Q & A

‘Things must change’

Last week, Moses Kunkuyu, who served as minister of information  during Joyce Banda’s presidency, launched Transformation Alliance (TA).  ALBERT SHARRA caught up with the interim chairperson of new bloc to figure out the values of the new political movement

Kunkuyu:  Our children will mock us
Kunkuyu: Our children will mock us

The country has over 50 registered political parties. Why does TA matter?

It is unfortunate that hunger for power motivates formation of most political parties. Check what contribution the increased numbers of parties has made in alleviating the country’s worsening poverty levels. For sure, the competition isn’t about ideologies, but who amasses more power. We need unity of purpose to transform Malawi. Our country remains pathetic 52 years after independence. No president or government has shown serious commitment to ensure the country graduates from the class of the poorest nations in the world.  The citizens are perpetually miserable, helpless and hopeless. Their dreams are shattered and ambitions raped. Dangerously, more power remains with our leaders. They abuse it. Abuse our resources with no remorse. And we seem continually trapped in this multiplicity of spider. We realise the country lacks transformative and servant leaders.

What is the focus of your party?
The alliance centres on nurturing of the youth for leadership to safeguard Malawi. We do not want leaders who remain detached from the economic realities facing the citizens. Malawians are fed up with costly leaders that assume top public posts, but are eternally on leadership orientation. We have strong conviction that leaders with a better background and understanding of the country’s political and economic dynamics have potential to bring the change Malawians want. It’s time to start grooming future leaders for Malawi. Let’s liberate Malawians from the bondage of abusive political jaws and perpetual poverty.

Oftentimes, change is easier said than done.

Isn’t the call for change just an entry hymn?

TA gets its inspiration and motivation from the voices of reason from patriotic and passionate well-meaning Malawians who want genuine change for Malawi. We realise many Malawians have divorced their dreams and ambitions. There is a terrible toning down of expectations. Hope has evaporated from their lives, giving way to a bitter, cynical reconciliation with reality. We can’t blame the status quo for we lack an edge and positive drive to push us forward. But one thing we won’t and must not accept as a nation is to surrender to our current political and economic calamities. The future will haunt us; our children will mock us and time will judge us for not doing anything to reverse the present rot.

We should not resign and lose our hope and objective in the middle of the way when we still have the energy and age to make the change. TA advocates serious mindset change for the country. The disturbing and retrogressive path we have travelled the past 52 years should rejuvenate our dreams even more. It should provide room for genuine soul-searching and engagement, revisiting our priorities and indeed redesigning realistic and practical strategies that refill our burning passion to transform Malawi.

How should Malawians distinguish TA from the rest ?

We are  committed grouping with much emphasis on nurturing leadership for the future. Check around, you will discover that most parties and governments focus on the present. But the pathetic present haunting us today is a result of our failure to prepare. Malawi seriously and urgently needs a complete overhaul of its political system. Politics of patronage and blind loyalty leading to creation of semi-gods in our leaders must go! Why do we continue celebrating mediocrity of highest order in our leaders? Is this Malawi for a few individuals? No one has exclusive rights and ownership for this nation. We are not here as tourists to be senselessly silent as things continue worsening when we can do something. We don’t seem to realise the Malawi we are creating for our innocent children tomorrow.

Malawians don’t have to wait to begin seeing TA bringing a difference in their lives. Together, we must all rise and actively strategise on how to transform Malawi. Waiting for leaders to bring change for us has bred more frustrations for most of us especially the youths. Our educated children cannot shake off unemployment curse tags still clinging to them. They are still being paraded as political objects befitting primitive errands for the political masters. Isn’t it time for Malawians to rise and do something for our youths? Why should we continue celebrating this kind of mediocrity? So, we don’t want anyone to be a spectator or docile citizen on this transformation path. The Alliance preaches constructive engagement of all Malawians irrespective of our political affiliations especially on matters of national interest.

You are advocating  youthful leadership, but some promising young political leaders have failed their supporters. What do you say?

The youthful leadership hasn’t failed. Rather, our political system bends towards frustrating youth leadership. It tries hard to choke the youths’ ambitions and attempts to make sense in this democratic dispensation. They are usually associated with anything bad. Again, the older generation and leadership sidelines the youth in decision-making and policy formulation. The youths are on the receiving end of mostly retrogressive and abusive policies and decisions that tend towards creating a fertile ground for self-enrichment especially among the ruling elites. The changed tomorrow won’t come if the current political trends continue trashing the political and economic contributions of the youth. We need to give youth empowerment a productive and progressive meaning.  Sadly, Malawi’s leaders are so obsessed with power and positions. Some even think there is no life after presidency.

Who are the founders and key leaders of this movement now?

The Alliance is founded by patriotic Malawians raging with anger and burning desire to see the country transformed and the majority poor saved from abject poverty. They want a Malawi where its leaders are transparent and accountable to the governed. Every citizen with passion to safeguard Malawi’s future owns this movement. Those who want an end to the wanton butchering of our beloved ones under the watchful eye of our leaders are proud founders of this Alliance. There are many that are fed up with the tendency of nourishing presidential thieves that pride in corrupt acts and involvement in clandestine activities that benefit only them and their cronies. All those calling for an end to this are the owners and founders of this grouping.

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