With Richard Kayenda
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-During the inauguration ceremony of the current bloated cabinet in July last year, President Lazarus Chakwera told Malawians that his newly appointed cabinet then, was given only five months to perform satisfactorily; else come the end of the given time period, the non performers would be chopped off.
Fast forward to the end of the period around December, Malawians were very expectant of the second edition of Chakwera’s cabinet; but to their surprise, the President did not live to his July words. That was surely the first sign of Chakwera’s gross falsity.
As a matter of saving his own face, the President promised Malawians that the most anticipated cabinet review would be announced sooner than later; only that he and his Vice, Saulos Chilima, had to screen the performance index of their errand boys and girls together.
I must confidently say when the ministers were officially sworn in, they were all clearly seen running all over to prove their salt and perhaps that was because they had just been cultured on the President’s aspirations and ambitions.
However, without really giving Malawians the actual timeframe of the review process, people were yet again compelled to wait for the reshuffle that would probably bring the same down to a relative size that would bear in mind the tunnel our economy is snailing through. But alas! That was just chasing own shadow!
On the last day of March, the month in which people waited with bated breath for the announcement of the new sizeable cabinet, Chakwera, through his mouthpiece, Brian Banda, lied to Malawians again that the exercise would take a few more days (in bold). This is how the Chakwera administration is already proving huge lack of seriousness on some very minute but costly details of leadership.
The few more days period is subjective. Nobody knows how many will the few more days be! And now Malawians’ patience elasticity is the breaking point!
Actually, President Chakwera said it himself that he would give the cabinet only five months to prove their salt. Presumably that was a defense mechanism to the widespread criticism that his first cabinet was too big for the current tattered economy. And later on, when the time was nigh for him to be a man of his words, he began to change statements.
How does the President stomach the fact that he is slowly but surely becoming a self contradictory fellow? It is not as surprising though as this is what politicians are known for. But the message that should be taken home is that whatever the case, Malawians are watching. And let the President know that these are some of his conspicuous flaws which even his political opponents are noticing and recording and when the right time comes; they will use the same to sling mud at him.
We well know politicians! At times, this ruling elite is so quick at promising what they surely know they cannot fulfill. Is it not time to begin to change for real? One stitch in time saves nine!
The Big-Mouthed a weekly column by Maravi Post Reporter based in in Mzuzu, Richard Kayenda
