appears those who were waiting for Soldier to sing another song to criticising the government should beat it and wait a little longer. In one of his responses, Lucius puts it that he has done his part, and the youth must now take over.
While you are at it, you find Dalitso Kabambe, David Mbewe, Bright Msaka, Joseph Mwanamvekha, Paul Gadama and Kondwani Nankhumwa coming out in the open that they want to take over from Peter Mutharika as leader of the Democratic Progressive Party. What can one do but be on the edge of the seat and watch the drama unfold?
The talk of the town was how Judge Mike Tembo dismissed a bid by businesspersons Zuneth Sattar and Ashok Nair stopping the local press from publishing stories on investigations against them for alleged fraud and corruption.
For three years, the British National Crimes Agency (NCA) in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigated Sattar and his accomplice Ashok, leading to their arrest in October.
As the events unfold, you have a feeling there are efforts to capture the State. The way our politicians play, it is not surprising to find that the NCA and ACB have uncovered that some top politicians from the Mutharika and the current Tonse Alliance government, led by president Lazarus Chakwera, have been involved in shady deals uncovered in the investigation.
This is a litmus test for Chakwera to prove that he is, indeed, solid on the fight against corruption. There should be no sacred cows.
It is clear that some top dogs have been going to ACB director general Martha Chizuma to keep her hands off, as this is a state security matter. Quite absurd. It is clear that all this may result in heads rolling.
There is solace in the words Chizuma said when she met the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi), who were questioning ACB’s decision to clear those involved in the Crossroads Hotel scandal. She is the first director of the corruption-busting bureau to admit that she gets pressure from politicians from both the ruling and opposition sides.
In her words, her fidelity is to God, the people of Malawi, the law and Chakwera who appointed her and encourages her to be as independent as possible.
Every sane Malawian should be waiting with impatient expectation that this case, which borders on the British following their money, will come to an end. And it is a stark reminder of the State capture in South Africa by the Gupta brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh who influenced president Jacob Zuma and politicians close to him, robbing the State of stinking amounts of money.
Government should not be a puppet that can be pulled by a few tricksters playing in the shadow. During the campaign period, Speaker Catherine Gotani-Hara, wearing her other hat as Malawi Congress Party deputy secretary general put it raw: Time for dziko ndi wanu ndalama ndi wathu is over. It is not about race, it is about how the haves try to drain the thin cow at the expense of the have nots.
