Tag Archives: John Chilembwe

Health, Politics

Mixed reactions on Chakwera’s order to rename Phalombe Hospital to John Chilembwe

Maravi Post Reporter

By Twink Jones Gadama

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-In a recent announcement, Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has renamed Phalombe Hospital to John Chilembwe Hospital, honoring the national hero’s legacy.

However, this decision has evoked mixed reactions from various stakeholders, with some expressing their discontent and others embracing the tribute.

As the debate unfolds, Malawians ponder the importance of preserving local identities while honoring national figures.

Critics of the name change argue that Phalombe Hospital should retain its original name, as it is a district hospital serving the local community.

While steadfastly opposing the new name, prominent anonymous senior chiefs have pledged to rally their subjects to uphold the use of “Phalombe Hospital.”

Their standpoint rests upon the belief that hospitals should bear the names of their respective districts, which has been a long-standing tradition in the country.

Renowned social commentator Rick Dzida, echoing the sentiments of those opposing the name change, calls upon President Chakwera to construct a state-of-the-art hospital to be named High Chilembwe, arguing that John Chilembwe deserves a more fitting tribute than a district hospital’s name.

Dzida believes that distinguishing John Chilembwe’s contributions with a hospital befitting his national hero status will pay homage to his legacy effectively.

“We are demanding His Excellency Dr.Lazerus Chakwera build the state-of-the-art central hospital which will be called Chilembwe Central Hospital in honour of John Chilembwe who is a national hero,” said Dzida.

Meanwhile, residents of Chiradzulu, the birthplace of John Chilembwe, have proposed that Chiradzulu Hospital be renamed after the national hero.

They argue that the hospital’s proximity to Chilembwe’s hometown makes it more appropriate for such an honor. This sentiment showcases the desire to uphold local ties and ensure that the recognition aligns with the hero’s roots.

In response to the ongoing discussions, Government Spokesperson Moses Kumkuyu supports President Chakwera’s decision, affirming that the president possesses constitutional powers to bestow names upon hospitals or other structures.

Kumkuyu insists that the renaming aligns with the president’s prerogative, thus upholding the rule of law. This stance highlights the importance of adherence to the constitutional framework in determining the naming of public structures.

As the debate ensues, the nation eagerly awaits whether the name change will take the central stage. Past experiences with renaming public sites suggest that the outcome is unpredictable.

Former President Bakili Muluzi’s attempts to rename Midima Road to Robert Mugabe Highway encountered resistance, with residents still commonly referring to it as Midima Road.

The informed opinions of key figures like Rick Dzida, who urges constructing a hospital named after John Chilembwe, are integral to shaping public discourse.

Dzida appeals to the inherent respect accorded to national heroes and emphasizes the need for a grandeur establishment that resonates with Chilembwe’s significance in Malawi’s history.

In the end, this renaming debate serves as a reflection of the delicate balance between honoring national heroes and preserving local identities.

As Malawi continues to evolve, finding a way to reconcile these important aspects remains a significant feat.

Whether President Lazarus Chakwera’s decision ultimately triumphs or alternative proposals gain prominence, the outcome will prove instrumental in shaping the nation’s collective memory and honoring its heroes for generations to come.

Malawi

The conscious martyr John Chilembwe

Maravi Post Reporter

*BY STEVIE M KAUKA

When we talk of martyrs the first thing that comes to mind is the Christians who died for their belief in Jesus Christ, and closer to AFRICA the martyrs of Uganda., to which most catholic and Anglican churches and establishments derives their names to signify the importance of their actions, St Kizzito, Charles Lwangwa , St Luke, St Denis among others.

 In Malawi we have people of different divides , religions, and political affiliations but they almost agree that John Chilembwe is a martyr ,

A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, refusing to advocate an ideology …. of which they do not believe in. One who makes great sacrifices or suffers much in order to further a belief, cause, or principle. A great show of suffering in order to arouse sympathy from the wider public.

However, the focus here is about John Chilembwe. A lot of literature has been written about John Chilembwe and I will not belabor you with that, but I would like to focus on him as a conscious martyr.

