The Weekend Nation of June 21 2014, the day President Peter Mutharika and First Lady Gertrude Maseko tied the knot, led with a news story on the first couple’s wedding. It was titled ‘Meet the Bride’. The story featured relatives of the bride and people from her home village in Balaka. Of the many comments the interviewees made, this one caught my attention, and it is a subject of this discussion: “The President marrying their own means one thing: Development to the area.”
For most Malawians, such expectations are normal. Yet, this comment points to one of the deeply rooted problems of democracy in Malawi. The comment suggests that the people of this area in Balaka would have expected less or nothing from President Mutharika had he not married one of their own.
We need to realise that as a State President, Mutharika has a duty to all Malawians whom the President swore to serve and protect, not a select few based on kinship, political affiliation or any other association. Mutharika got only 36 percent of the national vote, but this does not mean he should only serve those that voted for him. People of Lilongwe Central Constituency, where I come from, who have always voted for Malawi Congress Party, are equally entitled to development as people of Traditional Authority (T/A) Sawali in Balaka, where the First Lady comes from.
This mentality that presidents have to look after their own started during Bakili Muluzi’s reign and it has been entrenched into Malawians’ psyche over the years. Today, most Malawians do not see anything wrong with it. It has become acceptable. After Muluzi fell out with his deputy, Justin Malewezi, Muluzi went around de-campaigning Malewezi on the grounds that Malewezi had failed to develop his home district, Ntchisi for the 10 years he was vice-president. Yet, as vice-president, Malewezi, was responsible for the whole nation.
Of course, Muluzi said all this to gain political mileage. He was busy at the time selling his handpicked successor, the late Bingu wa Mutharika, to Malawians. This skewed ideology has sadly been normalised and it is part and parcel of the national psyche.
It is this mentality that makes Malawians sit and watch State resources being looted with impunity. Cashgate comes to mind. The Nation of Monday 23rd June 2014 reported on UDF leader, Atupele Muluzi, attributing Cashgate to bad leadership. Atupele’s point has some grain of truth. Yet, his statement is based on the same political blame games that hardly explains and solve any problem.
Limiting the scope of Cashgate to mainstream political players and analysis only cannot explain lack of collective public anger and action towards Cashgate. Cashgate symbolised not only political greed and corrupt governance structures, it also exposed a rotten national culture that makes us think it is alright for our leaders to amass as much unexplained wealth as possible while in power. Atupele’s father, Bakili is as responsible as any politician after him who has benefited from this culture.
For the first time in the history of Malawi’s democracy, there were political “debates” in the run up to the May 20 Tripartite Elections. Curiously missing in these debates was the issue of political party funding. Yet one of the most conspicuous images of that said electoral campaign was parading of SUV Hammers that may even be too expensive to move on Malawi’s potholed roads.
To most Malawians, the sight of such expensive cars is one to admire; those that dare to question it are judged as jealous. Here we have it, unexplained wealth as a campaign tool. These cars were only on the electoral parade because our politicians are aware that the majority of the electorate have already been brainwashed into submission. They will not question.
Malawians must learn to question without fear. Everyone has the ability to help shape a better Malawi.
I am aware that Malawi has not ideologically recovered from the effects of 71 years of colonialism and 30 years of ruthless dictatorship where leaders were demi-gods to be feared and revered.
These are different times, we are not at our leaders’ mercy; tables have turned, they are now our servants. We must check on them, demand accountability and effective service delivery for all Malawians. The oath our leaders take to serve and protect Malawi and all Malawians must serve its purpose.
