The vetting process…

There’s a spot as you are driving to Chintheche somewhere in between Chia lagoon and Bua River where you are likely to get some very good fresh fish. Driving home this time around after a good 15 years, I was reminded of the times when we would stop over at Chia and get some fresh fish for supper. Life was not as complicated as today. No worries of whether the fish would go bad and no cooler box was needed as my uncle would strap the fish on the side mirrors. 

Bua River, as I used to know it, is no more. There is a new bridge now and the scenery is out of this world. On the shores of the river you see this green vegetation with trees all over. The rugged rocks and the water flowing towards the lake are a sight one has to drink in: so refreshing. The geographical makeup of the river setting like a picture out of some nature magazine was of no coincidence. It was then that I had my light bulb moment. 

“That’s why they have a lot of Salmon fish around this area. Because of the river!” I exclaimed. 
“Yes,” said my uncle smiling broadly. “I’m surprised you know that now.”

I’ve watched enough nature shows to know all that and more. If this was in North America, one would more likely have found some bears around the river. This is Malawi. In Malawi, what you see on TV, the way the bears catch the fish with their hands would be done instead by some fishermen or villagers.

As we near the place where we were to buy the fish, my uncle told me to slow down and park on the road side. We got out of the car and took a few steps to the shade by the trees. Now I knew why he likes to buy his fish here. Unlike all the other places by the road side markets, the fish at this place was ice-packed to keep it fresh. 

It was here that I was schooled on how to buy fresh fish. Though I didn’t pay much attention, I observed how my two fathers (my uncles, my dad’s younger brothers) picked out which fish was better than the others. After the selection of the fish, came the negotiation of prices. Once done, we loaded the fish in the cooler box which already had some ice we had bought in Dwangwa in readiness for the fish and headed for Blantyre. 

I was not very familiar with the other fish called Ntchira but it was fish nonetheless and that fact made me happy as the fish would satisfy my diet. At the fish market, I noticed some very appetizing smoked fish. I noticed, however, that only one man bothered to ask my uncle if he would buy any of his fish and he politely declined. It wasn’t until we were in the car driving off that I asked why he had not bought any of the smoked fish. 

His response told me that he was a true Tonga man, someone who knew his fish very well. He informed me that in most cases, by the time the fish mongers decide to smoke their fish, it is not because they wanted to but it is due to the low demand of the fresh supply so they have to improvise and smoke it so they don’t lose out on the fish sales. This made some sense because while at the roadside market, one thing I picked up was that these mongers are not fishermen themselves. They buy the fish from the fishermen at the lake and sell on the roadside. One way or the other, they too have to survive hence the smoking of the fish.

Some lessons I learned on the drive home got me thinking of how we perceive the political climate of Malawi. Rugged like the rocks in the river and yet a beautiful scenery with a whole lot of promise in the sense of the variety of politicians and people alike make it most interesting. At times, the fish, though glittery like gold, leaves a lot to be desired. Some could be rotting or not so fresh leaving a not so good taste in our mouths. Some of you may agree with me that we are represented by such people in our constituencies.

Take the Ntchira and Salmon fish as examples. It is one of the most beautiful fish families. I’ve yet to see one but I’m told some have a yellow belly and when cooked boiled on a slow fire they get a nice silver tone. It’s not the kind of fish to give to someone who is an amateur as it has way too many tiny bones in it and can be annoying to eat as one has to spend more time picking them out than enjoying the fish. When slow cooked though, all the bones are soft and can be chewed along with the fish.

Most politicians are like this fish, like thorns in ones side. We spend more time trying to hold them accountable than they do in making us happy with the job they are meant to do for us. Their work is like that fish that ends up not being appetizing at all yet was full of promises when one simply judged from its looks.
I’m not too sure about how or where the Ntchira lays its eggs but I know that the Salmon normally goes upstream to lay its eggs and when the fish is grown, it goes downstream where it is either caught in the river or the lake by the fishermen. 

I’d like to think that because it goes through the rugged rocks, dodges some predators on the way downstream and that it takes more work, by the time it reaches the open waters of the lake, it is more like a seasoned politician. One has to taste the high waters to know exactly how to swim, what the tide can do to you, and also learn some survival skills. 

As I drove on, I kept thinking to myself of the politicians we have in our country today and tried to equate each one of the ones I somewhat know of, and the fish that would best suit their personality and work performance. 

The market and conditions have to be favorable as well. It is just prudent for one to be picky when choosing a candidate lest you end up with a rotten or rotting fish. The market has to be one to provide only the best – whether the fish is fresh or smoked. No one wants to end up with the short end of a stick or losing out on any bargain. 

Sometimes, for us to get the best of both worlds, we may have to learn to smoke the fish ourselves to avoid ending up with bad fish. Hold our elected accountable is one way of making damn sure that they don’t end up being rotten. Too many corrupt politicians out there not representing as they ought to and yet they look so good on the outside like the smoked fish on that roadside. 

Sadly, I was not able to find a lot of Salmons. Could that be why they are mostly found around the rugged rocks? Do we have to go through the hard times first to get to the land of gold? I wondered. 

There’s alot of corruption and thievery going on in the country, a system that needs a total overhaul. 
I guess I don’t have to say much about what I think. My only prayer is that people will be able to distinguish the difference between the Ntchira and the Salmon and which one of the two would best suit their appetite.

I for one prefer the seasoned Salmon over the Ntchira but, I don’t like the farm breed. I like my Salmon wild, tasty and full of promise of a good meal with all the fat trimmings.

Of missed opportunities…

 

This is Africa. Of the things that have almost become normal is to see politicians settling scores. These retributive tendencies include seeing those in opposition ending up in police cells and, at worst, in prison. 

Malawi is not spared this malady. This is the reason why, while the late president Bingu wa Mutharika’s brother Peter spent a third night in a cell at Lumbadzi police as I write, theories about political retribution are unraveling.  

Given Malawi’s political pedigree, such theories can not just be dismissed. They always need to be proven to be without merit. 

