Parliament—the missing link in our democracy

If Parliament during the one-party state became the theatre for the hero-worshiping of the personage of Dr Kamuzu Banda, Parliament in the democratic era has been reduced to a lapdog of the executive. This accounts a great deal for the lack of progress on Malawi’s democratization project.

The abysmal performance of Parliament during the Banda era was understandable since the election of MPs at that time was not competitive and largely a charade. Then too, a good proportion of the MPs were appointed directly by Banda and the whole constitutional framework was in fact built around the personality of Banda who enjoyed unquestioned authority.

In sharp contrast to the one-party era, the election of MPs is now so highly competitive that less than half of the MPs are expected to be elected consecutively for more than two terms. This fact shows that MPs are held accountable by the electorate at the polls.

But the level of accountability that MPs are exposed to at the constituency level has not translated into a stronger Parliament. On the contrary, Parliament remains the weakest branch of government, lacking a character of its own and always playing second fiddle to the executive.

This has resulted in perceptions that our Constitution gives too much power to the President and the executive. The truth is that it does not. The various branches of government and government watchdogs are expected to discharge their responsibilities if we are to ensure that the power equilibrium established by the Constitution is maintained.

A number of factors account for Parliament’s poor performance thus far. Chief among these is the lack of understanding amongst MPs of the role of Parliament and among both MPs and the electorate of the role of MPs. For purposes of this article, let us concentrate on the former.

Malawian MPs collectively do not seem to understand that Parliament is an important and independent pillar of the state, that its existence is independent of the aggregate of its members at a particular time, and that it has a higher purpose than that of an existing government.

Rather they see it as a stepping stone to an executive appointment, a key to the instruments of power especially the public purse. Thus, there appears to be no pride in the institution, its traditions and integrity, and MPs seem to feel no compunction to flout parliamentary decorum, procedures and etiquette in order to please the executive.

As a supreme deliberative organ, Parliament is expected to play a crucially important role in national policy debates, including in forcing the executive into ideas-led governance, a practice which remains elusive in our context, and holding the executive accountable for the ideas it last committed itself to.

The responsibility for holding the executive accountable does not just lie with opposition MPs. Ruling party MPs are also constitutionally obliged to exercise oversight over the executive. MPs abdicate their constitutional responsibility when they shield the executive from being held accountable in Parliament or when they uncritically support whatever the executive says.

For their part, opposition MPs are not expected merely to serve as a reactive sparring partner for government policy and legislative proposals. They are also expected proactively to make concrete policy and legislative proposals even though they are not in government.

Without an effective Parliament, the Executive has benefited by claiming more powers and then used them to trample further on Parliament, to neutralize the judiciary and to abuse citizens directly and indirectly.

The hung Parliament that now exists presents a window of opportunity for Parliament to reclaim its space and establish itself as an essential pillar of Malawi’s young democracy.

How the mighty have fallen

Moses Dossi is an interesting man.

He was an interesting man as the ‘man on the touchline’ as he filed one report after another on MBC and later on BBC. Politics is an interesting subject and Dossi himself being an interesting man, he tried his hand at the craft. He won some, he lost some. He won a parliamentary seat and was appointed sports minister.

In some battles in his political life, the odds were so overwhelmingly stuck against him you almost felt sorry for him, if not a little amused. He faltered, picked and dusted himself up and soldiered on, to fight another day, another lost hope.

For instance, he contested against the late Bingu wa Mutharika for the presidential candidacy of the United Democratic Front (UDF) for the 2004 elections. Save for Dossi (and a handful daredevil supporters), it was fait accompli for everyone that Mutharika would win. So keen was he to remain an interesting fellow, in 2012 he challenged Atupele Muluzi for the leadership of UDF. His supposed popularity turned out to be delusional.

He was indubitably interesting when he marched on the streets of London, the United Kingdom, to raise funds for the perennially underfunded Flames. Legend has it that he raised far less than it would cost a round trip by bus from Blantyre to Lilongwe, let alone a round trip to London.

One would have assumed that after that London fiasco, he would put his fundraising days behind him, slither into obscurity never to rise again. But the man cannot just be put down.

Dossi emerged on Wednesday with a fundraising proposal that is as preposterous as it is comical. Gwanda Chakuamba—a legend as much for his political flip-flopping as it was for the positions he has held—is down on his luck and the State, according to Dossi, should assist for he can barely pay his utility bills and can only keep Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) at bay for so long.

In his proposal, Dossi wants the State to provide Gwanda with a house to live in (read a free house), a vehicle (obviously fuelled by the same taxpayer who provided the vehicle) and a monthly stipend ranging between K300 000 and K400 000.

Chakuamba may have done a lot for some people. Legend has it that when Chakuamba was all powerful in the mighty Malawi Congress Party before he fell foul of the authorities, he used his personal resources to pay school fees for a lot of people in the Lower Shire. Whether that alone, if true, qualifies him for State subventions is a moot point.

We could name hundreds of others who have contributed equally, if not more for this country, who are living a pauper’s life; the folks who cannot afford a meal, those who are living in ramshackle shelters that are at the mercy of the elements, those whom neither the water boards nor Escom counts among customers.

There are thousands of people who are more deserving of an MHC house, potable water and a salary of K300 000. There are some medical personnel who are taking care of this nation’s pains and teachers who are shaping this country’s future who could do with only half of what Dossi is proposing for an itinerant politician who swung on the political circuit like an out of control pendulum.

Besides, if we start bailing out political retirees for their dubious contributions to the nation, where are we going to draw the line?

By the way, isn’t Chakuamba the same person who nearly bankrupted the nation (well, I used that term with tongue in cheek) when he bought, without authorisation, a BMW X5 while he was Minister of Agriculture in 2005 for K10 million at a time when Malawi was experiencing hunger?

When rebuked about his expensive tastes, Chakuamba reportedly responded: “Even if you asked Kamuzu, that’s the car I love, a BMW.” That is the sort of arrogance which Dossi wants the State to fund.

Of course, Gwanda was way ahead of his time with his purchase; it was ages before Mutharika had discovered his love of excess. When Mutharika withdrew the vehicle, Chakuamba threw a tantrum and left in a fit. Maybe, if Chakuamba had been patient just a little bit, he wouldn’t be crying out now for the State’s help .

Chakuamba’s children are in the US; there are people in the villages with children who are beyond economic redemption but they don’t rush to the government seeking favours.

One of the songs banned under Kamuzu’s rule had lyrics which went like ‘zamahala zinatha kale achimwene’ and I would encourage Dossi and Chakuamba to listen to it.