We, followers of the most impeccable, the most unimpeachable leader of delegation, Professor MS Joyce Befu, MG 33 and the Most Excellent Grand Achiever (MEGA-1), would like to commend all Malawian politicians for behaving very well during the campaign and for not causing violence. They gave each other the opportunity to use venues freely and talked freely, largely without insulting each other and without inciting us, their employers.
So, at 6am tomorrow the electoral campaign closes. Anyone who campaigns, thereafter, are liable to a jail-term. We hope nobody will deliberately defy this rule. If you have been unable to say something convincing in 60 days to sway people, there is nothing you can say now when people have already made their minds.
As the din on radio, TV, in social media, and in the streets dies down, we need to amplify that message peace. Pastors, apostles, reverends, bishops, lay preachers and imams and mufti this is your responsibility. Ensure to tame the language of all to accept the electoral result. As Levison Matafale sang, there is no loser in democracy as both the declared winner and the supposed loser will proceed to Parliament to make laws, harsh laws.
The two leading contenders for the presidency are Lazarus Chakwera and Arthur Peter Mutharika. Whoever does not win will proceed home to receive his fat pension, which includes bodyguards for life, salary for life, cars and drivers for life. The vice-presidents, who, both, have never won an election, will also proceed home to receive their windfall. And so will, the Speaker of Parliament.
The two candidates have split the country almost in half. For the two, the campaign has been aimed at solidifying their tribes. And we can hic et nunc and with fear of contradiction, that the Chewa vote will generally be for Chakwera and the Lhomwe will vote for Mutharika. The two candidates are aware of this, know this and are very proud of this.
We have solid evidence of voter patterns since 1993. UDF used to win because it rode on the Lhomwe and Yao vote. However, this trend was dismantled in 2005 when Bingu wa Mutharika formed his DPP and Mulakho wa Alhomwe with the Lhomwe as the political grouping that formed the base of DPP.
Other tribes that matter in elections are the Ngoni of Mzimba and Ntcheu.
So, poor voters should not kill and die for them. The poor voters should remember that the majority of them have already received their pay. The money, clothing, they have been receiving is their pay for the next five years. They should not be surprised when they do not see their MP until the next election in 2030. Their solace is the Constituency Development Fund, which is implemented by the DC’s office, with or without the MP’s presence.
So, let us go and vote knowing that there is life after these elections. That we will still be responsible for our families, our bills, our rents, and our struggles of life, alone.