In Malawi, like most parts of Africa, sending a politician to prison has always been seen to be retributive even when there is merit because, for one thing, the conditions in what are supposed to be reformatory centres that are jails are discipicable. 

Therefore the view is that a politician can only be taken there to be punished by his political adversaries for political reasons, regardless. Even the politicians themselves are the first to deplore the conditions in prison, but only when their turn comes to be thrown there. 

The refusal of Peter Mutharika and crew to be sent to Maula Prison illustrates very well my preceding point. They refused to enter that jail fearing the inhumane conditions inside there. Not that the conditions at their cell at Lumbadzi police are any acceptable. No, but compared with Maula, the Lumbadzi cage is some lodge. 

What is interesting is that almost all politicians that complain about the heinous conditions in prisons when they are incarcerated there are those that were in government or in position to influence effecting of reforms that are badly needed there. 

When John Tembo, the current leader of opposition, was arrested and kept at Chichiri prison back in 1995 for his alleged role in the Mwanza murders, he deplored the lack of a bed and pillows in his jail cell. 

And yet his jailing came just a few months after an administration in which he had been Minister of State and a powerful politician had just lost power it held for 31 years. 

How could someone who had been in power for 31 years complain about conditions in prisons just months after losing that power? 

Two years later, in 1997, I visited a friend incarcerated at Maula Prison. What I saw is unmentionable. It is disheartening that almost 16 years later today, things have not changed. In fact, they could even have deteriorated. And yet since that time Malawi has had two Presidents: Bakili Muluzi and Bingu wa Mutharika who did nothing to make the necessary changes.  

People get surprised why almost every politician falls sick from some ailment when they hear they will be sent to jail. The conditions are chilling. This is the reason they would rather spend their time in hospital, and most of them are seen back to their normal self when they are freed on bail. 

And yet these are the people, and their governments including their parliament are the ones , that keep spurning the opportunity to make the difference in prisons, so that in the event that they, the politicians, are sent there one day they will find better conditions by the measure of a reformatory centre.

Bakili Muluzi was in power for 10 years. This means he had 10 budgets appropriating public finances to various activities. Is it not ironic that seven years later after he left office in 2004, his son Atupele, when remanded at Maula last year, found the conditions as bad as they were before his father came into office? 

Bingu wa Mutharika too, before his disruptive death last year, had been in power for eight years. Almost everyone who refused to be taken to Maula yesterday were part of his administration and holding influential positions. It is a sickening irony that after losing power just a year ago, they are complaining and getting frightened by the conditions in prisons and police cells. What did they do with their time in power? Who did they think would improve the conditions there, if not them while in power or positions of influence? 

With these deliberate missed opportunities to effect the needed changes in prisons, sometimes am inclined to feel that it is necessary that these politicians should be locked up once in while so that probably it will get into their thick heads that reforms in our holding centres are long overdue and they can’t continue to fluff the opportunities that privilege presents to them.  

Lots of reforms need doing. It doesn’t stand to reason, as it is now, that a suspect on remand should be held together with those serving their sentences.

Our system is so horrendous and chaotic Iwould not be surprised to learn that someone on death row is housed in the same room with someone suspected to have stolen a chicken. 

To me this practice is unconstitutional as it undermines the very principle of “innocent until proven guilty” because remandees start getting the full weight of punishment before they are found guilty by a court of law.

Documented literature on life in our prisons makes it impossible for them to pass the standards as per the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights or The United Nations’ Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners just to mention a few. 

It is a matter of common sense that when you are packing people in a windowless room, like saldines, you are creating a recipe for a health disaster that includes spread of HIV and Aids through rape or sodomy.  

And yet this continues to happen in our jails without anybody in authority feeling remorse and be nudged into action. 

Replacing some prisons is long over due. For example, why is the Zomba Central Prison still holding inmates when the Inspectorate of Prisons, headed then by Appeal judge Duncan Tambala, recommended for its demolition as away back as 2005?  

This level of successive negligence has now put this new administration under avoidable strain of striking a very delicate balance between investing limited resources in productive areas that will eventually rescucitate the economy and making sure its record of good governance and human rights is not tainted by the hang over of past carelessness.  

I can only hope that when the dust finally settles, this administration will see the need to act on the issue of the prisons. 

As we wait for that, maybe it time those in authority considered locking its doors to recycled brains.  

My feeling is that some of them have been over-recycled to the point that they have lost their value, while others have overstayed their shelf life, and thus can’t see things differently to influence meaningful interventions to correct their mistakes of the past.

 This will ensure that another opportunity is not missed.

Image cleaning, a must for Malawi.

My mood was sober as I sat on the plane. I was looking forward to seeing my family.
Occasionally I would interrupt that frame of mind by looking through the window, and down below.

Among the many things that I could not help seeing, the beauty of Malawi from above is sweet to the eye. Actually my eyes almost salivated at that beautiful natural landscaping below.
The rolling hills, connected by well cut out gorges, all covered in a suit of green vegetation – the sight was endearing to behold.

This feeling just gave zest to the excitement that possessed me as I landed at Chileka International Airport, at least not until the bird taxied to a halt.
Unsuspectingly, a young man sitting next to me exclaimed saying “They are still working on the building?!”

It was at this point that I paid attention to the structure. Let me confess, I could not believe my eyes. The sight was simply unbelievable.
To think of foreigners landing at this airport made me sad. As I stepped out of the plane gasped and reached for my camera. I had to take a few shots of this. We can’t be serious. We surely can’t!

Chileka Airport as I knew it as a child was no more. The building was in shambles. You would think that by now the building would be bigger and more modern. I soon learned from the young man that the rehabilitation works had been going on for over a year now.
Imagine my disappointment at the thought of our airline not having planes at a time when air travel is the order of the day. This is simply not acceptable!

I was almost feeling disgusted. Many questions started filling my mind.
What happened to the saying that “first impressions matter?” What impression does Malawi create when its airport, the front office at the point of entry into the country, is left to stand in almost ruinous state?

