Peace, not mere absence of war

 September 22, 2022

September 21 is the International Day of Peace. This is a day peoples of the world reflect on that diamond for existence: Peace.

In Theologico-Political Treati s e , the I talian philosopher captures the essence of peace. Although he wrote in 1670, it rings true today than ever before.

Peace, he wrote, is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.

The first Malawi leader Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda used to claim Malawi was a land of peace, calm, law and order. Even his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was built on the premise of peace, tranquility and progress, apart from the four cornerstones of unity, loyalty, obedience and discipline.

Peace is vital. Peace is necessary. Without peace, we all run mad.

It is difficult to say if today Malawi is a peaceful nation. It is very difficult to say if Malawians are peaceful.

In the first place, we agree is not at war, military warfare, we can’t say we are totally at peace.

Peace is also supposed to entail a virtuous existence. We have so many so-called honourable people in our midst, who are supposed to show us the way to virtue, but are they?

We are not at peace of people devoid of virtue are at the helm.

Virtuous people must be upright and should stand on higher moral grounds. If leaders promote a spirit of nepotism, in-grained corruption, total fraud and deplorable dishonesty are not fit to lord it over a peaceful people.

Peace, Spinoza continues, is a state of mind. This, ultimately, is the socialization of peace.

You are not at peace when you spend a quarter of your time seeking where to get fuel. There is no peace at all when you spend hours on end on the queue at one gas station where you find the commodity. Is it peace enough when you are the next to refuel the pump returns to desert-like dryness?

There is absolutely no peace where electricity becomes the Holy Grail.

You have no peace where your businesses are failing to operate due to lack of power.

This very week, the Ministry of Education released a report 3 546 primary and secondary school students died last year alone. There is no peace to learn that that is an average of 10 pupils being sent to early graves, mostly because of lack of proper medical care. If you find peace in such a state, you have another working definition.

The question has been raised on the legality or illegality for the country’s citizens to foot the medical bills for Mary Chilima, the spouse to the Vice-President. A leaked memo (whether leaked at the Office of President and Cabinet or the State House is beside the point) shows a reminder to President Lazarus Chakwera to allow Treasury to release K311 million for her treatment in South Africa. It is disturbing that the amount is a little higher than what three constituencies can get in the Constituency Development Fund.

There is no peace without justice. Often, it is said, there is peace where justice is seen to be done. It is always bothering to see how much peace does the former President Bakili Muluzi has, where justice has not been served on him for about 20 years. How the wheels of justice have been slow on his corruption charges is baffling. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Who will grant Muluzi some peace the day the rest of the world will know he is guilty or not guilty?

Where there is no justice, there is no peace. Which is why some people can go on the street to protest against the selective justice on Mussa John, found guilty of chamba possession. Why the courts did not offer an option for a fine will only bamboozle you.

One needs not repeat what has already been said that others found in possession of heavier loads of the hemp were only asked to pay a fine.

Prison is meant to reform people. Obviously, the boy has learnt his lesson by now and it certainly must please His Excellency, as the Law states, to pardon the young offender.

Peace is the disposition for benevolence. Yes, this is the nature and character in one to do good. If you have the prospensity to spend at the expense of your subjects, you scarcely have peace. You scarcely have peace.

By the way, how much longer are we at the Unga?

May peace be upon us all.