Sunday, 13 March 2011

Malawi: The country needs a David in Bingu’s service

The current leadership has all the hallmarks of King Saul of old. In order to restore some sanity in the country I suggest three things that need to be done asap:

1. A courageous people close to Bingu that would inform him of his mental problem;

2. A people that would suggest a David to him; and

3. An available David to play a keyboard to Bingu whenever his demons of maladministration come upon him.

It will happen that whenever the spirit of bad governance is upon Bingu, our David will take his keyboard and play.

Then relief will come to Bingu; he will feel better. The evil spirit will leave him. Then he will govern us well for a while.

Unfortunately, but better than nothing, the same process will have to be repeated many times until his term in office come to an end.

And may his time in office fly.

1 Samuel 16:14-23

Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.

Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the harp. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes upon you, and you will feel better.”

So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him.”

Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.”

So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

David came to Saul and entered his service.

Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.

Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

Monday, 28 February 2011

Malawi: a nation in a leadership crisis

Where poverty increases, crime and all sorts of social disorders plague a nation. I am afraid this is where Malawi is surely heading unless sobriety enters our pathetic leadership very quickly.

Call me a prophet of doom but the reality is, as people struggle to make ends meet; crime, corruption and all social ills will continue to worsen in our beloved country.

You know that things are really bad, when the wasted years of Bakili’s very poor reign is looked back with some admiration. I wouldn’t!

The problem is our current leaders chose to provoke the hand that largely feeds us at a wrong time. Consequently the donor easily and quickly adjusted the aid tap.

This time the eyes of the US and the UK are firmly fixed in sorting out the recession in their domestic countries and the events in North Africa.

As oil prices are plummeting, they are worried sick about the negative effect of the decrease in oil supplies in their countries.

They have a people who are grossly pampered. A people who cannot entertain a fraction of the hardship we daily put up with without a revolt. Believe me their leaders will act and quickly they will!

No wonder David Cameroon had to make a sudden visit to Egypt for a talk down to the army generals who are in control of the country. It’s all done behind the mask of promoting democracy and the right of people to protest.

In Libya, among the fragmented leadership, whosoever will be seen to be in control of most of the oil will be quickly backed by the UK and the US. Total chaos will mean an evasion. Remember Iraq, the end justifies the means, sadly. The oil!

Back home, most disturbingly our leaders fail to read how international events are unfolding. In all this we will be a forgotten nation.

When a crisis is in the leadership you know you have a mountain to climb. And when the leadership is blind, you are certain to be led into a stinking ditch.

Crucially the scarcity of fuel and the rise in commodity prices will lead to a total meltdown in all our social structures in the country.

Hey Malawians, it is time to think and act decisively. We can actively and defiantly demand from the leadership a good leadership we deserve. The rule of law.

Why should survival be to the most corrupt and their families only? I fail to get my head around the thinking of leaders who joyfully wallow in extreme luxury when their people are basking in the daily tsunami of all sorts of sufferings.

In the words of Learned Hand, "If we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: Thou shalt not ration justice." Our people need to be unshackled from this leadership madness.

Sunday, 13 February 2011

Malawi Government's arrogance sickening

We must now accept the fact that we have an arrogant government that lacks wisdom in the management of its affairs. The consequences are that we are attracting adverse international attention.

A president that pardons convicted homosexuals signs a bill into law that criminalises lesbian relationship. What a contradiction! Where is the wisdom? Sometimes silence is golden.

We have had a fuel crisis for now months and the government remains unresponsive and arrogant, giving no clear answers. Well, tomorrow we are taking to the streets to demonstrate (with you in the spirit). Demonstrations not good for our economy but definitely they do open deaf ears!. Yes, in the long run they pay off!

Further the president approves a law to allow information minister to ban any newspaper or publications which are not “in the public interest”. Don’t we have enough laws already to take care of that side of the law? Why waste time, money, and effort to court unnecessary international attention including that of our donors? Thus beyond me! Arrogance and lack of wisdom!

The other day I was listening to the president taking part in a round table discussion in the US. Among the participants was the World Bank president. In defending his successful seed and fertiliser subsidy programme, the arrogance and lack of etiquette against the World Bank from our president was sickening. I am not suggesting that the bank should not be criticised. In many ways it is to blame for some of our disgraceful levels of poverty in our country. But the president’s lack of good manners smells.

I know I am being arrogant and I have not suggested solutions to the problem here but oh well, the current leadership is going all farts to be honest (sorry for the language but I failed to resist to boast about my current affairs knowledge here)!