Conscious is a Latin word whose original meaning was “knowing” or “aware.” So, a conscious person has an awareness of her environment and her own existence and thoughts. If you are “self-conscious,” you are overly aware and even embarrassed by how you think, you look or act.

 To follow the analogy of Chilembwe being a conscious martyr let us understand that while in Nyasaland then John Chilembwe was just an ordinary person, but when he travelled to the United States, he met people who were critical of whites. When he left home Nyasaland was under British protectorate.

He had traveled to the United States in 1897 to fundraise for the Mission to which he belonged to back home. There in America, Chilembwe was plunged into an environment that was overly critical of whites. He met and was influenced by the radical Zulu missionary John L. Dube from South Africa, Dr. Lewis Garnett Jordan of the Negro National Baptist Convention and many other African American preachers and radicals. Staying behind in the United States as Booth returned to Nyasaland, Booth was the one who arranged that John Chilembwe should go to America having been impressed with his character as his servant then, Chilembwe attended Virginia Theological Seminary and College at Lynchburg, Virginia in 1898 and 1899. In the United States, Chilembwe gained an increasingly global perspective on the struggle of people of African descent against injustice and white supremacy. He took these newly acquired political ideas back to Nyasaland in 1900, returning as an ordained Baptist minister.

Once returned, Chilembwe founded the Providence Industrial Mission with aid from the American National Baptist Convention. By 1912, he had established a chain of independent African schools, constructed a brick church, and planted crops of cotton, tea, and coffee. His attempts to uplift the local population, however, were undercut by continuing exploitation of Africans by the British. Triggered by British mistreatment of famine refugees from Mozambique as well as the conscription of natives to fight the Germans in Tanzania during World War I, Chilembwe invoked the name of the American abolitionist John Brown and organized a rebellion against the British. The Chilembwe uprising is a story for another day.

While in America he started to have goals, he was powered with faith in the outcome of his native Nyasaland, coupled with   the exposure he was having he started noticing the opportunities to fulfill that dream, but for the time being it was beyond the reach of the conscious mind

Back home he wrote letters seeking justice and equality for the Black people about the thangata system.

The subconscious mind is the powerful secondary system that runs everything in your life. Learning how to stimulate communication between the conscious and the subconscious minds is a powerful tool on the way to success, happiness, and riches.

The subconscious mind is a databank for everything, which is not in your conscious mind. It stores your beliefs, your previous experience, your memories, your skills. Everything that you have seen, done or thought is also there.

It is the issues that he had learnt observed and read while in America that were in his subconscious mind that something was wrong and needed action to correct the wrongs. He was conscious of his surroundings in Nyasaland before and after America that he saw poverty, oppression and to this end he encouraged hard work, dressing smartly, he discouraged drinking and encouraged people to get an education perhaps because of what he had seen in America and wanted a just society for the people of Nyasaland.

Martin Luther King the Black civil rights campaigner in one of his speeches had this to say and I quote …” Well, I do not know what will happen now. We have some difficult days ahead. But it really does not matter to me now, because I have been to the mountaintop. And I do not mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I am not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I have looked it over. And I have seen the Promised Land. I may not go there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!’ end of quote.

I can envisage that John Chilembwe in his conscious mind on the path he had taken was aware of what lied ahead but he did not mind as it was in his conscious that something was wrong and had to be corrected he knew that of the issues that lied ahead he was aware of the implications but in his conscious he still had to do it. Nature has given humans absolute control over the information that enters the subconscious mind, through the five senses. However, this does not mean that everyone exercises this control. Even more, in the majority of cases the average person does not exercise this control. This is why so many people go through life in poverty, denial and waiting for others to rescue them. I

it is this premise that after his demise John Chilembwe should be considered as a conscious martyr as his surrounding and actions are stated.

With the passing of time things do change and facts become twisted to suit a particular sect of society for their selfish ends, but the fact still remains that events happened that qualifies the so-called victims to be martyrs and John Chilembwe qualifies as a conscious martyr.

