Written by Mapwiya Muulupale
Richard D French defines political capital as “the resource which politicians use to induce compliance from other power holders”.
Chris Suellentrop explores the day to day usage of the term and defines political capital as “the power that popularity confers on a politician”.
The Oxford Learners Dictionary defines political capital as “the advantage over a political opponent that one can get from a particular situation”.
For the purposes of our discourse, let’s simplify the term further and take political capital as “the power and celebrity status enjoyed by a politician for one reason or another”.
Now, before I lose you, your valued attention and readership in this jargon, some real-life examples will quickly ground you in this concept.
It can be said that Norman Paulos Chisale, a name of a man who needs no introduction, was due to his proximity to the former president, enjoying a certain amount of political capital amongst supporters of former president Peter Mutharika.
Mutharika’s followers were holding him in such high esteem that once upon a time, many would have given their everything to defend his honour. However, even before the occurrences of this week, his political capital had been declining.
Why?
According to some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets, Chisale was the reason they were not getting their “dues”. He was apparently “keeping all the money he got from the Big Kahuna” for himself; so grumbled ranking Cadets in video clips that were liberally thrown around.
This goes to show that political capital does not remain constant. It is a fickle asset. Just as it can be increased by smart marketing, it is equally susceptible to negative propaganda.
From Chisale let us go to former president Joyce Banda, immediately after late Bingu wa Mutharika’s death. At around that time, her political capital soared. Overnight she evolved into a household name on the local and international scene.
She quickly normalised the flow of donor aid taps and fuel and attained the status of a Joanna of Arc.
It all came tumbling down when the “Cash gate” scandal erupted. From that point onwards, very few were keen to be associated with her.
While some believed and still believe that her sole error was failing to resolutely act on the tip left by former Reserve Bank Governor Perks Ligoya to late Bingu that something was fishy was afoot; others held that her inaction made her an accomplice and hence, just as guilty.
To prove just how much her political capital had waned, she lost the May 2014 elections.
Such Blues’ Orators is the capriciousness of political capital. Like a pendulum, in no time at all, it swings from one to the other extreme end.
Fast-forward to Justice Dr Kachale’s declaration that one Lazarus Chakwera and his running mate Saulos Chilima had emerged victorious in last month’s polls, Chakwera and Chilima’s political capital was sky-high.
Unfortunately, so were expectations.
Taking baby steps, they announced that Mordecai Msisha, Chikosa Silungwe and Richard Chimwendo-Banda would fill some senior positions and the home affairs ministry.
Malawians went into ecstasy.
Chakwera’s clarity and lucidity in various speeches, plus his appearing to be “a man of his word”, had everyone holding their breath, eagerly waiting for him to walk his talk, especially on nepotism.
Except for some politicians who overrate their self-worth and ability, the majority expected a cabinet of erudite professionals whose very teaming up would send a “red card” to the mediocrity that has hounded Malawi for decades.
The Cabinet that came, well… was something else, and this far, I have not heard a single “wow!”
While optimists have assumed a wait and see approach, pessimists are now firm believers of the mathematical formula: high expectations = great disappointment. When you eliminate “high” and “great” from this equation, the result becomes:
Expectations = Disappointment.
Now, expectations and disappointment do funny things to political capital.
Look here:
• High political capital creates high expectations.
• When high expectations aren’t realised, the resulting disappointment diminishes political capital.
It doesn’t end there.
• Once political capital decreases, what the politician could have achieved with ease on account of goodwill, becomes a bit more challenging to achieve.
The question you are asking is:
“Mapwiya Muulupale, how does this all relate to us in Malawi?”
I am coming to that.
You have read or heard scholars like Professor Danwood Chirwa, the Dean of Law of the University of Cape Town, lamenting that President Chakwera’s Cabinet does not inspire hope.
The professor has gone further and challenged that he sees elements of capture where the president, for whatever reason, seems beholden to those who supported his campaign for the presidency.
As per the professor, since Chakwera has been “captured”, so has the state.
While it is tempting to laugh off Prof Chirwa’s views as those of a Diaspora Academic expecting too much, no one should forget Mordecai Msisha’s reason for turning down a ministerial appointment.
Msisha, the doyen of the team that successfully made a case for the historic annulment of the May 2019 elections, said he did not consider it “appropriate” to accept the post of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Verbatim: “It would appear as if I am being rewarded in my role in the elections case.”
Hence, on the one hand, an esteemed lawyer turns down an appointment which could be viewed as appeasement; on the other hand, various individuals – families included – gobble grab appointments that qualify as appeasement for their direct or indirect role in campaign financing.
What do you think?
Never mind.
The fact is: President Chakwera’s political capital before and after the Cabinet announcement is not the same. Now typical of a philosopher, he sought to transfer the onus of proving the public wrong to his Cabinet.
I will not discuss the merits or demerits of this move, I will, however, ask President Chakwera the wisdom of squandering precious political capital while undoing his own political capital.
Why?
