January 2 2025
Greetings from the Munda wa Chitedze Farm, away from the hustle and bustle of your city. Here, we are all in peace, and only in peace.
May this peace come to you with best wishes for a prosperous New Year. And this is no ordinary year, by their works you shall see them, whether they be leaders or dealers.
If you look around, you already see their works! You see, there is something about Malawian politicians—they love to see you suffer, then they will appear and pretend to come to your rescue. They become Father Christmases in no time.
Here at the Munda wa Chitedze Farm, we have already seen a growing number of ‘ambulances’. The last time I checked, an ambulance is supposed to be some form of a mobile clinic. So, how do you call a Toyota Vanette that has neither medical equipment nor supplies an ambulance?
It is for weirdo campaign strategies. They want to sway folks surrounding the farm that if this shadow parliamentarian is able to provide an ambulance when he/she is merely campaigning what more will he/she do when we elect him/her?
Then, the other candidate has brought a number of Miras close to the farm. He is offering ‘free driving lessons’ to youthful would-be voters! Their parents are filled with glee that this is the person to vote for because soon their sons and daughters will be going to your city.
You see, these are dealers, not leaders. Malawi doesn’t need them.
But, unfortunately, it is these dealers, not leaders, who are on the prowl as we edge towards the September 16 General Election.
Then, you see there is a mushrooming bunch of philanthropists going about with bags of maize and cash to give out to all and sundry. You see, at the farm the women who went to Beijing told us one big lesson they learnt from there: Teach someone how to fish, don’t give them fish!
Yo u s e e , w o m e n empowerment has nothing to do with cash handouts. On the other hand, perceptions about money are totally different. Some don’t believe in mtukula pakhomo as a way out of poverty. Or, is it?
So many will come about with handouts, especially food. And then, you see, they will label the food in the party insignia, symbols and emblems, and their names. For what? That message of the helper will spread far and wide.
Many more will come promising the moon, and other lies. The dealers are good at it. They promise you, but never make good of their promises. They promise you austerity measures, but they overspend to boot.
The dealers will claim a fight against corruption, but they will intimidate the graft and fraud busters in the wee hours of the morning, when they are not yet out of their pyjamas.
They will implicate them in funny manners and they don’t have the shame at all! Those are dealers, not leaders.
Dear Diary, excuse my dear villagers around the Munda wa Chitedze Farm who may get carried away with these dealers, people who can do anything for their own personal gains. Unlike leaders who can do all they can for the sake of their people.
Dealers love to see you suffer in long queues for basic necessities. That way, they will be able to create opportunities from your mishaps and create journeys to seek solutions for your sake.
At the farm, we are not so much given to these dealers who buy fertilisers from butcheries.
But, make no mistake, the dealers are on the other side of the wall as well. They appear to be better leaders today because they are nowhere near the true corridors of power. Give them a centimetre, they will get a kilometre.
Malawi needs leaders, not dealers. Right now, we must wait for the next Cabinet reshuffle, or is it appointment? No change at all.
Peace and only peace reigns at the Munda wa Chitedze Farm.