It is worth remembering that there is a price to be paid in order to be able to influence your subconscious mind. That price is called persistence. You have to keep taking the steps for autosuggestion, you have to keep repeating your goals aloud and you have to keep having faith in the outcome and the end-result. John Chilembwe to this end led an uprising to the unjust of the white rule he died while fighting for a worthy cause for a Black man.

The difference between those who succeed and those who fail may just be a few days. Or it could be the availability of a back-up plan. Those who always say: “In case I do not succeed, I will do this and that” will always do this and that. Because their conscious mind would always keep thinking about the way out.

While Martyrs Day and Kamuzu Day have been there since independence, it was after 1994 when the then president, Bakili Muluzi declared 15th January as Chilembwe Day holiday. In 1944, during the formative period of the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC), George Mwase from Nkhata Bay and other members of the executive committee then, pressed the colonial Nyasaland Government to set 15th January as Chilembwe Day. To no avail.

The author is a fellow  of IPMM who writes on assorted topics in his own personal capacity.

Opinion, Politics

My Take On It: Malawi is broken, fighting each other, and not many offering solutions

Janet Karim

19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 20 He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. 21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. — Ps.107.19-.21

Over the past 29 years, democracy has caused Malawians to lose their Malawianism. As a nation, Malawians used to be united, today it is divided. Malawians used to be too loyal, obedient, and a disciplined lot, today Malawians are political party opportunists hopping from one party to the next, squanderers of other people’s money, property, and even trust. We are, as a nation, all of us manipulators of the narrative, story, or truth about the state of our country, easily forgetting and sometimes inventing or forgetting our past.

Watching and listening to the same song about the 1915 heroism of John Chilembwe, one would believe Malawi is deficient of heroic people, that in 108 years it is only Chilembwe and the former late President Kamuzu H. Banda that  did anything worthy of mention in Malawi’s history. But is fodder for another discussion. Five samples of how Malawi is in great need of solutions, but mostly we are barking in the wrong direction.

John Chilembwe
John Chilembwe and family

1.     Land act and its recent amendment. – it it’s not broken don’t fix it; fix what is wrong, but government overtures are creating havoc for Malawi landowners (background – Kamuzu knew his country: our wealth is in soil. During the first 31 years of independence from British colonial rule, President Kamuzu Banda, therefore, encouraged Malawians to buy land, lots and lots of land, and to engage in farming.

Amendments of the Land Act of March 2022, in section 9, give the government the right to redistribute land, endowering the Minister of Land to prescribe land ceilings and limit the selling of land. Additionally, the Minister shall prescribe land ceilings taking into account the—

(a)             availability of land; (b) utilization of land; and (c) capacity of a person to develop the land.

Lastly the amended land act, in Section 39 of the principal Act (Free Hold Land) is repealed and replaced with the following new section 39(“Failure to develop freehold land).

Although some portions of the amendments aim at preventing the country from being taken by non-Malawians (spoiler alert: look at who owns land along the coastal areas on the Lake), the truth is that many Malawian landowners are at pains to keep from encroachers and firewood hunters from their properties. The winners in this are the chiefs and other local leaders and the police; this is because in aiming to hold on to their land (much of which was rightly and properly bought in the Kamuzu Banda era) is under attack by villagers who listen to political rhetoric, and now endorsed by the law enshrined in the new Land Act. Any land owned by the farmers is deemed by the villagers to be theirs; large farm owners have become foreigners in their own land.

One more pointer is how we resorted back to the Minister being the last word on this vital and sensitive issue of land. Can we reliably leave matters of this high import, to rest on the shoulders of a political figurehead? Perhaps Parliament should form the Land Commission to be the deciding authority.

2.     On the matter of Pointing Fingers on the issue of corruption and other things that have gone wrong, it is disheartening to listen to clergymen and women when they pray. On this, rather than myself point fingers, I indulge myself in advising all the clergy to look at Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 9 verses 1-9). The clergy should stop pleasing anyone, but in praying for the nation, seek God’s forgiveness of the nation, prayers that unite the nation. They should do this at all times; they should not be pointing fingers or alluding to the wrong-doing of some, excluding many including themselves.

Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, “Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” Jeremiah 42:2-3 

3.     Women and other party officials in Malawi are breaking bad and adding wood to the fire. Sadly, instead of chiding these political rabble-rousers, many leaders have left their rightful place, being supplanted by the unruly rhetoric of hero-worshippers. Careless, oftentimes un-Constitutional pronouncements can lead to conflict. 

4.     Very sadly Malawians have grown into a nation that prefers to laugh while taking a video on their phones, of calamities taking place in the country. It was shocking to see a big branch from a tree during a rain storm, sail through the water-drenched street. During the three-minute video clip, no Malawian went onto the street to move the hazard off the road where motorists were passing through. Even if one is a pedestrian, or one does not have a car, it is the right thing to do to think about the danger for other people.

5.     There is hope yet for our country. It was heart-warming this week to get some positive reactions to the video clip of rainwater flooding a dormitory at Chancellor College in Zomba. Within an hour of the clip appearing on the group forum, members began strategizing how the members (many of whom are alumni of the college, could help restore the damages caused by the rains. There were even suggestions for helping in other schools.

This is how we must behave as Malawians, with loving-kindness for one another: Please leave our ancestors’ land (freehold or otherwise) alone; clergy please be there to unite us, not further divide us; political party women be constructive in your politicking, do not be the avenue where another dictator is created; let us love our country, our fellow Malawians by looking out for each other (remove debris and other road hazards off of the streets; and lastly as Malawians let each person chip in and do his or her part.

Malawi, Politics, Top News

President Mutharika chides critics for politicizing corruption

Lloyd M’bwana

CHIRADZULU-(MaraviPost)-President Peter Mutharika on Monday took task his critics for politicizing corruption in the country.

While President Mutharika acknowledged that widespread corruption he however denied reports that corruption is growing in the country.

Mutharika, speaking during the commemoration prayers organized in remembrance of the freedom fighter John Chilembwe in Chiradzulu, said corruption exists in the private sector, judiciary, faith community and in the media.

“The trouble in this country is that we are politicizing corruption. They say corruption is growing. I don’t this so. It is not true that corruption is growing in this country. What has been growing is the perception of corruption,” he said.

He called on Malawians to join hands and fight corruption which he said cannot be fought by one person.
Mutharika branded as a lie and fabrication the rumour that there are seven cabinet ministers involved in the MK236 billion Cashgate scandal.

“This is a total lie; a fabrication of a certain malicious, vicious and irresponsible editor. The anti-corruption bureau announced last week that there are no ministers in the said case. This paper is misinforming the country,” Mutharika said without mentioning the name of the editor and the newspaper.

Mutharika also expressed his displeasure at the local media and how it “trashes the country”.

He said the media and many Malawians think that by trashing the country they are trashing Mutharika and asked that the tendency has to stop and that Malawians should be proud of their country just like Chilembwe loved his country.

“John Chilembwe was a humble, hardworking & patriotic man. He wanted to see this country transform. We will strive to work towards transforming this country just like the Chilembwe wanted.

He however, again took a swipe at his critics who he said are constantly undermining him and the dreams he has for Malawi.

“Transformation begins with the change of the mindset. Change is not easy that is why Chilembwe faced a lot of resistance. I have also faced resistance.

Some said I cannot become president, but I did become the president. Some said I am economically clueless, but I took a battered economy and transformed it. I want a country where we have a network of tarmac roads everywhere. This is possible,” Mutharika said.

Mutharika hailed Chilembwe as a selfless, hardworking and visionary man. The president announced that government will build a community technical college at PIM and will be named Aida Chilembwe technical college, in honour of Chilembwe’s wife.

The event was also attended by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president, Lazarus Chakwera who also laid a wreath at Chilembwe’s memorial pillar at PIM.

Below is the full President Mutharika Speech on 2018 Chilembwe Day;

JOHN CHILEMBWE, MINDSET AND TRANSFORMATION

We have met to celebrate the life of John Chilembwe. Today, we celebrate Chilembwe in the spirit of embracing God for national transformation. And I am delighted to be with you today.

Let me thank you the Providence Industrial Mission for inviting me. In particular, let me thank you for calling upon the nation to think about the transformation of our country.

