Tuesday, March 2, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Columns My Diary

What Chilima has done

by Suzgo Khunga
09/06/2018
in My Diary
3 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

Vice-President Saulos Klaus Chilima (SKC) has finally addressed what was until Wednesday the elephant in the room— future political plans—but he has left a lot of unsatisfied Malawians in his wake.

Expectations were high from the Vice-President press briefing, most of which were unrealistic considering that this was the first time that he had spoken out, save for a few misinterpreted remarks at events completely unrelated to politics.

RelatedHeadlines

Light that came with Covid-19

Lessons from citizens initiative

No sacred cows on Covid funds

For instance, it was impractical for SKC to heed calls for him to challenge President Peter Mutharika at the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) convention when only a handful of the members of the movement were eligible delegates at the convention.

As the veep has said, it should not be ignored that DPP is a party rooted in nepotism with Chilima deemed an outsider just because he originates from Ntcheu and was not there in February 2005 when the party was being formed.

It was not surprising for Chilima to confirm what Malawians have always known about the relationship between the President and his deputy. Those that muddy the water for selfish reasons are well known and their actions are not a secret.

Since 2015 when the Lomwe belt held on the government and the party was threatened with the secrecy surrounding APM’s illness while he was at the United Nations General Assembly, there has been distrust of Chilima in the Lomwe belt clique in the party.

It would be folly of DPP to be in its usual myopic self to take Chilima’s words at face value and launch an attack on the Chilima Movement. From the statement, SKC is not done and the movement members have sensed this, perhaps they had even seen the script from the beginning.

But with the address, SKC has taken the heat off the Chilima Movement because the risk to the personal and professional well-being of the members was reaching unmanageable proportions: What with a whole president threatening to arrest and prosecute the individuals for stating the obvious.

Those listening must have expected Chilima to hit back, perhaps to wave his arms around threatening to come down on people that he rules over like a tonne of bricks. Those people must have forgotten that Chilima is not a Mutharika.

Expectations were certainly high that he would name and shame the corrupt fat cats in the DPP government, and this was a legitimate expectation after all it is politics.

However, Chilima has shown that he is not a populist and knowing full well the backlash that would come from sounding aloof and arrogant. He spoke indirectly to those calling for him to contest as president to put the vision for the country first before identifying a leader.

The statement has left a lot of things unsaid and whether it is a strategy by the Chilima camp, but what was not said has left the DPP confused.

The move to leave the DPP and essentially the decision on the candidature for 2019 settled will have the ruling party going back to the drawing board. Perhaps that was exactly the point for Chilima not making his real intentions known.

What happens to those flyers that DPP cadets and the party strategists had developed in an effort to portray a picture of a united DPP willing to embrace SKC in the role of runningmate?

There were so many issues that remain unaddressed in the address to the nation and all of them crucial.

Indicating whether he will contest outside of the DPP would have been premature and would have brought more questions than answers: Under which political party? Is he forming his own? Will he contest as an independent candidate?

Chilima has given a hint of what his vision, if at all he runs will be and those who genuinely support his transformational leadership views heard him loud and clear.

Previous Post

Chilumpha attacks MCP, MEC

Next Post

RVG shuns Super League leading scorers

Related Posts

My Diary

Light that came with Covid-19

February 27, 2021
covid 1 | The Nation Online
My Diary

Lessons from citizens initiative

February 19, 2021
My Diary

No sacred cows on Covid funds

February 13, 2021
Next Post
rvg 1 | The Nation Online

RVG shuns Super League leading scorers

Opinions and Columns

My Turn

Tackling global slowdowns

March 1, 2021
People’s Tribunal

Burglary at the hill

February 28, 2021
Search Within

Perseverance landed, is alive and well

February 28, 2021
Emily Mkamanga

Tasting your own salt in politics

February 28, 2021

Trending Stories

  • Olela: We are excited

    K5bn Sunbird Waterfront hotel opens May

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Inside Chisale’s seized property

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Exclusive: RBM’s Mzuzu branch payment mess exposed

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Lhomwe chiefs divided on paramount chief

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • We won’t give Up—Chakwera

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.