By Saunders Jumah the Utopian
24 years of democracy, 6 elections, Malawi electoral exercise remain a political headache to those outside government.
This dictum is coming at a time when electoral official belonging to one political party is nursing wounds in intensive care unit at Mulanje hospital because supporters from the ruling DPP party attacked him/her.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) still remains an opharn without anyone to take care of. It is doubtful to expect such an “opharn” without power to run credible elections taking in mind in less than a year this very MEC is to run Tripartite General Elections in this country.
Democracy in Malawi is deploring and worrisome, arms of law are very weak and sick because instruments of law answers to the political office not vice versa.
Time has come for Malawi to turn around, this is the time the police, courts, house of parliament and the executive branch start to respect the law of the land. Which is to say law enforcement agencies and all arms of government must start to respect and abide by the laws of the land.
Lack of respect for law has belittled and undermined the concept of democracy and good governance. It is deploring to hear in 2018, 24 years after the birth of multiparty democracy citizens are harassed, molested, beaten, attacked and injured for belonging to the opposite political party.
Maenga and the Utopian condemn too much powers of ruling parties and sitting governments since 1994. It shows that democracy was not and has not been embraced in Malawi despite multiparty born 24 years ago.
No wonder we are still rallying behind in everything in this country; development, civilization, innovation, enlightenment and openness are against us because we fail to differentiate between politics of one party state and that of plural participation.
Today we call for a convening of a “National Conference for Malawi” to start again redrafting its foundation otherwise in the next 12 months this country will be caught by civil and ethnic war.
Maenga is receiving complaints of abuse and violation of the “set laws” and there is growing anger in the hearts of many citizens.
In 2017 leader of opposition in parliament Lazarus Chakwera was saved from the death trap where his convoy was destroyed.
Sometime in January 2012 before Joyce Banda could ascend into power her leg got almost paralyzed due to political manufactured accident.
Former President Bakili Muluzi is in and out of court for corruption, a case that has lasted over 10 years. Malawi with many courts of law including “Supreme court of appeal” have failed to conclude a simple case so that Bakili Muluzi can rest after knowing his fate.
Chief Ngongoliwa has joined politics because the current leader of Malawi comes from his area to lecture Malawians about democracy barring opposition Malawi Congress Party from campaigning in his area.
One wonder if Chief Ngongoliwa was born when late Kamuzu Banda accepted multiparty in 1993. Chief Ngongoliwa must answer if ever he (Kamuzu Banda) barred democrats from campaigning in central region?
Maenga has no shame or regret to declare that DPP is not a party capable to lead democratic state like Malawi. Despite all the above ills the party has failed to bring order to all culprits and save democratic pillars.
As all these are not enough “corruption fighters, activists and true speakers are being threatened by the very government where the president keep quite.
Failure by government and president Peter Mutharika from condemning and stopping brutal attacks of opposition and all activists calls for Malawi to convene an emergency conference where all these issues must be addressed to prevent this country from being torn apart.
What president Peter Mutharika is doing is to blow this nation into civil and ethnic war.
Many citizens despite being crooked of their money (taxes) they are beaten, attacked, injured if not killed because of politics.
We are all aware that our founding father tribally divided this nation under one party state, this is why we fought tirelessly to bring multiparty democracy so that this country can be reunited again.
If democratic leaders are further dividing the country what remains of peace and unity?
Leaders of Malawi including president Peter Mutharika must know that people are angry and are blasting inside, soon they are not going to hold no more, if the instruments of law are manipulated and politicized there is no any other way but resort to fight which will bring serious ethnic tension thereby civil war breaking up in this small nation.
We are very much upset to see democracy failing to hold roots because of political shinenigan of few greedy people in the system.
As a matter of urgency we call upon Malawi Parliament, Courts in Malawi, Civil Society Organizations, Traditional Leaders, Religious Organizations and Churches to convene a national dialogue conference titled “Rebuilding a strong and united democratic Malawi”
This conference must be held as soon as possible otherwise the future peace of this nation is in jeopardy.
Maenga is asked to advocate and lobby for this conference as a matter of urgency.
Citizens who know nothing about politics apart from paying taxes must not be displaced, refugeed, killed because politicians want to win votes or keep ruling.
Saunders Jumah the Utopian
MALAWI ENGAGEMENT GROUP [MAENGA]
a nation without future thinkers perish in advance.
***The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of the Publisher or the Editor of Maravi Post