Transformation begins with the renewal of our minds. This is what The Holy Bible tells us in Romans 12 verse 2. The change of the mindset is the beginning of national transformation.

National transformation is a collective process. We all have to change the way we think and do things for this country to change.

But it takes courage to change a country. Change is never always welcome. That is why Chilembwe faced resistance and got killed.

That is why Moses faced a lot of resistance when he led the children of Israel to the Promised Land.

Jesus Christ himself was denied and killed by the same people he came to save. And, do you remember how people opposed Bingu?

They conspired and he died. When he died, the same people turned round and said he was a visionary. Amalawi timakonda kuyamikira munthu akapita. Tisinthe! Tisiye khalidwe limenelo!
Today, I am facing every kind of resistance while I am leading this country to transformation.

They said Peter Mutharika cannot be a President. He must go back to the University where he belongs. I became the President.

They said Peter Mutharika is economically clueless. I took the badly damaged economy and now the economy has recovered. Inflation is at its lowest point in our history; interest rates are going down and the economy is growing. Our foreign currency reserves are at the highest in history.

Now Malawi is a highly rated destination for investors because we have restored economic confidence.

Malawi is a preferred destination for tourists. According to Forbes Magazine and Cosmopolitan Travel Guide, Malawi is among the 18 top countries to be most visited in 2018.

Worldwide, Malawi is rated number 3 and in Africa as number 1 as a country to visit in 2018. You will not find that in our local media because they are busy trashing this country. By doing that, they think they are hurting me. They are making a mistake. What they do not know is that they are destroying their own country. This kind of behaviour must change. We need to transform our mindset.

We started the National Registration program so that Malawi must be a well-organized society. They said this cannot happen. Sizitheka zimenezo! This sizitheka mentality is bringing this country down.

Now every Malawian above the age of 16 is going to have a National ID.

They said there is nothing my Government is doing. Today, we can see new roads, community colleges, and rural electricity coming to the villages. And I will not stop at anything until this country totally transforms.

I want Malawi to be a country with a network of tarmac roads everywhere; a country with no dusty roads in our cities; a country with electricity in our villages; a country where there shall be no more grass-thatched houses. That is transformation.

I want this country to have more jobs for the youth. That is why we are expanding the private sector by inviting foreign direct investors. We must create new jobs. That is why we are building community technical colleges to equip our youth with skills.

I want Malawi to join the digital revolution. For us to be in the digital age, we need fast and reliable internet which every Malawian can afford. That is why we launched the National Fibre Optic Backbone project. This is the beginning of a digital revolution in Malawi.

For us to transform this country, let us draw our lessons from the life of John Chilembwe. Chilembwe is a symbol of patriotism, integrity and hard work.
Chilembwe was a man of high integrity. With integrity, there will be no corruption.

Corruption is an evil and I want this evil to stop! But slowly, we are taming this evil. We have strengthened the Anti-Corruption Bureau, National Audit and all graft busting institutions. We have given them more resources. But that is not enough.

There is corruption in the private sector, in the judiciary, in the media and the faith community. However, one man cannot fight corruption alone. We need to fight it together. If you see corruption, report to the authorities.

The trouble in this country is that we are politicizing corruption. They say corruption is growing. I don’t think so. It is not true that corruption is growing in this country. What has been growing is the perception of corruption.
I will give you an example. There has been mention of seven cabinet ministers. This is a total lie; a fabrication of a certain malicious, vicious, and an irresponsible editor.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau just announced last week that there are no cabinet ministers in the said case. Instead of informing the public, this paper is misinforming the country. We must love our country.

Chilembwe loved his country. That is why he fought for it; and shed his blood for this country. Let us be patriotic.

Chilembwe was a hard worker. He founded this Industrial Mission because he believed that Africans must be industrious in order to be self-dependent. Let us be industrious.
Chilembwe is a man who dedicated his life to the service of God. In serving others, we serve God. And we serve God by serving others.

In serving others, Chilembwe was a progressive thinker who fought for transformation of this society. He fought to change the life of his people.

