There is a lot to celebrate about, isn’t it?
I was somehow bitter that my compatriots were enjoying themselves at Civo Stadium oblivious of the fact that for much of the morning of July 6 2014, I had no running water where I live. This was not because we had not paid Blantyre Water Board (BWB) its dues, which, by the way, fluctuates and sometimes goes sky high in the rainy season when we don’t have to water the lawn. I was upset we were celebrating as a nation that we attained 50 years of independence and yet I had no running water. What was there to celebrate?
My anger or call it disappointment was reduced when I listened to President Peter Mutharika. The President said there was a lot to be thankful or celebrate about. He would rather see the glass half full and not half empty. Of course, in real terms, a half full glass is a half empty glass. It is just the perception. So, I started looking at the glass half full rather than half empty. I still had electricity which I could use. I still had water in storage. I could not do everything I needed to do but it was not so bad, after all.
I was interested in the pictures I was watching on TV Malawi. The chat between President Robert Mugabe and Mutharika, as the former was leaving, was interesting. This is the man the world has demonised left, right and centre. I would be the last person to call Mugabe, Saint Gabriel. But I respect and wonder what goes on in his mind.
I still remember Mugabe in an open vehicle at HHI Secondary School (Chileka Road) with Kamuzu, (former Zambian leader Kenneth) Kaunda and Samora (former Mozambican leader late Machel) just a few weeks before Samora died. I also remember Mugabe sitting in the front row at Kamuzu’s burial, and just behind him sat then Zimbabwean vice president Joshua Nkomo.
I also remember Mugabe at Bingu’s wedding. And then I remember Mugabe at Bingu’s funeral. I also remember Zimbabwe’s defence force escorting Malawian cargo vehicle from Nyamapanda to Zobue during the Mozambique civil war.
Mugabe’s exit from Civo Stadium on July 6 2014 was not without “incident”. As he was about to leave, he spent a long chat with Kamuzu’s former official hostess Mama Kadzamira. I was thinking President Mutharika was thinking: “Bingu and I lived in exile while you and the Ngwazi were in power, didn’t we?” Mugabe and Kamuzu were close and I believe he was not forgetful of this fact when he was speaking to Mama. Then Mugabe went to shake hands with former president Bakili Muluzi, who by the way had this bright blue tie on.
“Akulu”, Mugabe might have said, “how come you handed over power.” This talked about one or the other thing and could have said: “See me next time you come over in Harare.”
As I listened to various reporters and people speaking on the radio on the day, people referred to Britain as the former colonial master for Malawi. Others referred to Malawi as a former colony of Britain. I was reminded to what someone once told me that Malawi or Nyasaland was never a colony; it was a protectorate.
