By Phillip Kamangirah
Dear Madam Grace Obama Chiumia,
Greetings to you in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I am compelled to write you this letter not just as an individual, but also a member of the Concerned Citizens of Malawi Chapter.
Madam Minister, when you were appointed as a Cabinet Minister by President Peter Mutharika, I was happy considering that you are young and youthful, thereby hoping you will not just enjoy your ministerial benefits on tax payers money, but that you will present the aspirations of the youth in this country.
Additionally Madam Minister, many had great anticipation that you would demonstrate modernised kind of politics and that you would champion gender issues at cabinet level.
To the contrary Madam, you have chosen to wrongly use this opportunity and you abuse your power and bring shame to the president of this country.
I am aware that you know the Terms of Reference for cabinet ministers and that one of the duties is to provide guidance on policy issues for Government to succeed.
From the time of your appointment until recent times, you have demonstrated wrong character over your ministerial position.
You have recklessly and insensitively behaved, spoken and even acted. Just to remind you madam, you shamelessly made pronouncements that Professor Peter Mutharika is “wamuyaya.” It was very shocking to hear such words from you.
In this democratic era, it was naive of you to assume that President Mutharika would be happy to hear such sentiments, because I believe Mutharika is a democrat. You really brought shame, not just to the Head of State, but also the entire nation. You quickly realised it, then you apologised.
Then you failed to use your brain, instead you acted foolishly and you were blocked and refused entry in one of prisons when prison staff were on a strike that could have been prevented if this ministry was not managed by you.
As this was not enough, a few days ago, ordered the arrest of National Registration Bureau staff on an issue that does not even justify a warrant of arrest.
Madam, do you really know that it is wrong to use political power to embarrass, torture, and infringe on other people’s human rights? Do you know that cabinet a position is not permanent? Do you realise that citizens have influence to force the President take you out of cabinet? Do you know that such immature and illogical decisions would lead to destruction for the entire government? Do you really value the integrity of the the one who appointed you?
Madam, it is time you changed your way of doing things, if you want to continue surviving in Mutharika’s administration.
It is of paramount importance for you to stop doing things childishly, and start reasoning as a senior cabinet minister who sits in the Executive Branch to make decisions for this country.
The Concerned Citizens would therefore wish to agree with many Malawians who have expressed their anger and discontent over your actions and behaviour.
We join hands with different stakeholders in calling for President Mutharika to take you out of cabinet unconditionally.
You have lost moral grounds to continue working as a cabinet minister. Malawians have lost trust in you, and surely your stay in cabinet is overdue.
You have grown wings Madam, to the extent that they have covered your ears, and worse still you have quickly grown taller than your normal size. Stop using political power as this can easily destroy you.
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The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the Publisher or the Editor of the Maravi Post.