In this part of Africa, Chilembwe was the first African to build schools for Africans. He knew the power of education in transforming lives.

Chilembwe was the first African to fight for the rights of women and children. Chilembwe believed in empowering women as the foundation of society. That is why his wife Ida, had a vocational school for training women in skills.

In honour of this spirit, I decided that we must construct a technical college. The construction has started and it is at window level. This college will be called the Ida Chilembwe Technical College.

This college is part of technical community colleges we are building all over the country. Chilembwe saw the vision of community colleges 100 years ago. He wanted a technical college, and now his vision has been fulfilled.

As we reflect on the lessons we draw from the life of John Chilembwe, let us learn to change the way we think in order to change our nation.

God grant us the courage to decide to change; the wisdom to choose what is right; and the faith to follow the path of the righteous.

Thank you!
God bless Malawi!
And bless us all!

Opinion

Nadithi’s Malawi Independence Mini Series PART 2: Malawi’s first freedom fighter – John Chilembwe

MaraviPost

Malawi Washington Association
Malawi Washington Association ?Malawi Independence Party

On 6 July 2017, Malawi will celebrate 53 years as an independent (sovereign) nation and 51 years as a Republic.

It has been a long ride, with numerous various difficulties, triumphs, and losses. However, one thing is certain, we are here and to our credit, have remained a peace-loving country, solid to preserve our identity.

As we prepare to pause and commemorate the day of gaining our freedom from the colonial master (Great Britain, now known as the United Kingdom), as a scholar of history, I find it is always refreshing to look back. This is “look back and take stock,” so that we may appreciate the present and better prepare for the future. What are we celebrating? How did we get here and what happened in the past?

This is a simple country-focus of this daughter of the soil of Malawi. Continue reading Nadithi’s Malawi Independence Mini Series PART 2: Malawi’s first freedom fighter – John Chilembwe →

Malawi

Political parties’ actions at Chilembwe day function deplorable

Maravi Post correspondent 1 Comment

In the name of democracy I greet you all. In the name of tolerance and popular democracy and freedoms that I am one of the fighter and beneficiary I am writing this letter condemning and disputing the actions that your party has promulgated ever since you came into power with 36% of national votes.
First of all I would like to school your leader who was not and has not been part and parcel of the fight and subsequent consequences we faced in order to get the freedom that your party is destroying today. Secondly I would like to remind all supporters and followers to realize that party politics is but short living while national politics is ever living. I will give an example that has happened recently in your party. You have just received a diehard supporter of Orange People’s Party into your party DPP and this is none other than Kenneth Msonda. Another example is the marriage that Bakili Muluzi and his son just got involved without lobola with DPP the party whose founder Bingu Wa Mutharika was and has been their enemy number one. Mr.Msonda has been castigating DPP when he was under the Orange flag. Bakili and Atupele Muluzi went into police cells and jail because of the very people whose blood is their best friend today.

DPP thugs in action

These examples must teach all of you out there and some of us a lesson that party politics need and must be treated with cautious for we never know where we will be tomorrow. On the opposite note we must trade carefully when we are doing party politics that involves national politics. Am saying this in light of helping you in the blue league and under blue flag to realize that each and every evil you do today will judge your political career tomorrow.
At 23 years of our freedom and democracy from the dark days of one party state and iron fist we were supposed to be enlightened and shaped towards making our country tolerable and coexistent.
At least we are lucky in Malawi that no single party has dominated our politics and that we are the living witnesses that have seen four different political parties and five different individuals rule our beautiful nation. This was supposed to be our lesson that could make all citizens more tolerant towards one another and coexist in disregard to political type of flags and ideologies. Citizens of Malawi were supposed by now to have realized that it is us that must drive the vehicle of politics to the destination of our prosperity and development not the vehicle driving us.

 

We need to know that how expensive, how sophisticated the vehicle may be manufactured it will still need a driver to operate. Citizens of Malawi we are found wanting for we have failed to drive the political vehicle on the path that would make Malawi successful. Unfortunately citizens of political parties have accepted to be led by political vendettas of parties that have and are threatening to tear our nation into pieces.