I remained puzzled.

If I was an investor or a tourist coming to Malawi for the first time and didn’t know the charm of the people I would assuredly be put off with the way our airport looks.
It is an eye sore and a mischaracterization of the people of Malawi.
Just how do we convince tourists that we are a place to be if the first thing they see is an airport hurtling into the abyss of neglect?
God forbid!

At a time when we are rebuilding from the chaotic leadership of the past we really need to focus on cleaning up our image. Presentability of our infrastructure must be one of the items on the menu.

And there are many more things that must make the list as the president herself acknowledged in an interview with Hon. Sidik Mia ministry of Roads and Transport just this past week when they were interviewed by Frank Kapesa on MBCTV the national TV station. Our roads, our electricity, our water, our communication, our markets all are interconnected. Our customer service should be included in there somewhere. It’s like time moves at its own pace in Malawi. The list goes on and on.

His faults aside, First President Ngwazi Dr Kamuzu Banda must be rolling in his grave, disturbed at the transformation of the country into ugliness attending to it.
The state of things is a far cry from what Dr Banda, the disciplinarian would tolerate.

Driving along the Kamuzu highway by the museum at Chichiri, one is greeted by the bushy grass growing along the roadside. I remember the nicely trimmed grass, clean streets, roads without pothole and the nicely painted buildings. That was the time when all the nasty looking buildings had a mark of a red X on them, meaning they had to be demolished.

Today, instead of demolishing them, authorities are helplessly encouraging the old x-rated buildings and the new magnificent ones to co-exist in good neighborliness.

We really need to try to clean up Malawi if we are serious about attracting investors or the tourists.

I have yet to find a human being who is not proud of clean beautiful surroundings.

Gay rights in Malawi…

Imagine the year is 1851 and Abraham Lincoln is calling for a referendum on slavery. Or it is 1940 and Adolf Hitler is calling for one on  the Jews in Nazi Germany. What do you think the outcome would be? Your guess is as good as mine. Using the foregoing as the principle for working, the election on November 4^th in 2008 of the first African-America, Barack Obama, as President of the United States of America would be an illusory.

That, my friends, is how some human rights activists want us to operate. At a time when we are supposed to be progressive and generous in application of thought, they want us to remain loyal and faithful to our age-old prejudices. We have mastered the art of pretending so much that, combined with our prejudices, we apply the precepts of the Holy Scriptures selectively to suit our own preconceived purposes.

The discussion of gay rights/human rights is something that needs to take place now. No one is asking people to change the sexual orientation. It is all a matter of respecting each other’s sexual persuasion so we can all co-exist in harmony. Which is the reason debate, facilitated by the suspension of the law by the attorney general, should be embraced as a catalyst for achieving that coexistence that we badly need.

If we let civil society representatives coming up with petitions to preclude this debate where is democracy? Why are the liberties of others to be heard being stifled? Does the gay community not have a right of rebuttal? I thought democracy is about defending the right of those we don’t share a view to express themselves?

The story as it has always been heard is only from one side. Is it not fair that the other side too should be heard? My submission is that this is an opportunity for those that have not spoken out because of the stigma that comes with being gay in Malawi to make their representations.

There have been some articles which show that being a homosexual is a natural occurrence and not by choice. I’m not a scientist/biologist so really even though I may use that for arguments sake, it’s not for me to decide for people what they can or cannot believe. My only concern is that the same people who are supposed to defend human rights are fidgeting where it comes to gay rights.

What is the need for a referendum? What is it supposed to achieve? Are we not the same people that condemn the government for misusing money, and do we have to do it on something whose outcome is a foregone?  

The argument that homosexuality is a western concept is another ridiculous one.  Yes it is true that acceptance of gay rights is now a condition for donor funding but come on people. The fact that we actually have a name for this act [mathanyula] is an indication that they [gay people] exist in our communities. 

In a recent debate which was aired on radio zodiak, a chief came on and explained that they have caught men having sex with men. This was not in town but in the villages. Such men have their wives despite having hots for fellow men. The chief was trying to appeal to the country the need to change the law of the land so that the gay people should be able to exercise their right. By this he meant not just who they want to sleep with, but also the right to healthcare access which would then better school them on the dos and don’ts of safe sex just like is the case with heterosexuals. At present, we have the case where these men who are married are infecting their spouses and the end result is that whole communities are being wiped out.

Now truth be told, it is not only these bisexual encounters that are wiping out our people. As a country we like to take pride in that we are all holier than thou when that is not so. A few days ago there was a national alliance for the prostitutes where they chose their country representatives. While there is a need for such a committee, the question that comes to mind is who are they servicing? For them to come up with such an initiative means it’s a booming market. One survey also said that most of the men who frequent such places where they find these prostitutes will pay more for anal sex. What does that tell us? I’ll leave that to your imagination.

The other argument which the government has failed to execute properly is the debate. What would have been so hard for the government to say that there was a need to suspend the law? It is no secret that as a country dependant on foreign aid our hands are tied as we need the aid more so now than before but surely they could have come up with a better way of telling the people than just dropping it on them like they did. Malawians are very sensitive about the issue and so should be handled with care. What we should not do is take it for granted that whatever the government decides people will go along with it.

Long gone are the days when people could just sit idle waiting on their government. Slowly but surely we are doing away with passive citizenry and as such those who are representatives of the people need to be careful enough to know that they not only represent the majority but the minorities as well. You can’t be a human rights defender and yet pick and chose who you want to defend. Either you are or you are not.

No one needs a fancy education to understand that a referendum in which the oppressor should decide on whether or not they want to continue their oppression is redundant.

Education: The most powerful weapon we can use to change the world..

In the early 1940’s Malawi, Japan, and Dubai had one thing in common. They were growing at almost the same. The difference in the turnaround of destinies lies in their choices. Today, however, while those countries have become wealthy and earned the status of “donors” to Malawi, Malawi has remained comfortable in its shameful status of a beggar.

