The salt of the earth should come to Malawi Writes My brother Tom Likambale.
Legend has it that shortly after he came to power, Magufuli went to the port authority in Dar-El-Salaam and said that he was getting tired of hearing stories of containers that were in transit to Malawi, Zambia and many inland countries missing. He demanded answers and shortly thereafter the port authority was jobless. No constitutional discussions, and no criminal out of court settlements, the attorney general for Tanzania said nothing. Zero! ( They do not understand the law as well as we do) Incompetence had no place in Magufuli’s world. Rest Well.
Likambale professionally written article is about the powerful leadership that Onjezani Kenani and Thandie Wa Pulimuheya have shown the country. Likambale mentions My brother Idriss Ali Nassah who is risking his life for the sake of us poor Malawians.
The first two people started a revolution in Malawi. There was serious fear within the political and ruling classes that the momentum of good will could spill out of control. Careful breaks were put. The nation has however opened her eyes! We know now that public money never gets a chance to be put to good use.
Dr. Daniel Dube
Malawi is like woman in obstructed labor waiting to be delivered.
I wondered whether this was going to be the moment. Unfortunately, although we were courageous and audacious, we were ill and too afraid to be able to fight the evil that is enslaving us leading us to death. I no longer take the arguments that we are a hopeless nation. I know that our moment will come sooner or later but not much later. We are constantly being lied to that we are too corrupt to stand on our own. My sister told me of two women who had two oxygen cylinders and they set up their own ambulance system with their car risking their lives and ferrying patients to Kamuzu Central Hospital. We have all heard of Malawian children who were donating their piggy bank money, little known Malawian Businessmen unaffiliated with the procurement government complex and donating tens of millions of Kwachas. Yes! This was Malawi. A donor dependent country now donating. The power of God, Love, good will, or humanism call it what you will, all came to Malawi. The devil was embarrassed!
Does Malawi Needs a Magufuli? I do not think so. We have a thousand Magufuli’s.
I do not cry to God anymore. I saw a confident Kachale preside over the dysfunctional Electoral commission of Malawi with its arrogant officials. For once, government workers looked like servants of the people. I forgot they were called civil servants. The leader, Kachale was delivering competent leadership with humility and made African History. I saw our judiciary rise up to a difficult legal and political position to order a rerun of an election. The first time in African history.
I have seen the Ombudswoman who now carries a cult figure among Malawians. He has openly exposed Malfeasance at multiple levels of government at risk to her personal safety.
I have seen Idrissa Ali Nassah hold the government to account, again at a serious risk to his life. Abroad I have met reluctant warriors organizing mental health counseling services for Malawi and I have seen Malawians rise to volunteer their time for our nation. I have seen the lone warriors like Indefatigable Doreen Chisiza organizing public awareness for COVID against a barrage of demeaning insults on occasion. This was way before anyone was talking of COVID a seriously . I have seen the Mahara Mhango’s of this world trying to single handedly focus the National narrative for change and achieving tangible results.
When we could not even utter the word women’s rights, the great Inkosi Kachindamoto was annulling underage marriages and firing chiefs who officiated those marriages. Then, there are the famous Mwai Kumwendas who move the earth for Malawi organizing donations for the country silently. I could mention my brother in London Wati Mkandawire and the Malawi Health Care Association who have probably mobilized close to a million dollars in medical equipment over the years. The list of our national heroes listed here is limited by my knowledge. There are thousands of Malawians who are doing a lot on the ground and abroad.
This positive story should not be a tonic against the real serious genocidal organized cartels bedeviling our country. The amount of money being stolen in Malawi announced in official channels now raises serious questions of whether we should be designated a third world country at all.
Let’s explain how the water boards of Malawi are loss making, let’s explain how ESCOM is loss making, let’s explain why ADMARC is loss making, let’s explain where the PAYE goes, let’s explain the fate of the Customs and duties, let’s explain where our annual income of a billion dollars in exports goes, let’s explain why we condone loss making deals, let’s explain where are our minerals are being sold, let’s explain who is transporting our fuel, let’s explain where the money collected daily from the thousands of markets is going? Let us explain where the fuel levy is going. Let us explain where the foreign aid is going. Let us explain where the remittances are going. How many civil servants are there? We discovered accidental bank accounts of Press Corporation during the Panama papers affair. How many other government accounts are out there that we do not know about? We are only discovering the obscene compensation of the foreign service. How much money does central stores spend procuring drugs?
Where is the reform commission? Where is the auditor general? Where is the ACB? Where is the office of government ethics? Where is the opposition? Where is the church? Where are you? Where are the CSOs?
Our situation is no longer tenable! We need a good answer why $300,000 can do so much for a country, when we cannot account for tens of millions meant for COVID.
We have our Magufuli’s and Kagame in Malawi and ten times more powerful! We the people need to say this is enough. No nation can develop under these conditions. Our politicians are always in a State of perpetual campaign.
During the second cashgate, President Jacob Zuma said that Malawi is a nation at war. It is a nation at war with itself.
Daniel Dube: Pulmonologist and Intensivist CEO Nasoro Medical PLLC
