We did not elect Kachali

Malawi Vice-President Khumbo Kachali should join Formula One car racing competition and prove his mettle against the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso on grids around the world. It seems to me there is no stopping for Kachali. He is by day gaining the reputation of making very serious political blunders as if he were born for it.

First, he has the guts to insult Malawians whose only crime is to ask their elected representatives to cut down on travel in the name of a new game in town: austerity. Instead of agreeing with Malawians, Khumbo goes vile, telling us to go hell, saying, after all, he does not go to our mothers’ homes.

The way he says it, is in the most derogatory manner one can say it. He did not call our mothers the rightful name but ‘anyoko’ in Chitumbuka. Those who know the language say this is the worst manner in which one can insult your mother. Its equivalent is ‘amako’ in Chichewa.

As if this was not enough, Kachali as Minister of Health masterminded the removal of hospital beds from Mponela to Mzimba, his home district, for campaign purposes to woo voters for the October 19 by- elections in the district.

All this happening within a space of a couple of weeks and, I dare say, it is too much for Kachali. My simple advice to Kachali is he must slow down because as the police always tells us, speed kills. Is it wrong for voters to ask for prudent use of taxpayers’ money in these days when government itself reminds us every day that we must all tighten our belts after DPP messed up our economy for Kachali to insult us?

Does he use personal money to travel everywhere he goes or it is taxpayers money which we pay through the nose? Does he appreciate the rough times Malawians are going through or he is busy enjoying the ride on the government gravy train to even notice that his constant travels are worsening the pain for the people?

I know Kachali has since apologised for the insult, but the apology is just to save face after the uproar his comments have caused. One thing Kachali must always remember is that he is in that position because of the accident of the death of BinguwaMutharika.

He was never on any presidential ballot in 2009 to have the guile of insulting Malawians. The PP has made it clear that the fact that Kachali is Vice-President now does not give him automatic right to partner President Joyce Banda to represent the party during the 2014 elections.

If I were Kachali, I would get worried and begin to strategise on how best I can find myself on the ballot.

I would be humble and appreciate the problems of the people other than being arrogant and living in the Ivory Tower. Unfortunately, the two blunders do not bode well for Kachali. He is a reliability PP can do without in 2014. He is on a dangerous speed that can only leave the Hamiltons and Alonsos of this world green with envy.

But we did not vote for Kachali and he should stop insulting Malawians.