While Malawi put education at the centre of priorities by word of mouth, those countries put it for real.

They made sure that, if they were to expend their monies and resources, they had to invest into dusting and shaping their human capital.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” While our friends have developed great thinkers we seem to be the breeding ground for hand clappers and praise singers. The plundering of resources by the previous leaders has left our president no choice but to put begging for donor aid from self-sustaining countries in terms of ideas and resources at the top of her agenda when she got into office.

Our friends have attained emancipation while some 48 years after independence we cannot do anything on our own including coming up with development ideas thus relying on institutions like the International Monetary Fund. No country can develop without investing in its human capital and that is why Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”.

With education, a country earns the empowerment in knowledge, skills and confidence in its complex which its needs to have efficacy in the global competition.

Malawi is a sad and shameful story. We have neglected the essentials and are only productive on issues that should ordinarily be on the periphery of priorities. The growth illiteracy rate and population have been in competition in proportions that can only be described as crazy and irresponsible. How can a population of 15 million people have most of its people not know how to read and write?  A small percentage, probably less than 5 percent are skilled and able to analyse things.

To put things in perspective, Malawi’s promise lies in the empowerment, in terms of skills and knowledge, of those that fall within the percentage of less than 5 percent. The overwhelming majority of the people are at the mercy of manipulation of thought and economics by the politicians who decide their fate thanks to their ignorance and illiteracy.

A survey that revealed that about 10% of Malawians even read the constitution at one point or another passes for no better confirmation of the crisis in which the country surprisingly sees itself actualising some tall development dreams of our leaders.

What started out as a simple question to a veteran teacher in respect of what the government has to do to reverse the damage caused by negligence to the education system, left me with more questions than answers.

If shortage of teachers, their motivation and lack of facilities continue to be allowed to hurtle into the abyss, just what reason can be the reason for anybody sensible to have hope?

Issues to be addressed

While speeches have been made and dreams have been outlined, there is the lack of commitment to invest in the people so that they can be agents of their own change, actualisation of their dreams and fulfilment of their own promises. 

Our priorities as a country are just not right. How we have used, and continue to use, money in Malawi remains the devil that plays the midwife of our stagnation. The priorities of our spending and investment are just not as right as in correct.

How does paying an average teacher about MK40, 000 a month reflect commitment, when a Minister or MP gets about MK25, 000 in subsistence allowances, besides ware and tear plus fuel allowances, for attending a function or sitting in the National Assembly?

It’s no wonder they love attending functions where their presence is not even needed.

Unless our educators are happy, education won’t work. Who wants a job with no incentives? Once upon a time, teaching was attractive because teachers were treated with respect. Those days are a fainting part of history.

What Malawi’s first President, Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda worked hard to build, others came in and destroyed. Most of the teachers houses have been badly neglected and/or in need of renovations.

Most teachers, despite being working in horrendous environments already, have to find their own lodging/houses.

Their meagre salaries cover their rent, utility bills and feed their families and in some cases taking care of extended families.  In a country hard hit by economic woes how is one supposed to survive on a mere MK40, 000?

When they leave their homes, they are welcomed by deteriorating infrastructures called classrooms where they are supposed to teach our future leaders.

How is one expected to teach in a room with no blackboard, where the ratio is 1 teacher to 300-500 pupils?

 If a teacher in the USA can complain about teaching classrooms of about 200 students what more one in Africa where they mostly teach with no resources at all?

Unmotivated in this manner, how does one expect teachers to even spend quality time working on lesson plans and grade papers?

Are we seriously investing in our children’s future when paying of teachers, their already uncomfortable salaries, remains an afterthought from one administration to another? Just how complex is this problem that it can’t find its answer in all these governments that we have had in this country?

Unfortunately for us the self-help spirit widely promoted by Kamuzu is long-buried. It should come as no surprise then that communities do not think they also have to contribute towards ensuring that teachers teach and live in habitable conditions. How do the parents feel when they send a clean neatly dressed child to school and they come back dirty because they had to sit on the floor as the desks.

Provision of furniture in schools has now become the luxury which can ill be afforded. Sitting on the floor, while learning, has been normalised to the extent that it is happening even at University.

Where do the funds allocated for such amenities go, if such allocations are made at all? Should we just blame it all on corruption?

How about the communities, themselves rising to the occasion by identifying ways for generating income to take care of the gaps that exist in their community schools? There are so many fundraising ideas that the communities can start if they were serious about turning around the fortunes of their schools.

Private schools have mushroomed to try to bridge the gap. Unfortunately most of them are left at profit interests, undermining, thereby, the quality of education children receive.

An investment in teachers training colleges would be a big plus as we need well-trained teachers if our children are to get the quality education they need to develop the country.

 If anything, one lesson we can draw from the current presidential race in USA is the emphasis Obama has put on education which of course includes the hiring new teachers who in turn help to grow the economy. It is only through education that any country can expect to refine its citizens enough to compete at the global level.

His opponent Romney on the other hand is of the mindset of African leaders who don’t want to invest in education. 

Simple vocational schools would be a plus in the rebuilding of the nation and yet our leaders don’t see that at all.  

We can spend all day talking about the issues above, but change will come if we decontaminate the pond where these problems breed.

Corruption is a cancer that has found a comfortable host in most African Union governments. I gave an example of the MPs’ and ministers allowances. If it were up to me, these would be cut out immediately, and a lid would have been put on any salary increases.

Unnecessary spending has to be discouraged and the money could then be used towards reinventing the education system and channelled to poverty alleviation activities.

Unfortunately apart from corruption, we have another big elephant in the room which could pose to be a bigger problem: that of unprincipled politicians who don’t operate on any set of beliefs. Everyone is more concerned with “kukokera kwakwo” [everyman for himself].

How can we entrust change in the hands of such people who keep jumping from one party to the other driven by bread and butter issues and not the welfare of the people?

What we need are politicians willing and ready to engage in politics aimed at transformation, doing what is right (not what is popular), and effecting sustainable change in people’s lives. Unfortunately the agenda of all our ruling parties is to win elections and thus trouble looms on the horizon.

