Dausi dozing on the job
The Minister of Homeland Security, Nicholas Dausi is snoring on the job and is clearly not the right man to safeguard the security of Malawians.
He is a jovial good fella, but that’s it, nothing more. In fact, Dausi should not have been entrusted with any ministerial position, save for the party one. Dausi, a man who loves to joke, never takes anything seriously and that should worry any Malawian concerned with their individual security and that of the country.
The day I came to know that Dausi is sleeping on the job was on Wednesday, September 25, when five people, including activist and Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) member Billy Mayaya, were severely beaten during the anti-Jane Ansah demonstrations in Blantyre.
There were running battles between HRDC protesters and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters—which Dausi calls “people dressed in DPP party colours”.
In the fracas, Mayaya was hit with an iron bar.
After the police dispersed the protesters, the same police escorted the DPP supporters on their unsanctioned march. Weird!
When Dausi was asked by various media houses if he knew what had happened, he said he wasn’t aware of what had transpired at the march. Now, this is a Minister of Homeland Security and one would think that as a standard practice he does get security situation updates on an hourly basis.
Dausi’s response was an admission that he is not doing his job and there is disorder in his office. This is a cause for concern. When, later, legislators took him to task, Dausi could no longer hide behind the ministerial coat. He simply had to reveal his true nature—a DPP stooge blind to the task he is expected to carry as Minister of Homeland Security.
The blame-game coming from Dausi was not necessary. The expectation was that in his ministerial statement on the incident Dausi would strongly condemn violence regardless of who perpetrated it. The other expectation was to address Malawians on steps taken to bring the culprits to book.
I know Dausi loves a good laugh and jokes, but this isn’t a laughing matter. Things have already gotten out of hand because President Mutharika has failed to step up to the plate.
Get to work Mr. Dausi. You cannot afford to slumber in such a volatile situation the country is in now.