Restrictions imposed on researchers, Marriage Bill

On page 23 of Weekend Nation of February 14 2015, there is an advertisement by the director general of the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) which prima facie imposes unprecedented restrictions on the progress of social science and humanities in Malawi.

In the last paragraph of the advertisement, members of the public and stakeholders are advised to make enquiries from a given address.

As the advertisement is of concern to most scholars and researchers, I thought my own enquiry should be through the press so that I receive clarification through the same media which can be read by other interested parties.

From the advertisement, we learn that in 2013, government set up NCST with powers and functions to advise the government and other stakeholders on all science and technology matters. NCST operates through committees.

The advertisement in question is about the functions and powers of the National Committee on Research in the Social Science and Humanities (NCRSSH). My understanding is that social science comprises subjects like sociology, psychology, anthropology and economics. The term humanities includes subjects like languages, history, geography and philosophy.

The specific terms of references for the NCRSSH are inter alia: “To review, vet and clear research proposals in line with the existence, legislation and national guideline in the social science and humanities originating from researchers and institutions where there no relevant functional institutions, research ethics review committees that are recognised by the National Commission for Science and Technology.”

In several paragraphs, the advert refers to ethics in conducting the research. Those who are already engaged in research in social science and humanities without prior approval of the NCRSSH are required to ask for the necessary approval by March 17 2015. Those who continue researching without approval are liable to imprisonment for three years and a fine of K100 000 or to an amount equivalent to the financial gain generated by the offence.

The advert seems to take us back to the Kamuzu/MCP era when anyone who wrote a book about Malawi and Malawians had to submit his manuscript to the Censorship Board for vetting, and if the book was published without prior vetting, government on the advice of the Censorship Board would ban it. It is up to the authors of the advert in question to disabuse me of this interpretation.

During colonial days and after one-party rule, many books were and have been published in Malawi which could be categorised as humanities or social sciences. There have been written dictionaries of Chinyanja/Chichewa, Chitumbuka, anthropological studies of the Ngoni, Yao, Chewa such as Children of their Fathers, A Yao Village, and MbiriYaAchewa. Biographies have been written such as An Independent African and Let Us Die For Africa, both of them concerning John Chilembwe.

Many years of research into the history of Malawi have ended with the publication of a History of Malawi by John McCracken and History of Malawi by D.D. Phiri.

Journalists have sometimes published in papers like Weekend Nation or Sunday Times what they learned  from sages regarding marriage or burial customs of their tribes. Are we to conclude that all people intending to do similar work in future must first obtain the approval of NCRSSH?

The author of these statutes were much concerned about ethics in conducting the research. Ethics means a set of moral principles. What will it mean violating moral principles? Did religious fundamentalists have a hand in drafting these statutes.

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When the Marriage Bill was passed by Parliament recently, MPs complained that it had been stampeded through and it had not been referred to the relevant committees.

Some complained that only female members of Parliament had been given ample time to speak on the bill.

A spokesperson of the ministry concerned has claimed that there had been 10 years consultation on the Marriage Bill. Such claims were also alleged after the flag was changed. Sometimes consultations are made only with people of like mind. I would appeal to the President to withhold his assent to the bill until those who have objections are given an ear.