Politics of poverty…

As the race for who will win in Mzimba parliamentary elections rages on, one does not need to wonder how money, power and to what extent ignorance will influence the outcome. The whole Mponela bed saga is a very good example of this and it will come as no surprise if we hear of more people manipulating the system in giving out gifts to the people of Mzimba in exchange of votes. Unfortunately that is business as usual in Africa. Power politics is at play at the cost of ignorance and illiteracy.

In a way, what happened in Mponela was a good thing in that it opened up many an eye in how the system works. Some of us would never have known that this was normal practice by the Ministry of Health. In a way, we have to thank them for this particular goof up. Under normal circumstances people would question this and the motives of the government or the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) alike but as is the case most will not touch on the issue. The name bashing and a battle between personalities will however be fair game.

This then brings us to an issue my uncle brought up two years ago when I asked him about Malawian politics. His response was, “Wanyithu ku [our friends] Zambia vote on principles. Who will be the better candidate? What do they bring to the table? How will their goals/agenda help us as a community or country in the long run? Ise kuno tikuvotera uyo wikutipa bagi lavingoma, njinga na matisheti [we however vote for who brings us a bag of maize, a bicycle, T-shirts and the like] Are we serious? How then can we expect any change?”

When are Malawians going to learn that it’s not about the guy who owns that huge grocery store, or the one who comes driving up in a Mercedes Benz, or the one who gives out freebies? 48 years after independence and we still rely on the guy who gives us a T-shirt. Is this for real? To a point I blame the politicians who are comfortable with the status quo; leave the poor man uneducated, let him live on the miserable handouts (as if they buy them with their own money) because that will ensure their votes come election time.

I don’t know about you but it is time we moved away from such politics and started identifying people who will help the nation to rise up from the ashes it is in now. This is 2012 and the idea that people only think of today and not tomorrow is a scary thing. We need to pick people who have our long terms goals in mind so really, we should be more in favor of someone who will teach us how to better ourselves versus letting us be dormant.

It is no secret that stagnant waters breed a lot of mosquitoes resulting in a lot of Malaria illnesses and of course the noise that comes with them when they come to feed. No one needs the noise or the illness. Time for spraying out the swamps is now. There’s no reason why we should be having such outbreaks of noisy politicians when people have been exposed to other cultures/ideologies or medicines that can help prevent such ailments. Instead, we need to educate the people on what is best for them and the country. The best way of doing this is simple civics education.

The next thing to do is to make sure no one is left behind as far as empowerment is concerned. Statistics have shown that education of a girl child will decrease their likelihood that they will end up poor and give in to abuse of any kind. I’d like to believe that the same is true for everyone regardless of their sex.

How can such empowerment be actualized some may ask. If these representatives want to come bearing gifts let them be in the form of a vocational school or scholarships of some sort. That is of more use to the people and will benefit them in the long run. A bag of maize can be devoured in a day by the village and then what? Where will the next meal come from after the campaigns are done and the winner moves on to the house of parliament where some don’t even bother to check on their constituencies?

Though arming the MYP was wrong, it was saddening when Muluzi’s government scrapped out the program. Institutions like MYP had great vocational training centers that need to be reintroduced considering the current unemployment rates and breakdown in security. Many people are desperate and will thus turn to thievery and laziness. One way of avoiding all that is to keep them busy.

It is a no brainer that not all people will make it to university so why not give them some sort of skill training so they too are part of the rebuilding of the nation whilst taking care of their own.

Any leader who can empower his or her own people is worthy of my vote. Personally I have more respect for the people who teach me how to be better whether it be by giving me or perfecting my ideas or helping me out when I’m on a quest to do something for me or others.

You know that saying “build a man a fire and he is warm for a day but set him on fire, and he is warm for the rest of his life?” We have some in our communities who are on fire plus setting others on fire and yet we opt for the one full of empty promises bearing useless gifts. Yes a T-shirt may look good now that you are naked but who will clothe you tomorrow? Will you wait till the next election for that handout or will you go for the guy who has nothing but will be the one to develop your area? Unless they come with fire to set the village ablaze with development ideas please stop the conversation and start looking for a better candidate. Check their track record. w hat have they done for their communities so far? This litmus test is especially good for those running for re-election. As for the beginners, what tools of the trade do they bring with them to show that they will really serve the people?

Time for change is now as we can’t wait for tomorrow to sort itself out. For one, tomorrow is never promised unto anyone. Secondly, it may be a little too late. No, we can’t go back to the same rulers of yesterday and the complaining though warranted should somehow stop. Those mosquitoes making the noise should stop and ask themselves what they are doing to make a difference besides annoying others. Maybe just maybe, it is time they considered being another insect like the bee. Both stay busy but one the bee gets praised for the honey and the mosquitoes…well we all know what happens to them when they get around people.

Healthcare in Malawi: How Cuban style could be a solution.

If it was a movie it would be a cross between Sicko the Michael Moore documentary and a tale of how Fabrice Muamba lived to tell his story. Somewhere in there I would add in the emperor’s new clothes to emphasize the role of advisors who spend time lying to the elected officials when they need the truth the most. For this drama thriller I take you to destination Malawi. While some may argue that Malawi and United Kingdom (UK) are not the same economy wise and can’t be compared, we still have some lessons to draw from what happened and what could be done to improve Malawi’s crippled healthcare system.

On April 5^th in some hospital in UK a young footballer, Fabrice Muamba took his first steps since suffering a cardiac arrest on the football field. On the same day, president Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi took his last breath after suffering from the same condition.

Several attempts to try to resuscitate him were of no use. The one thing that was to save him was nowhere to be found.

Of course, announcement of the death was not until two days later after the family, the ruling party officials had said he was incapacitated and was receiving treatment in South Africa when the rest of the world knew the hard truth, that the president had died at the state house and all the lying was a delaying tactic while they came up with a plan to take over the government.  Like all other unnecessary government bureaucracies, the DPP regime shipped the cold body of the president to South Africa where he was to “officially die”.

