The choice of Barabbas

Scriptures say at the feast the governor Pontius Pilate was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.
‘And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
‘Therefore, when they had gathered, Pilate said to them: “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?”’
The chief priests and elders, however, persuaded the crowd that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
‘The governor answered and said to them: “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”’
Again scriptures say in unanimity the crowd responded: “Barabbas!”
Pilate was even more confused now and went on to ask the multitude on what to do with Jesus.
Again scriptures say the crowd roared in unison: “Let Him be crucified!”
When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, he released Barabbas to them.
This narrative sets parallel to the unprecedented dilemma that Malawians faced in 1994.
It is the dilemma that defined the country’s political destiny and, after a short-lived celebration for multiparty politics, resurrected the circle of thumping of the support of mediocrity, corruption, opportunism and personification of power—the vices the country is grappling with to date.
And there seems not to be any beverage to quench the thirsty for economic and political powers in the so-called privileged society.
Resultantly, more than half a century after independence, the country continues to wear the demeaning tag, regardless of semantics interplay, of being the least developed or poorest in the world. Underdevelopment and abject poverty continue to undermine the people’s well-being and degrade the human condition in much of the country.
The State is dysfunctional, insecure and fragile. And no sector is spared.
Over the years in multiparty politics, for example, the agriculture sector has declined. Yet agriculture forms a base for almost every country that has achieved sustainable socio-economic development. This had been the case for Malawi until wrong decisions were made that destroyed and discouraged what worked prior to the disastrous reign of former president Bakili Muluzi and those after him.
One would also smell an act of impunity in the skins of judicial and security systems when looking at the calibre of people crowding the country’s prisons. Little wonder, in the ongoing Cashgate prosecutions the majority dragged to court or prison are small fishes while the sharks are scot-free or delaying justice and, together with some notorious criminals, swaggering in the streets.
More ink can be spilt on paper validating that because in 1994 the desire and passion for change was so strong, there was serious lack of deeper reflection among the populace on the quality of who was to take the lead.
Recall prior to the 1994 general elections, some citizens wishing the country well blew a whistle on bankruptcy and thievery records of some key figures seeking public offices.
However, the majority Malawians—like the multitude in the scriptures who opted for the release of Barabbas, a known and convicted criminal—responded to the wisdom with a chant: “Bola wakuba yemweyo [better the so-called thief]!”
Thus, a convict was duly installed through the ballot in the name of democracy, simultaneously planting a culture of shameless greed and lack of love of the country by people charged with the responsibility of running the affairs of the country.
Unfortunately, the ‘Malawian Barabbas’ is not ready to shed his sloppy conscience, but rather he has been on a mission to smear it not only on his successors but his ‘baby’ who is now toying with his father’s but skeletal party.