Government owes Machinga people

Sheikh Jean-Philippe LePoisson, SC, has resigned as leader of our delegation. He made the announcement as we drank fantakoko at Pambiche Hotel following the non-performance of the Black Missionary School band and Mr School at Zimatherapano, Madeko, Republic of Mangochi. I proposed Native Authority Mandela to take over as leader of delegation. The Native Authority declined arguing that age alone does not qualify one as a leader and that sometimes it is better to work from outside the circle of leadership.

Instead, he proposed that I become the leader, which I also declined preferring that I remain a driver because when kingdoms fall drivers simply switch their allegiance to the new leadership. Naturally, we were left with Abiti Joyce Befu, also known here as MG66. In short, MG66 is, constitutionally, our leader of delegation from this week and I have retained my authority as head of navigation, as drivers are also known in this great republic.

“Things have really changed in Malawi,” MG66 said after finding herself de facto leader of delegation.

“What are you talking about?” Sheikh Jean-Philippe wondered.

“Malawian society is highly patriarchal and it is surprising that I have been made leader of a delegation dominated by men,” Abiti Befu said.

“Why is Malawian society patriarchal when it’s 75% matrineal? Sometimes I wonder if women who fight for the promotion of women really understand what is holding Malawian women down.”

“Men are oppressing women using long-held customs, traditional and religious beliefs that hold that men are heads of households and family,” MG 66 explained.

“Why do the women accept to be dominated by men who are a minority in Malawi?” Sheikh Jean-Philippe asked.

“My experience is that behind every successful woman there is a man,” Native Authority Mandela said as he sipped at his glass of fantakoko.

“How do you mean?” MG 66 queried.

“We, men and women, in rural communities do everything together, eat together, think together and share responsibility,” Native Authority Mandela said.

Our leader of delegation, Abiti Joyce Befu, commanded that we leave Pambiche for Mangochi. I proposed to her that we ignore Mangochi boma because there was nothing for us to see. I argued that originally we had planned to come to Mangochi to march against those people who had used religion to confiscate public property, but since the saga was over, we had nothing to visit Mangochi for.

“What do you think?” Abiti Joyce asked Native Authority Mandela and Sheikh Jean-Philippe.

“Lead us, madam, lead,” Sheikh Jean-Philippe pleaded.

“I am trying to be democratic!”

“Democracy isn’t always the best approach to making critical decisions. So, madam leader of delegation, decide and we do we it!” Sheikh Jean-Philippe reasoned.

“We should leave for Liwonde in Machinga through the Bakili Muluzi Highway,” MG66 directed.

Indeed we started off and when we got to Mangochi Boma, we drove eastwards and crossed the Bakili Muluzi Bridge over the Shire River.

“This is a nice and sturdy structure,” Jean Philippe remarked.

“Thanks to Japanese taxpayers,” I said.

Nobody reacted. So we drove on. We stopped at Ntagaluka to see my tailor, Lemison Jairosi who plied his trade at Upile Kulekangana Grocery Shop. He was not there. Then we drove on up the Namwera hills past the headquarters of Traditional Authority Jalasi, Kapoloma, down to Ntaja and Liwonde.

Before we got to the Peoples Shop opposite the Liwonde Market, Native Authority Mandela asked us if we knew that Machinga was the only district in Malawi without a government boarding secondary school.

“But it has a teacher’s training college,” I said.

“So, where will the student teachers come from if the whole district has no government boarding school?” Native Authority Mandela asked.

“What’s surprising is that neither Bakili Muluzi who, by declaring Balaka a district also took away Balaka Secondary School from Machinga nor Bingu, nor Joyce Banda seem to care about Machinga,” MG66 said.

“Government owes the people of Machinga a decent boarding secondary. And we will march for it,” Native Authority Mandela said.