Launch minus ‘a’ is lunch

July 20 2023

July 20 is a solemn day. It is a day to remember in Malawi. At the height of his rule in 2012, Bingu wa Mutharika told Malawians who threatened to go on the streets against his rule: “I will smoke you out.”

Prior to the planned demonstrations on the fateful day, supporters of his Democratic Progressive Party went about the streets wielding panga knives threatening the would-be demonstrators.

As Malawians went on the street, Bingu was addressing a public lecture. For him, all was well. He did not care at the time that, among other things, Malawians were complaining over the rise cost of living and, sadly, the fuel shortages in the country.

At the time, Bingu’s response was terse: “If there are fuel shortages in the country, go and sleep on the road and see if you will not be crashed.”

Ironically, the fuel shortages are daunting Malawi as they remember the 20 that died in 2011. Funny enough, the economic hardships that Malawians were facing in 2011 are not so much different from what they are facing right now. And the arrogance that Malawians were facing that year is not far from the executive arrogance in Malawi now.

Yet, there is a difference. Bingu was serving his second term when power absolutely got to his head. Malawians gave him an overwhelming vote after seeing his great performance in his first term. They gave him a whopping 62 percent majority. No Malawi leader has ever won the poll with such a margin.

Yet, the current leader Lazarus Chakwera is exposing non-challance as if he has already delivered on what he promised during the campaign for the Fresh Presidential Elections. Yet, all he is bringing us are launches of projects.

The numerous launches can only remind us of Peter Mutharika’s many laying of foundation stones for projects. We all know few of those projects were realised.

If you look at it, these launches end up being mere guises for political cronies, party cadres and some technocrats to enjoy some lunch, not only in the hotels, but also because of the allowances they pocket.

On July 27 2022, Chakwera launched the nationwide anti-corruption campaign following a conference on the same topic.

Since that time, efforts in the fight against corruption have gone the other way. The slogan was: Corruption is our biggest enemy and is not welcome here.

Yet, how many fertiliser deals have been botched? We need not go into the many deals exposed that border on corruption, fraud and colossal pilferage of government resources.

What is most disheartening is that some offenders have been shielded. They have gone scot-free entering into deals to buy fertiliser in butcheries, they have gone away with receiving stinking bribes from corrupt people in high places. You name it, they have it. And they come up with funny cover-ups.

At the very heart of corruption is the embezzlement of public funds, corruption of public procurement of goods and services and abuse of office. Some involved in these malpractices have gone scot-free, no arrests, their cases not taken to court and no judgements passed.

During the launch of the 2022 Agricultural Inputs Programme (the greatest cash cow in the government now) Chakwera promised an exit strategy. Yet, today we still hear of plans for the programme this year.

And, by the way, just before the AIP was launched that year, Chakwera had just inaugurated the Malawi Fertiliser Company’s Inland Port in Liwonde. This, we were told, would make transportation of the commodity easier from the port in Beira Mozambique.

May be the fertiliser from Romania will this year find its way to the inland port.

There have been so many launches on the ground. The time whatever is being launched will be implemented is only known to those in power.