Written By: Lloyd M’bwana
The just ended two day Public Affairs Committee (Pac) inclusive stakeholder conference held on February 17-18 have left a lot to be desired though its objective was clearly defined discoursing pertinent ideas which might bail out Malawi’s current social-economic woes.
With the conference’s theme, “Defining solutions to economic and political direction in Malawi”, attracted stunning presentations and papers ranging from agriculture (the backbone of the country’s economy) to political system from colonial independence to attainment of multiparty democracy.
These topical issues needed much time for scrutiny in order to come up comprehensive resolutions which would bail out the country’s social-economic turmoil inflicting innocent Malawians souls who are unable to have three meals a day. But the case was different to this emotional and political battle field indaba.
One headed individual might vindicate earlier sentiments and reports prior to the conference that it aimed at toppling President Peter Mutharika government which PAC’s Secretary General, Fr.Peter Mulomole denied arguing that Malawians have a democratic right to hold a lawful assembly anywhere in the country without intimidations.
Key conference Presentations
Political System
Professor Blessings Chinsinga, a political scientist at University of Malawi made a stunning and provoking presentation titled, “How long must it take for us to reach the Promised Land”, which he observed that the country’s dwindling of social-economic developments since attaining of multiparty system of government in 1994 has been attributed to accidental presidents Malawi have had who put their personal interests leaving the rest impoverished.
Professor Chinsinga observed that after enduring 30 years of dictatorship, the multiparty political dispersion would accord all the people regardless of their tribe, class, region opportunities for social-economic prosperities but that’s not happening. This is why we call a broken system through accidental Presidents Malawi has had since 1994.
“The country’s broken system is due to mismanagement of the transition process from one party rule to multiparty where we were just very excited fighting to get rid Dr. Kamuzu Banda era without thinking how we are going to replace it with sustainable ways of development.
“Basically for the past 20 years we have been governed by try and error leaders. Therefore, for correction of these mistakes made so far, we need political parties which have concrete fundamental political base project where all people will seat together on how could be done to transform this country instead of having leaders who come from a group of people opportunistically”, observed Professor Chinsinga.
Chinsinga’s Presentation received with mix reactions with other commentators disputing the claims of having accidental presidents including the late Bingu WA Mutharika, Bakili Muluzi and Joyce Banda and the incumbent Peter Mutharika that their heads were the cause of the country’s woes.
What the Professor Chinsinga overlooked was the fact that these leaders were duly elected through the ballot paper apart from Joyce Band who came into power following the timely death of Bingu WA Mutharika but she went through a well-defined political system.
However, it’s not a denying fact that all these multiparty leaders including Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda were embroiled in public funds mismanagement though its gravity was different from one president to another. This is the reason we are in this mess.
The underlining word Chinsinga has forgotten is that all leaders the country has had fall short of leadership style with failures and achievements.
“It’s a wrong argument in the sense that our economic history has been bad since 1979 when the world had oil global crisis and the beginning of structural adjustments and since then we have had economic challenges though the Dr. Chinsinga is trying to pant the picture that our economy was working before attaining multiparty in 1994”, argues Dr. Bright Molande, a scholar of post-colonial studies who is also a Director of Information.
Echoing on the same, Ken Ndanga, United Democratic Front (UDF)’s Spokesperson saying Chinsinga’s remarks was an overstatement regarding to achievements each leaders Malawi has had when were in power.
“We respect his credentials but we take this statement as an opinion which can be challenged. Any president who ruled Malawi had their achievements and shortfall therefore it’s very important when making these statements to look on what these leaders did to the nation.
Therefore, to say that they didn’t do anything is an overzealous and wrong statement”, challenges Ndanga.
Agriculture-Food crisis
The current food shortage due to government failure to distribute maize in Admarc deports across the nation which private traders have taken advantage of by selling the staple food at exorbitant prices which many are unable to buy, dominated the Pac conference.
Although, the current food crisis has hit hard over 2.8 million Malawians, government officials through Collins Magalasi-Presidential Advisor on Economic Affairs- at the conference kept on with political rhetoric of saying Admarc had purchased maize in Zambia that was at Mchinji Border ready for distribution as soon as was in the country.
This defensive statement that maize was available attracted anger from agriculture experts including Tamani Nkhono-Mvula of Civil Society Agricultural Network (Cisanet) accusing government of playing with Malawians lives.
“The most important aspect of food security is not the availability of food is accessible by those that need it. The food availability figures aren’t very clear as different sources are giving us different figures and this rhetoric we are getting on maize availability isn’t matching with the reality on the ground where people are indeed suffering”, observed Nkhono-Mvula.
Conference turning into political battle fields
Generally, Malawians are peace, wonderful and loving people though others chose to distort and pretend to know better than the 17 million plus using Pac conference as their political arena in propping up personal ambitions.
The indaba witnessed verbal fights between pro-governments camp and opposition parties instead of bagging head together in a sober manner by coming out with tangible resolutions for economic mess correction but chose to spend UNDP funds mischievously.
Pro-government camp kept on shielding President Mutharika’s short falls of manning the state of affairs instead of paying attention the sense of wisdom while the apposition side including Malawi Congress Party (MCP), People’s Party and other civil society organizations called for President Peter Mutharika resignation within 30 days if he fails to distribute maize.
With this kind of approach towards alleviating Malawi’s growing poverty after 51 years of independence is non-starter. The current situation the country has reached needs insightful leaders who can listen to the voice of reason leaving aside political gimmick, tribal and regional line biasness for better Malawi.
Emotional resolutions
The delegates to the Pac indaba made emotional resolutions which among of them including the call for the resignation of President Peter Mutharika within 30 days if he fails to address maize crisis the decision cabinet ministers openly challenged the recommendation as were seen intimidating the delegates from freely voicing their views on the deteriorating socio-economic status of the Malawians.
Some of the key note recommendation came out of the conference including establishment of legalized National Economic Planning Commission (NEPC), President Peter Mutharika to step down if he fails to release maize to all the Admarc deports within 30 days, form an interim government of National unity comprising all political parties, CSOs and religious leaders, call for early elections, President Peter Mutharika should call for help from international organization and local communities for the provision of maize, change of electoral voting system, allocate resources to ministry of health, agriculture and education be proportional to the need of sector, government should institute austerity measures in order to curb government wasteful spending and government should invest in production and manufacturing.
Conclusion
After undertaking that survey then they will know whether it is appropriate to come up in public with sweeping statements or fold their prepared speeches and bring them out political meetings among their followers.
Therefore, Pac secretariat this week is expected to consolidate all the inclusive conference delegates’ recommendations for action in a bid to address the country’s woes.
Public Affairs Committee is one of the powerful religious grouping whose influence on Malawi’s political scene is undisputable which is comprise of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Malawi Councils of Churches (MCC), Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM), Quadria Association of Malawi (QAM) and Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM).
PAC’s mandate begs from it to remain apolitical while offering solutions and suggestions to authorities at all levels of society.
Apart from fighting for democracy during 1994 elections, PAC was also instrumental in thwarting former president Bakili Muluzi’s infamous third term and open term bids.
