Politics of the empty stomach
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is this week supposedly celebrating a coup that in essence is really a curse and a dark blot on its own interparty democracy.
When it comes to the legislative agenda as well as the electoral system, politics is a game of numbers but the recent so called mass defections to DPP can best be described as what it is really is, greed.
Since 1994, Malawi has seen politics so infested with greed and selfishness, Gwanda Chakuamba’s actions post 2004 election come to mind.
It does not need a rocket scientist to gauge the reasons behind the return to DPP of the likes of Etta Banda, Binton Kutsaira and the litany of failed politicians who were paraded at Masintha Ground in Lilongwe last week.
All Etta Banda, with her professorship, wants is power and of course that easy K24 million that comes with securing that blue seat in the not so honourable house. While Ken Msonda and his holier-than-thou attitude does not want to serve the people of Rumphi North. He knows that a parliamentary seat will get him a Cabinet post in the regional power rationing made famous since the advent of democracy.
Kutsaira is most definitely thinking about his stomach too. DPP is currently hunting for Ecklen Kudontoni’s successor and knowing well the backlash of appointing a Secretary General from the Southern Region, the political prostitute that he is, he has played his cards well.
Henri Mumba, Khumbo Chirwa, Salim Bagus and Jones Chingola have been in the political wilderness for so long that they must be parched with thirst and hungry for power with pockets full of sand.
Independent MPs for Lilongwe City Centre David Bisnowaty and Mwanza Central MP Davis Katsonga have nothing to lose now, but come 2019 they will sweat for their seats as voters will not forgive them for being a rolling stone.
In Parliament, the affluent areas of 18, 12, 11 have certainly lost a vocal representative. After this, Bisnowaty will become mum and APM’s praise singer like the rest of the pack of MPs on the government side.
Even on critical issues that affect their own relatives and friends, these MPs will keep quite.
And then there are, of course, three other politicians Romeo Bwanali, Ernest Malenga, Salim Bagus othandiza amfumu kuledzera. These three are spent forces, merely accepted into the party to prop up the numbers.
Of what use are these politicians to the DPP in the run up to 2019?
It is disheartening that voters do not see through such political manipulations.
Malawi has such illiterate voters and will without cause or reason vote them back into office and a new circle of disillusionment will start all over again.
Voters are certainly not getting a raw deal, but they have made these politicians to be who they are.
In a democracy, people get the leaders they deserve.
When 2019 rolls around and these defectors are voted into power, there should be no crying and moaning for the return of the Recall Provision.