This meant that the cabinet had to convene to decide who the successor would be. However, there was one problem. The one person who could call such a meeting was the vice president now the president Her Excellency Joyce Mtila Banda.

As reported in nyasatimes.com an online paper, according to the doctors who attended to him upon arrival at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) the president was already dead. Some have cited the lack of adrenaline drug which could have been used to help resuscitate him which was out of stock. Whatever the case may be, it is then brings us to an issue we all should worry about especially if you live in Malawi today. I’m not saying this to scare anyone but it is something we all should be asking ourselves, what if it was me.

While Malawi was mourning the death of the president, Muamba was recovering from his cardiac arrest attack. The case of Muamba is an exceptional one and we should accredit the fast and effective medical systems of the West compared to our meager hospitals. Part of the blame for poor services we find in such hospitals could be attributed to Africa’s brain drain. Most of the healthcare professionals would rather seek employment in the West than stay at home but then who can blame them when the working conditions are poor and so is the pay? The fact is, most African governments do not procure all the basic necessary medical equipment for the health care professionals to use on their duties.

After asking around, it was evident the president’s medical expenses were covered by state funds and so are the ministers. Members of parliament are covered under a medical plan run by the Medical Aid Society of Malawi (MASM) with the state providing for subsidies. In other words, state funds are used to cover their medical expenses of course in varying degrees. What was also interesting was that there is a “funny” committee at the Ministry of Health called the Referral Committee. Its primary duties are to refer patients abroad. With the high corruption levels in the country it is common sense as to who gets referred to go abroad when they need to seek further medical attention. The average person like you and I would be the last ones on that list which tends to favor the political circles and their next of kin of course at the cost of tax payers money.

Why bring this up, you may ask. Simple! If we, as a country are to seriously make any changes to the healthcare system in Malawi then these are some of the topics we have to touch on. We need the right staff, necessary supplies and facilities that can accommodate and fulfill the patient’s needs. The goodwill factor has to be there too but somehow it is something we Africans lack.

Let’s use Cuba as a model. Some of you may have guessed where this is going from the mention of the documentary Sicko above. Theirs is an ambitious healthcare system that came from a mandate for health and education that brought about the changes that most countries now see and admire. What changed?

At first, in the sixties, they pulled most of their resources to recruit more doctors, train more healthcare staff, set up more rural hospitals and established clinics. In the seventies came the phase where they set up more general hospitals and pharmaceutical production plants. By the eighties they began to merit the attention of the World Health Organization. Though Cuba went through an economic crisis in the nineties, it managed to survive due to prioritizing healthcare as a necessity in the country. Supplies were evenly distributed according to who needed them the most.  Educational status of the people who knew about hygiene, dedication of the healthcare professionals and other factors were instrumental in keeping the healthcare afloat.

Though Malawi’s economy may not be able to sustain such a huge program like the one above we can try to improve what we have already in place. First of all we do have Malawi College of Medicine and the Kamuzu College of Nursing. What is needed to entice them to stay on in Malawi would be good working environments plus pay. Currently most graduates add-on to the figures of the professionals that end up in UK or other countries offering good pay.

Secondly, there is great need to improve the facilities in terms of supplies and equipment. Imagine how frustrated you would be if you were the attending physician and a patient came in with a condition that you knew was easy to heal but don’t have the necessary tools to help them with. Doctors take oaths to save lives but when the job does not make that a reality they leave opting for greener pastures where their trade would be highly appreciated.

Thirdly, the money to fund such projects is a lot so to help out keeping the costs low or reasonable we need to invest in educating the poor as far as health and hygiene is concerned. Some of the problems we face today can be minimized if we have healthy people. In Kamuzu Banda’s time we used to have Sukulu za Kwacha geared at teaching the adults health, hygiene, reading and writing. One focus was on the proper nutrition because a healthy farmer or labourer is bound to be more productive to society than a weak malnourished one. Some education and innovation is better than nothing. This can help towards the country’s vision of a better healthcare system for all.

If and when the new government tackles healthcare, it will be a positive move especially in light of the previous presidents passing. If we had better facilities and supplies, the chances of the doctors saving his life would have been better. What most of these top officials don’t understand is that though they may have the necessary need to seek healthcare abroad, there is a great urgency to improve the hospitals at home. It is not fair them to be able to use tax payer’s money to go to fancy hospitals abroad for treatment leaving the dilapidated local hospitals for Malawi’s poor. It is time we started working on social equality and healthcare is one of the areas that needs to be looked at.

Like the legend Bob Marley once said, “Money can’t buy you life”, on the contrary it is true however, that it can get you the best care in the world.

Our bundle of joy: It’s a girl!!

Once upon a time, the wording of Ecclesiastes 3 played out to full effect in one country as if the author of the wording had that country in his or her mind as he committed his pen to paper.

The wording partly runs as follows:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.”

In the context of the country in question, there is indeed time for everything and a season for every activity under heavens.

A time to be born and a time to die or a time to plant and a time to uproot can be considered in the same breath in terms of meaning.

Today Malawi finds itself in that season where activities of birth and death are the order of the day.

In a twist of fate, a day after losing her third child to a sudden death, Malawi delivered a fourth child – this time and for the first time in the motherhood, a beautiful bouncy healthy baby girl.  

The arrival of this bundle of joy helped relieve her pain of loss.

It also ensured that the recovery from sorrow had to take place fast so that life must get back on its heels and continue its journey into the vestiges of the future.

There can no longer be time to waste. Mother Malawi faces a hard task ahead of raising her child to be a proud, joyful and an acceptable citizen of the world.

Malawi is cracking under the weight of a barrage of problems born under the negligent midwifery of her departed son.

Her image is battered and bruised to a disillusioned community of friends and neighbours. The economy has been forced to be helplessly on its knees. Human rights have been hemorrhaging through the holes of governance.

