Telling our stories
Good people, not all is doom and gloom in our Malawi which has been mercilessly ransacked by a mafia-like syndicate at the Capital Hill.
While the big brother who directed the ‘cash-gate’ blockbuster still walks scot-free, two hot-off-the-press ratings show the Warm Heart of Africa’ did not become the heart of darkness yesterday.
Just last week, the country ranked fifth on CNN’s Lonely Planet Top Destination for 2014 – outclassing Mexico, Seychelles, Belgium, Macedonia and Malaysia in a feat deafeningly downplayed by the local media.
This week, Forbes Magazine named President Joyce Banda the most powerful woman on the continent, rated 47th in the global shortlist.
And the good news was properly positioned in the state-owned MBC’s bulletins and jingles touting Banda as a listening, caring and crowd-pulling leader – terms that are non-existent in Forbes’citations anyway.
It’s amazing how we amplify feats of powerful individuals while muting issues of national importance, those that nourish the economy just when the country has become a specimen of poverty and corruption in Western labs.
Ideally, government and the media should have summon their energies to highlight the reason the CNN bills the Warm Heart of Africa the continent’s topmost destination on the travel guide starring Brazil, Antarctica, Scotland and Sweden.
Of course, Brazil leads the pack because it hosts the World Cup next year. Runners-up Antarctica observes the centenary of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton’s expedition. Third-placed Scotland will stage Commonwealth Games.
Spectacularly, Malawi is up there mainly due to its inviting endowments–including Lake of Malawi which Scottish explorer David Livingstone christened Lake of Stars in 1859 and the wildlife Majete Game Reserve which became a haven of the top-five last year.
Sadly, a deactivated link to Malawi’s attractions on CNN’s website shows just how local writers, storytellers and travellers have failed to market the hidden treasures to the world.
I belatedly welcome Minister of Tourism and Culture Moses Kunkuyu to the ministry which embodies the good news about Malawi – the places to go, striking sightseeing, our way of life, the creative industries, and all that jazz. Let’s make some noise about Malawi’s stunning sides by telling our stories with pride.
