You might wonder why I am writing this letter to Mr Ben Phiri. For the benefit of those not in the know, Mr Phiri is the young man who is the loyal servant, assistant to the current President, Professor Peter Mutharika. He is the man Professor Mutharika trusts even more than his wife Getrude Mutharika.
In good times as well as in bad moments; Mr Phiri has remained loyal to Prof Mutharika and I can say without fear of contradiction that Mutharika feels insecure and incomplete without Mr Phiri and of course another loyal servant, his personal assistant on security issues; Mr Chisale.
Just for you to appreciate how Ben Phiri has been loyal to the President. Look at the picture which has been extracted from MaraviPost archive.
“Njuchi zitavuta pa tsiku lovota; Ben and Mr Chisale made sure APM was safe. They pulled and pushed him while exposing themselves to danger.
“Awa ndi anthu amene akhoza kulolera kuwombeledwa simply to save APM.
By the way, this is why you can’t mess up with him (Ben) and expect to go Scot free. Ask those who tried to stand in his way!
Ben Phiri is a kind of a person Peter Mutharika carefully listens to when he opens his mouth. APM can’t just dismiss what Phiri has said without carefully looking at the merits and demerits of his suggestion. In short, he has influence over the President. No doubt about that!
Having enlightened you on that, I would like to humbly ask Mr Phiri to take advantage of his position and tell the soul truth to the President so that he governs well. Mutharika’s success is Phiri’s success so is his failure.
Mr Phiri has the power to confront and plainly advise the President on issues of national importance and influence making of good decision say to end the judiciary strike rather to issue senseless threats that OPC might close the judiciary. The prolonged judiciary strike has the potential to dent APM’s administration. The delivery of justice in this country has been compromised and this is not reflecting well on the administrations seriousness on promoting human rights.
The recent suspension of Mzuzu University students is a cause for worry. The closure of Chancellor College and College of Medicine would have been easily avoided if Mr Phiri used his powers productively.
Let me remind all and sundry what Mr Phiri is capable doing.
When Peter Mutharika was set to conduct a public lecture at MZUNI few years ago when he was Justice Minister; there were violent demonstrations at the institution staged by students and Mzuni management had just decided to shut down the institution. They gave the students hours to vacate the campus.
Mr Phiri had just arrived at the campus from the capital Lilongwe to facilitate the impending public lecture only to be welcomed with such weird news. He was perplexed. However, he found a quick solution; probably he suggested to his boss APM that the problem at the campus would easily be solved so as not to postpone the Lecture.
He talked to the right people to make the right decision at that time and within two hours; the illegal and misguided decision made and implemented by the administrators of the institution was rescinded.
From that day, APM was a darling to Mzuni students and no wonder; Mzuni students through their vibrant wing of the ruling DPP that time were in the forefront endorsing APM to be the torch bearer of the party in the just ended 2014 elections. Mind you, it was unfashionable to do so that time but the students saw what people later saw by voting APM into power in May.
Such is what power can do if used positively. If you start messing up with university students; trust me, it’s a sign of doom ahead! Prove me wrong in 2019 if you think I am joking!
I expected Mr Phiri to advise the President as the Chancellor to tell Mzuni administrators to rescind their unfortunate decision to send packing the students that same day they made this decision.
Just imagine, the final year students were just two weeks to go before completing their respective study programmes. The continuing students as well were just two weeks to go to write the end of semester exams.
These students were greatly inconvenienced because of this illegal and misguided decision taken by the administrators led by the bravado registrar Mr Jedegwa who is today demanding students to write essays to implicate others who started the demonstrations but more importantly, these students have been greatly inconvenienced because your administration Mr Phiri is failing to resolve the judiciary impasse, otherwise; these students would have sought court relief through an injunction had it been that the courts were operating.
But are you serious Mr Phiri that you can’t suggest to the President on how best to resolve this issue or should we say you rushed to resolve the Mzuni issue that time because you stood to benefit with a positive decision you influenced?
Is it because you have nothing to benefit from fighting for these students that you are allowing these students future to be delayed and destroyed? Is this a hallmark of true leader, Mr Phiri?
You can do much better Mr Phiri to help Mzuni Students, COM as well as Chancellor College Students return to school.
If these students return to school by 5th January; I will know you have done something and I will salute you Sir but if you continue to handle the issue with kidgloves; I will continue to advise you to use your powers productively.
I am saying this because I know you can easily turn things around and bring smiles to not only the students themselves but also their parents/guardians who are looking up to the same children for support in the near future when their sons and daughters graduate!
And for those of you who know this man (Ben Phiri), please bring this letter to his attention and I know it will yield a positive outcome once he goes through it.
As we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and of course as we prepare to enter the new year; I urge you Mr Phiri to reflect if you are doing enough for the success of your master you love so much.
I am saying this because the success of your master is probably your success and if he fails; you will also be rated as a failure as well because we know APM is Ben Phiri and Ben Phiri is APM. You two are inseparable. We expect nothing but the best from you.
I wish you Mr Phiri and your master a merry Xmas and a Prosperous New Year!