The result has been dehydrated gas stations and reserves parched out of forex. These problems capped a regime of power generation which remains intransigent in the habit of switching off with impunity, and water taps that choose to remain dry as if not taken through the outline of its terms of reference.

Puzzling has been the fact that while his mother suffered, the son was busy accumulating wealth, holding parties, and holidaying in sumptuous places of this world with his happy-go-lucky wife.

Today his sister was been born in a hospital lacking supplies and basic necessities. Even the deceased brother was taken to one of such hospital when he developed the illness that took his life.

There many things were in absolute disarray. Suffice it to say that his tragedy has confirmed, in an emphatic manner, the lack of capacity, expertise and preparedness besetting Malawi’s hospitals.

Had he survived at all, it was going to be virtually through sheer grace of God, not medical aptness at the hospital.

Basic medical equipment that the hospital needed to have to be able to deal with an emergency of the kind and size was not available.

If you have not heard of scandalous chaos read on. The hospital did not have any Adrenalin that could have been used to assist in any meaningful effort to revive this dead son.

It is outrageous as it is disgraceful to have medical staff scampering into the city to comb its lengths and breadths looking for the drug.

It is as if they had sealed a deal with death to wait for them to return from their medical hunt before it moved on the deceased.

The helplessness of a whole referral hospital also exposes the heartless and unfeeling habit of “senior” citizens in Malawi to fly out for medical care while neglecting and starving the local hospitals of correct personnel, equipment and drugs.

From this tragedy, it can only be hoped that lessons have been learnt, and the responsible authorities have already been given into action.

The baby girl shows some promise that Malawi has been looking for. She is intelligent, rolling before its time, inquisitive with eyes wide open alert and oriented for her age. A fast learner, she brings smiles and hope to those who have been wallowing in despair and despondency.

She comes across as Malawi’s pride and joy. This truth has been heralded by her friends and neighbours as already noted elsewhere in this article.

They are coming with gifts for the baby girl and pledges of assistance to her starved mother. The assistance must be used to bring value to the lives of everyone around her. It must be used to resuscitate and empower the nation.

Some of the gifts will be used to buy supplies for the hospitals and manage other institutions. Fuel donations will cover travel logistics for the brother’s funeral.

Malawi has been rendered destitute through the choices of her bigoted son. Besides being extravagant, he was obstinate and negligent of his mother. Malawi hopes that the baby girl will be able to clean up the mess.

It takes a village to raise a child. Malawi is banking on the village people to help raise this child so that she can grow up to be a responsible adult.

Some sadists would like to see her fail. Her choice of friends and foes will determine whether or not she will succeed in life.

The bad people of course have to be weeded out no question about that but how she treats the people too is very important.

Malawians need to be cautioned about praising her too much. It’s expected that they should be excited but there is a danger in telling a child over and over just how beautiful or smart he or she are.

Don’t get me wrong, it is okay to encourage a child or to motivate them when they embark on something but sometimes praising them too much is what makes them think they are too good to listen.

It will not be an easy task for her to take on the job left behind by the brother especially since his allies did not want her.

Life after pregnancy can be a relief. The job of raising the child with the help of the village will require that Malawi should use her resources wisely.

Then we all can say: Gone are the gloomy faces of the past 7 years. The birth has ushered in a sea of smiling faces full of hope and faith. Malawi will once again reclaim her youthful nature erasing all that she endured before the multiple childbirths.

Though disappointed with the past, now is not the time for revenge. It is time to rebuild Malawi.

She needs your help and mine so let us forge forward and do what is right by our mother.

 “Malawi adzaphukira” [Malawi will bounce back]. Neglecting her now is not an option.

By most African standards a baby girl is not considered to be worthy but now is not the time to be looking at the child’s sex. What matters now is if the child will be able to perform the task at hand.

Wolves in sheep skin or good leaders? How to identify them…

Matt 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.”

On most Sundays we have a tradition whereby we have these phone calls. My mother, my siblings and I share what has transpired in our lives during the week. I must confess that I quit going to church a while back resorting to TV or online ministry. For the most part I really don’t have watch either because I get my fellowship on the long phone calls. They, my family, get to share what their preachers talked about and it is from one such service that I got the idea to write this piece.

Those who are easily offended with scripture please bear with me and read with an open mind. Consider it as getting knowledge as you do from any other book. My cousin once told me that reading the bible is like reading any other book, if you can get something of some importance, a lesson or advice then it was well worth you taking the time to read it.

The wolves [politicians] have invaded Malawi. When the president said the devil is riding our backs, in the same way one can argue that the wolves came to town wearing sheep skin. Unfortunately for them, they have been exposed but if you don’t know who they are, the characteristics below will help you find them. It is important that people read if they wish to help in getting rid of such politicians in the country. Nothing will change unless we find such people and make sure they are either not re-elected or elected into power.

Let’s educate each other on the behavior of wolves in comparison to that of a typical politician. Their characteristics are somewhat similar. Wolves belong to the canine family, are great hunters, live in packs, very dominating and possessive, territorial and very loyal. They are normally led by the alpha male or female.

Are we together so far?  

The president and the ruling party have marked their territory [Malawi]. The country’s wealth is only enjoyed by a few people who are in favor with the leader. Some critics of the president have blamed his brother and the first lady of the nation for having a say in how the country is run while corruption and mismanagement of government funds are partly to blame as well.

One thing to note is that not all rich people in Malawi got their wealth through corruption. While some have toiled away others have dipped their fingers into the government fund thanks to kleptocracy. Let me expatiate further that this is not just for those ruling now but would be beneficial for the people who plan to vote in the 2014 elections because the politicians are weeding themselves out of the race. Electing another wolf pack to rule the country would be wrong. The people have suffered. enough…

WOLF:

W–Wild.

In Malawi we have a group of politicians who can’t be tamed.  The bible warns about sheep following false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing. They make you believe they care, that they are like you and have your best interest at heart when they have no plans of practicing what they preach. No discussion is allowed. They are like the teachers who will give you no room to grow. We have seen this in our president. There is no dialogue between him and the masses. When he says the country is doing fine as far as development is concerned you better not question him. They see economic progress while the poor people through self empowerment projects. This was clear when the members of parliament (MPs) had the nerve to ask for salary increments when the rest of the country was in shambles. To them the poor man is nothing. This is also how they can be dominating.

