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Kapito or Jumbe: Who speaks for you?

By the time we finished taking the haram drinks at Gomeka’s pub-cum-grocery shop, our police officer friend, Joto, decided to go back to his post. We tried to plead with him not risk his life since Chiweta was a bit far.

He, Joto, told us off. He informed us that the roadblock at Chiweta was being moved out to another place along the Chiweta Karonga Road. As such he needed to be around and participate in the roadblock dismantling. When I guessed that the new roadblock would be at Chilumba Garrison, Joto laughed before asking us if it made sense to erect a police roadblock next to a military barracks.

“Barracks?” I asked.

“Chilumba Garrison is now a full military barracks. It was launched in Lilongwe recently”, Joto answered between hiccups.

“Chilumba Barracks was launched in Lilongwe; not at Chilumba?” Jean-Philippe asked haltingly.

“What do you want me to say? I reserve the right to arrest you both,” Joto threatened.

“Why?”

“Engaging in activities likely to cause breach of the peace; loitering, rogue and vagabonding! Eating and smoking chamba. There are many reasons I can give to justify your arrest. Or I can arrest you and find a reason for arresting you later.”

“I will protest and plead that you took our haram drinks!” I joked.

“That constitutes bribing an officer on duty. I can still arrest you,” Joto said before bidding us adieu as he disappeared into the Chitimba dark night. I called him back to get something for his family. But he was gone.

Marie, Jean-Guy and the other white girl, who had not talked, left the pub-cum-grocery shop, leaving Jean-Philippe, me, and Gomeka Junior behind. I called for two haram drinks. Jean-Philippe asked me why I had not bought anything when our newfound friends were around. I told him without blinking an eye that I had long stopped buying and distributing haram drinks anyhow.

“You’re getting smarter everyday you are with me,” Jean-Philippe mocked.

“From you I have learnt to be stingy,” answered.

“Stingy is not the right word. Instead, you have learned to save and invest,” Jean-Philippe lectured.

I ignored him and instead I turned to Gomeka Junior. I asked him if it was safe for us to drive up to Livingstonia in the night.

“Not in your state. When were you last here?”

“2011.”

“Then you know that some of the sharp bends on the Golodi Road have been widened and cemented. But, driving up that road inebriated as you are is like jumping into an oncoming train,” Gomeka advised.

I explained to Jean-Philippe what Gomeka and I had been discussing in Chiphoka. Jean-Philippe agreed that we spend the night and drive up the 21 bends the following morning. To keep us busy, Gomeka Junior bought us a haram drink each.

“I am a bit confused. John Kapito has been very vocal about the devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha. He has been saying that the devaluation has impoverished the poor even more. We agreed with him and I understand some people even marched in the streets of Blantyre and Lilongwe to demonstrate their displeasure. Joyce Mhone has also been saying the same thing….”

“Joyce Mhone?”

Enya na; mlala wa Kongoma. This boss of all NGOs.”

“You mean Voice Mhone?”

“Correct. That one has been very vocal too and even threatened to march against the devaluation!”

“So, what confuses you?”

“Felix Jumbe, the president of farmers, was on MIJ Radio yesterday saying the devaluation was good because it benefitted farmers. Now that the kwacha has appreciated, his farmers will suffer. So who is right between the two?”

“Both. Tobacco farmers, for whom Jumbe speaks, earn in US dollars and spend in kwacha while consumers, for whom Kapito speaks, earn in kwacha and spend in kwacha. So, the more the kwacha the dollar can buy the better for those who earn in US dollars. Because devaluation leads to inflation, the kwacha earners spend more of their kwachas to buy commodities while the US dollar earners see no change.”

“What’s inflation?” Gomeka Junior asked, rather puzzled.

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