Shame on you Dausi

The Minister of Homeland Security, Nicholas Dausi is known for saying incoherent big words that often are said out of context and make no sense at all. Dausi is also known for his sense of humour. He is not known for taking anything seriously, which is why many Malawians remain wary that such a joker heads an important ministry that demands some level of seriousness and level-headedness—all of which are lacking in Dausi.

He displayed his lack of sensitivity when he claimed that the abductions and killing of people with albinism are yet to get to levels where the people with albinism should hold vigils at State House and seek asylum. These remarks are quite unfortunate, especially coming from a Minister of Homeland Security, who is supposed to provide security to all Malawians and special security to people with albinism seeing that they have become a target for barbaric attacks.

Dausi’s remarks embode the true nature of the DPP-led government; it never takes anything with some level of seriousness it deserves. The remarks by Dausi are a clear indication of what goes on at the top of the DDP leadership radar—they gloss over problems thinking they will simply go away on their own, without direction and action from the leadership.

Just to jolt Dausi’s mind, it is reported that since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against people with albinism in Malawi has risen to 152, including 25 murders and more than 10 people missing, according to Association of People with Albinism in Malawi (Apam).

One life lost is one too many. As it is, any sane person would know that the attacks on people with albinism have already reached crisis levels and deserve the highest level of attention. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realise that people with albinism no longer feel safe—both at home and workplaces. Dausi and government should be spending their energy in ensuring that the security lapses the country is currently facing are tightened and people with albinism and, indeed, every other Malawian feel safe.

The criminal attacks on people with albinism is not a joking matter. Dausi’s insensitive remarks explain why to date, the police have been doing such a scrappy job and have failed to thoroughly investigate the attacks on people with albinism.

Dausi has still some sensibility left in him. He should make a public apology for his insensitive remarks. He has not only embarrassed himself, but the whole government machinery, including the President.n

experienced

Every candidate should know better that there is an evaluation before people start to vote. Candidates are checked on how best they have served the people in their areas and above all whether they can be trusted. It is their past which can detect the future which the candidates are voted on.

To start with, Malawi is a very poor country and for the past five years the situation has been worsening. Therefore, it is very strange to hear MPs, as well as President Peter Mutharika, claiming that they have developed their constituencies and the country, respectively.

If their claim is true, Malawi would not have been one of the poorest countries in the world. Most Malawians are fed up with this talk of this imaginary development. It is overdone during campaign so as to buy votes. Since it has no meaning and it is very irrelevant.

It is now a tradition that at every campaign rally held by President Mutharika, he narrates in a self-praise fashion all the development he has brought into the country. Honestly speaking, people clap hands just because of being brain-washed to appreciate even things they cannot see just to please the leader.

This behaviour has been retrogressive. It goes without saying that it is more sensible in campaigning that candidates should not be wasting time with self-praise by narrating their successes. Voters are intelligent enough to know what each candidate has done in the past and what he/she is likely to do in future.

Imagine, the President always says his government has improved the economy. How can this be when the same government has failed to stop corruption which is usually done by people with power. The President is also proud of his road construction together with the bridges. Unfortunately, most of them have been washed away during the first rains due to poor workmanship. Most likely, corruption has played a part. All in all, no matter how many times President Mutharika praises his government, due to the suffering Malawians are facing, they feel the government under his leadership has failed.

What is commonly seen at campaign meetings is that self-praise by candidates goes hand-in-hand with promises, which are never fulfilled. They are just said to buy votes. It is unfortunate that due to abject poverty politicians think they have the right to cheat people with empty promises.

Of late, President Mutharika has been promising people that once they vote him back in power he will develop Malawi to look like some European countries. Hearing this, his audiences hysterically clap hands even if they have no clue how countries in Europe look like. In fact, his promise is unbelievable because for the past five years, his government has dragged Malawians to worst poverty, never experienced before.

It is very sad that politicians, as stated in the above, take advantage of people’s ignorance and cheat their way into power. This is how the country has been impoverished.