Several years ago, I defended another prominent lady politician (who was also a long serving cabinet minister in several regimes), on her articulation of spoken English. As a well-travelled woman, I have learnt that there is nothing wrong with “breaking” any language which is not your mother tongue.
I have met many non-English language speakers, many of them white (like French, Russian, Dutch, etc.,) who have struggled to articulate themselves and spoke broken English. In fact, I find it more depressing when Malawians fail to speak their own mothers’ tongue. Furthermore, I have also learnt that there are a huge number of non-English people who are brilliant at writing English but struggle to construct 3 word when speaking it. Let’s remember that speaking English is not a mark of intelligence. Many eloquently English speakers failed to make it to parliament….
So, let’s not waste our precious time criticizing Hon. Fyness Mwagonjwa about her gallant attempts at spoken English. It is extremely petty and juvenile. This amazing young lady has tenacity to be admired. 99% of the people she is representing, the very people who saw her brilliance and voted for her, don’t speak English at all and it doesn’t matter either. I heard what she was saying and so did you. That is all that matters.
Let’s remember, parliament is not only for graduates and many graduates I know can’t even write proper English either let alone speak it.
If Hon. Fryness hadn’t been from the ruling party this wouldn’t have been an issue at all. I say this because I know many opposition MPs, now and before, who can’t even put two English words together. But their flock keep voting them back into parliament. Both male and female. So, leave her alone please.
Remember we all can’t throw an American thwang like the good Reverent
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUDvGi7S75g[/embedyt]
Comments
One response to “Chatinkha Chidzanja Nkhoma defends Hon. Fyness Mwagonjwa struggles with her first live Interview”
Chatinkha doesn’t need to defend Fyness, she is not a problem. The problem is the quality of education in Malawi. And to suggest that English is not important in Malawi it’s a blue lie. In Malawi English is a focal subject you pass 5 subjects & you fail English then you fail the whole Exams. We learn English Grammar, Language & Literature combined so you cant tell us that someone with a Diploma is saying that paja Chitukuko nchani? Then that is not a problem. Chimulirenji is another example. In Russia, France, Germany, China they do their education in their own languages that’s why for them it doesn’t matter if they dont speak it but us we do our education in English then its key. All government businesses are done in English. So dont come here & tell us stories with an aim of just needing to be seen by the establishment.