Mchacha and his vulgar mouth
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regional governor for the South, Charles Mchacha is an overzealous man who is trying badly to impress his master Peter Mutharika and his party. Mchacha thinks by insulting women who belong to other political parties, he is extolting his party. Churning out vulgarities is common among minibus touts, and Mchacha is a graduate of that school.
What is more disheartening is that when he slut-shame women, the womenfolk within the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), laughs and cheers him on. The DPP has never reprimanded Mchacha for his hate-filled speeches. This, is a sure sign that the party, including President Mutharika and his wife, endorse Mchacha’s sentiments. He has not said this once, but thrice and he gets away with it all the time.
Any politician worth their salt should know at least by now that Malawians are no longer interested in hate-filled campaign, rather they are for issued-based politics. Insulting political opponents doesn’t give any party an edge over the other, but only serves to show how shallow-minded the person is.
Whatever unresolved issues the DPP and Mchacha have against the UTM and its leadership, calling women prostitutes for exercising their political rights, is absurd.
In 2016, former president Joyce Banda complained about how women in politics are scandalised and called all sorts of names. JB is one of the many women who throughout their political career are scandalised and thrown in the mud by men who think by doing so they will gain political mileage.
People like Mchacha need to be reprimanded by their parties and any well-meaning Malawian. Insulting women will not give you more votes, if anything, it will reduce your chances of winning. What people want to hear are not vulgarities or loudmouths, but issues.
Right now, the national discourse is about encouraging women to meaningfully participate in politics—not just as mere dancers. Mchacha and men like him are scaring women away from participating in politics. This tendency of turning women’s sexuality into a weapon against them must stop.
Every decent Malawian ought to be angered by the likes of Mchacha and need to make a strong statement against demeaning women and promotion of hate speech. The first person to make such a statement should be the He4She Champion, President Mutharika. Mutharika should know that insulting women is not about the UTM or any political opponents, it is about morality. It is simply immoral to be insulting women, and any person simply because you hold different political views.
Mchacha’s vulgarities need to be condemned, and not rewarded with a ministerial position. How is he going to protect women with such a warped mind? If Mchacha has any political muscles, he should engage women on issues, not obscenities.