Events that took place at municipal offices in the capital where common citizens affiliated to the blue flag which is DPP after the ruling party lost mayoral elections is deploring. Citizens were used as weapons to beat fellow citizens instead of exercising tolerance particularly in a democratic dispensation where public office is subject for voting. DPP followers and cadets caused untold suffering in the capital just because the ruling party lost elections. Recently on a national holiday at Chilembwe day the very same party victimized loyalists of other parties in Chiladzulu district. It is appalling to realize that this was happening in front of the leader of the party who happens to be the national president Peter Mutharika watching.
My letter is directed to mainly the supporters who are perpetrators used as tools to destroy national peace. We must not allow or accept politicians to short change us to kill one another when our neighbour is from or supporter of a differen flag. As citizens instead of being used by politicians we must be vigilante against politicians whose agenda are national destruction.

 

When we voted for multiparty democracy we swore that we will live side by side with all political flags as well as different leaders. When we chose multiparty democracy we were not signing the declaration of war. Today political parties have infiltrated individual mindset to think that differing ideas and opinion is war and hatred. That’s not true!
Multipartism is the best tool of development only if citizens know our responsibilities. By undressing, victimizing and beating citizens who came to grace the national day at PIM shows that we are ignorant of the true meaning of multiparty democracy. It also typically indicate that our torch bearers that are leading politics in Malawi are dunder heads who are suffering from myopia of the concept and agenda of our generational democracy and political system.
This is why I condemn the dreadful actions perpetrated by members of DPP on a national day.
Politicizing national events has dreadful consequences that can breed war and anarchy.

 

John Chilembwe is a national hero this is why he is depicted on the national currency because he represents the country not political flag or a faction of people.
The ills that DPP is doing at political and national level are appalling and deplorable, we cannot sit back and watch when our country is being taken aback by few greedy individuals who know nothing of the cost of freedom they enjoy today.

 

DPP is failing Malawi on both hands. It has failed citizens on national level by encouraging and promoting corruption and state theft. On political level on the other hand has failed to maintain political tolerance among citizens.

 

I warn you citizens whose support and flag goes to DPP not to destroy the culture and foundations we painfully and collectively established in 1993 to 1994. You cannot buy allegiance by force. You cannot rule the country with iron fist and you will not manage Malawi by infusing destructive ideologies of fear, intolerance, cupidity, selfishness and greed.

The 17 million citizens of Malawi may look vulnerable now but when they stand up no conventional or intentional weapon will stop them. Your party has instilled the climate of fear across the entire country but I warn you the last time a political party achieved this was in the 1980s under MCP.
After 1994 no political party or political leader will manage or achieve bringing back MCP era into a new dispensation of multiparty democracy.
In my appeal I caution all of you to exercise tolerance and coexistence because after five years you will be judged by these actions that you do now thinking you are protecting and defending the party.
You must know that in a multiparty democracy you have no permanent friend neither do you have permanent enemy. Citizens have the right to jump ship whenever their ideologies match with the opposite. Above all else we need to remember and realize that multiparty is about tolerance and co-existence. You have tied national radio and television station to your pants restricting others from using it. Do not be hurt when others do the same to you tomorrow. The quest for multiparty was not aimed at castigating, molestation, muzzling, intimidation, killing and threatening the way your party is doing. We fought for unity in diversity but you are pulling this country backward. You need to stop this nonsense.

 

Being a Ruler for five years does not mean you own Malawi. In actual fact you are our servants on contract, it is not up to you but us to extend or cut short the contract. Treade carefully otherwise your history is being written into the archives of doom.

 

Saunders Jumah the Utopian
People’s Movement for the Restoration of Malawi.
Mzika Za Mdziko Movement
Malawi Freedom Network and
Malawi Watch.

 

Malawi

PIM leader hits at Malawi media: “God is angry with Malawi because of negative reporting”

Maravi Post correspondent 1 Comment

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)–Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) president Reverend Patrick Makondetsa took time to attack the Malawi media on Sunday while presenting sermon during the John Chilembwe memorial prayers in Chiradzulu, saying the country is struggling economically because of negative reporting by the country’s journalists.

