For the past two weeks, the nation and the outside community have witnessed a historical turn of events. Two political heavyweights and a civil service mascot have been thrown into the jail cells on the counts of abuse of office – another form of corruption. Last week, it was Reverend Christopher Mzomera Ngwira, who was slapped with a four year jail term for abusing K250, 000 meant for a developmental project in his constituency when he was a parliamentarian some years back. This week, it is Uladi Mussa, a former Minister of Homeland and Internal Security, and David Kwanjana, a senior officer in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services. The two will spend the next five years each for a similar count to that of Mzomera Ngwira.
Imprisonment of the two political kingpins and the top civil servant is a louder warning shot in the fight against deep rooted corruption in this country. It is a right direction in the effort to weed lawlessness and replant the rule of law.
It is an open secret that, not long ago, Malawi had gone up into the flames insofar as her integrity in the fight against corruption w–*as concerned. The past six years or so impregnated mother Malawi with serious vices which, were it not for God’s love to save the nation from blistering effects of the same, would throws the country on the corridor to the ICU if not the mortuary.
All forms of corruption in addition to the murder and torture of some political dissidents and people with albinism were exponentially rising and there was virtually no one to nip them in the bud; it conspicuously became a new normal order of the day. Such vices grew wings and learnt how to fly right in the face of crime combating agencies like the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Malawi Police Service (MPS). Not that such lions had no jaws and paws to maraud suspects, but because they were tightly caged and so could not attack the thugs masquerading as politicians.
All this damage to the nation had been caused by the loose selfish monopolistic political leaderships that Malawi has had over the years at the expense of poor Malawians who form long queues for many hours in our drug deprived health centres; while their children are bathing dust in primary schools due to lack of furniture and proper infrastructure for learning. This situation has remained so on the ground for ages while our politicians and some top government ruffians are dubious enriching themselves through abuse of public resources. The cases of Mzomera Ngwira and Uladi Mussa are a microcosm of huger mess at all levels of the public sector that needs joint servant leadership to mop it dry.
Over 50 years of self rule have gone by now, yet the nation is still in rags because some few greedy people have taken home government computers and gensets for their private use.
Let the prosecution of whosoever dubiously partook in the resources meant for all Malawians begin and, where possible, let them return to Malawians what rightfully belongs to them in addition to serving lengthy jail terms!
Malawi has stagnated for too long under the nose of those who claim to be game changers; in actual sense, they are wolves in sheep skins. Besides, let what has begun in pursuit of justice and restoration of Malawians’ wealth and fortunes continue at all levels of the public sector for the sake of all and sundry and the nation at large! It is so heart wrecking to realise that some countries such as Rwanda and Mozambique, who experienced civil wars at a time Malawi was enjoying peace, are more developed yet Malawi is still wallowing in abject poverty induced by few selfish politicians.
Let the fight for justice and our wealth get down!