The murder of Robert Chasowa is a good example of how barbaric this government can be assuming that the allegations that the government killed him are true. Only an animal, evil human being, one who is untamed could so such a thing.

O is for Overbearing.

In preaching the man of God may say the world will come to an end on such and such a day and you by faith, are to believe that without questioning. The bible in 1Thes.5:2 reads, “For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.” A good example is what was supposed to happen on the 21st of May this year as prophesied by Harold Camping. Though in politics it may not be necessarily them predicting something or prophesying, these politicians will impose their will on the people.

 On the 20th of July an incident happened. The people were fed up, angry and had planned on having a nationwide demonstration against the government. The action was not to get rid of the alpha male but to let him know that change was needed since the living conditions has become unbearable.

The president had other plans, that of holding a public lecture. Apparently this was what he also used to do when he was at COMESA.  His expectation was that people would forgo the demonstrations to listen to his lecture. His aim was to stop people from exercising their rights.

L is for liars.

Politicians are good liars. Well maybe not all of them.  Around February and March 2011 there was a petition being circulated for stopping corruption and constitutional violations. It was during this time that some of the government’s lies came out in the open. In April when the Department for International Development (DFID) decided that they were going to partially withdraw aid to Malawi, the Malawi government lied that the donor countries were withholding funds due the Malawian government not being tolerant of homosexuals. Nowhere was it worded as such in the letter by the DFID obtained in response to a query by a concerned well-wisher [information is public and can be easily accessed  by simply writing the government in question in this case UK].

The money was being withheld due to the Failure of the Malawi government to submit an audit report is what led to them withholding the funds. Common knowledge is that those who receive funds from donors are subject audits. Obviously we failed. The result was that the donors pulled out of Malawi. The lack of funding is what partly led to the fuel shortages, forex and lack of basic necessities in the country. The government, to save face, lied that the Mozambique government would not release the fuel from the ports. The Mozambicans hit back saying the reason the fuel was sitting in tankers on the ports was because the Malawi government didn’t pay for the fuel due to lack of forex. Again these are just some of the examples, if I were to list them all I will spend a long time documenting everything.

F is for Fruits.

Picture a Mango tree. When and after you plant the tree one wants to see it grow to where it is able to bear fruits. The same is true of disciples in the bible. When Jesus appointed the disciples he made them fishers of men. For the church to grow in congregation/size it needs new converts and it is up to the disciples to teach the word of God and gain converts for the church. In politics the fruits will be visible in the policies the government draws and implements. Projects of self empowerment whether political, economical or otherwise, one has to see some progress or they are deemed a failure.

In Malawi the people have lost faith in the politicians and the result is that their support which can be identified as the fruits of their works in the constituencies has dwindled. People are not given incentives or motivation to take part in politics.  Malawi’s “democracy” has few followers because politicians have given a bad name to politics. The fact that the people are not in sync with the current regime is proof enough to show that the tree has failed to produce any fruits. Seven years into his presidency the only hope for this tree is to prune it so that new buds can sprout and hopefully bear fruit.

These characteristics should be our guide next time we go to vote for the next president or those who will hold a public office. One of my favorite quotes is “passive citizens have no right to complain.” If we end up with more of the same we will have no one to blame but us.

VOTE OF THANKS FROM RALPH KASAMBARA AND FAMILY

VOTE OF THANKS FROM RALPH KASAMBARA AND FAMILY

I wish to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has extended a hand of support in the form of good wishes, visits and prayers for me while in prison and in hospital following the incredible events of the last two weeks.

I am happy to inform you that I am well on the road to recovery and my doctors are pleased with my progress so far. There are a few more tests and examinations to be conducted which should be through within the next seven days or so.

More than merely cheering me up personally, however, it has been most gratifying and encouraging to see that what is a stressful situation for me personally along with my family is proving a constructive platform for the general citizenry of Malawi to pause and consider the current status and fate of the Constitution of our Republic.

Alarm, outrage and sorrow continue to be expressed by many regarding the unprecedented and ongoing attack on and disregard for our Constitution, which is the solemn code by which we as Malawians agree to conduct ourselves, our personal businesses and the affairs of the state. When court orders, such as my release orders, are blatantly ignored by Government, it is indeed a cause for alarm. Not only for me, but for anyone else who might be in need of relief from the justice system. After all, this is the highest law in the land, meant to be the citizens’ guarantee that justice will be delivered by the set instruments.

I am of the view that my current circumstances are but one manifestation of a deeper systemic problem. Creating a just society may well be our duty as citizens. But creating the instruments to maintain that agreed code or value system of democracy is the duty of parliament (our appointed representatives); managing the process of seeking criminal justice is the duty of the police; and, monitoring compliance with the code is the duty of the judiciary. It is clear that justice in total is delivered by the entire chain of correct and procedural actions from the police to the judiciary and the prison system. The proper separation and clear demarcation of functions of the three branches of government is the bulwark against dictatorship and the integrity of the links between the three is the basis of rule of law.

It is for this reason that we should all look beyond the current circumstances and pay careful attention to the worrying disintegration of integrity in the chain. It is worrying not just for one man, but for our entire nation. I am hopeful that through constructive engagement and working together as concerned Malawians we can get our country back on track delivering justice for all. This is the real issue which Malawians should be focusing on.

Let me end by quoting Tony Lawrence who said:

“Too many people are only willing to defend rights that are personally important to them. It’s selfish ignorance, and it’s exactly why totalitarian governments are able to get away with trampling on people. Freedom does not mean freedom just for the things I think I should be able to do. Freedom is for all of us. If people will not speak up for other people’s rights, there will come a day when they will lose their own”.

Thank You and May God bless Our Great Nation.

Ralph Kasambara