Malawi needs decisive leaders

It is not surprising to hear our leaders lamenting political sabotage, corruption, vandalism and negligence in public service.

Recently, the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament reported that for three years, Malawi has failed to supply grain worth $900 000 to South Sudan.

How do we fluff this opportunity to bring the much-needed forex?

The report cites “institutional challenges”.

This negligence, clumsiness and sabotage can only end with decisive leadership.

Repeatedly, I hear President Lazarus Chakwera urging Malawians to be patriotic and refrain from corruption, vandalism and negligence.

In May this year, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi reported that vandalism was draining a whopping K70 million every month.

Lilongwe City Council also indicated that it was losing K2 million every week to replace vandalised property.

Do our leaders really have to beg the citizens for discipline?

Do they really need to go on their knees and crawl, pleading with public servants to do their job?

Negligence and sabotage should not be tolerated at all cost.

Leadership reflects the personality of the leader, the led and what they tolerate.

Even in a family, whoever leads sets the tone. 

When Lee Kuan Yew became the first Prime Minister of Singapore, he took steps and enforced values that gave a clear direction of where the nation was heading.

At the start of his administration, he cut civil servants’ salaries and jailed employers and employees who were frustrating government business and policies. He also imprisoned the corrupt without fear or favour for the good of his country.

Singapore’s gross domestic product more than doubled within the first decade of Lee’s regime.  

I am concerned about our leadership’s irregular efforts to induce in the citizenry the fear of malpractices that make the whole nation poor and chaotic.

When people think that they can get away with misdeeds, they run on rampage. They become slothful at best and beastly at worst.

When the corrupt go scot-free and those who abuse power get pardoned, it normalises corruption, mismanagement of public resources, abuse of power and negligence.

Italian political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli once said people never do anything good except by necessity.

“If they are left to their own devices, they will inevitably indulge in their baser appetites and everything is at once filled with confusion and disorder. But if their licence is restricted…, they can be induced to change their ways,” he reasoned.

I am dismayed that our leadership is wary of being branded as cruel even when some of the tolerated misdeeds ruin the nation and its future.

As such, it is so hesitant that it would rather watch the whole nation crumble right on its watch to save face.

Responsible parents would not idly watch their children step on burning coal, but stop them before the worst occurs.

Similarly, our leaders should stop this wait-and-see game. They should act decisively to restore law and order.

An antidote to this leadership style is a reset of consciences.

Principles that do not serve people have no moral value.

Leaders should exercise authority for greater good. Let our ideals justify our methods.

Mind-set change is the enabler number one of the Malawi 2063 long-term vision and one of the catalysts to the desired shift is visionary and transformative leadership.

Leaders who let themselves be frustrated by its citizenry and clearly outsmarted by the saboteurs cannot transform anything.

To fulfil its agenda for 2063, Malawi needs decisive leadership with a changed mind-set that can change the mind-set of the populace.

Let us for once learn to do the right thing.