Chilembwe revolted against British rule from January 23 1915 due to structural conditions in the colonial set up and marginalised State policies on land, labour and taxation among Africans.

The revolt ended with his death on February 3 1915 in Mulanje as he tried to flee to Mozambique, according to some historians.

Rev Makondetsa: negative reporting is evil

Makondetsa  also accused the opposition for negative reporting ,saying both the media and opposition spoon-feeds the public with negative stories about government failures.

“God is angry with the nation of Malawi because of negative reporting that is taking place. And he is saying to the nation of Malawi today: They [hose involved in bad reporting] will keep wandering in the wilderness. Malawi is derailing into under-development because of the negative reporting,” he said amid applause from the senior Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The PIM leader said “those involved in negative reporting will never see the Promised Land.”

“God was angry. The Promised Land was an 11-day march to Canaan, but because of the bad reporting, it took the Israelites 13 000 days. Bad reporting, negative reporting, is not good to any nation. It derails development. It upsets the strong minded, it confuses the strong,” he added.

Makondetsa asked the media to start writing good about the nation saying negative reporting “plants fear among citizens of this nation. It undermines the capability of its citizens. It kills hardworking spirit of their people.”

The function was graced by the state president Peter Mutharika.

Malawi

Malawi government blames MCP for spoiling Chilembwe memorial prayers, they are recycled thugs

Maravi Post correspondent

Government has asked the main opposition party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to stop its dictatorial behaviour and become democratic when the party wants to serve Malawians.

This comes amid the allegation that MCP members were the ones attacking the people during the John Chilembwe annual memorial prayers held on Sunday in Chiradzuru district.

Speaking to the media, government through its spokesperson Nicholas Dausi described MCP as a party with recycled thugs.

Nicholas Dausi
Dausi

He said MCP took the Chilembwe’s memorial function as political rally as the officials started distributing party materials such as T-shirts, stickers and others.

Dausi said this was the cause of the fracas at the function and not the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as reported.

“MCP has demonstrated itself to Malawians how it will lead this country when it will be in government. This is a party of recycled thugs and Malawians should tread carefully with it,” said Dausi.

The Malawi Police Service (MPS) has also admitted to have knowledge on the development saying some used weapons such as panga knives have been confiscated but no one has been arrested.

Activist Billy Banda has also condemned the development and asked political parties to stop politicizing government functions.

However, some eyewitness said it was the DPP thugs who attacked the people and not MCP.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has asked the DPP to apologize to Malawians than wasting time in cooking stories.

 

Politics

Malawi ruling DPP cadets beat up MCP supporters at Chilembwe memorial service

Maravi Post correspondent

DPP thugs in action

CHIRADZULO (Maravi Post)—The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) notorious youths who are also known as Cadets, dressed in their party regalia, beat up members of the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) during the Chilembwe memorial service in Chiradzulo. This development comes barely days after the cadets, known for their barbarism, intimidated and roughed up their own officials after suffering embarrassing losses in the Mayoral polls in Lilongwe and Mzuzu.

According to an eye witness, a Zodiak reporter, rumours started circulating in the morning that the cadets had set up a barricade on one of the routes to the venue where they vowed that they will not allow opposition members from going to the function.

Afraid of this tip, this Zodiak reporter and crew said used different route to the venue. This was the case with opposition members who graced the occasion.

Hell broke loose when the uncivilized cadets literally started beating the opposition members in full view of the police. This was few minutes after President Peter Mutharika, who was in attendance, had left the venue.

Acting DPP Secretary General could not comment on the matter.

A well known social and political commentator said DPP cadets must be tamed saying allowing them to do as they wish will breed a volatile political environment if opposition supporters hit back at the cadets.

DPP cadets are known for violence. They brandish pangas in the streets of Malawi just to intimidate its critics with the police doing nothing. The youths are literally above the law in Malawi. They do as they please.

Chilembwe is regarded a national hero who was killed in a botched military operation. He was fighting for self rule in the hands of the colonizers in 1915. And the nation commemorates Chilembwe day on 15th January every year.