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Politics
PDM justifies existence after Mkandawire’s exit
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By Catherine Chimzimu, Nyasa Times |
January 26, 2012 · 20 Comments |
The Peoples’ Development Movement (PDM) says it is bigger than any of its members regardless of name, financial status or creed because it is more than a political party.
PDM Spokesperson Msenga Mlungu said PDM is a movement therefore like all political movements its survival is based on commitment to particular ideals that transcend individuals including those in leadership.
According to Mlungu, a federal system of government remains the party’s most important ideal.
Mkandawire: Ditched PDM for PP
“PDM advances this position openly without any malice or evil intentions, and consistent with the freedoms of association and expression of God given ideas, as enshrined in the constitution. To be a PDM member one must believe in this ideal,” he said.
Former PDM Secretary General Harry Mkandawire ditched the party in December 2011 and joined Peoples’ Party (PP) of State Vice President Joyce Banda.
Announcing his resignation at a PP rally at Mzimba Boma, Mkandawire said had no chance to unseat DPP in 2014.
Mkandawire, who helped found PDM, was a major benefactor to the party’s coffers particularly during the Rumphi Central bye elections which Aford won.
But Mlungu said PDM will move on.
“People have speculated about PDM dying. Movements do not die because they are an idea. Movements are bigger than an individual and survive beyond any personality. Members may die, resign and or move on but not an idea, not an ideology,” Mlungu said.
He said this in a press statement released on Tuesday titled “Issues of leaving and joining the Party” and a copy made available to Nyasa Times.
“People joining PDM do so with sobriety in its ideology and must believe and live it. Those in PDM only for the sake of political power are in the wrong boat. Those in PDM must be there first as believers of the ideals and through that attain power for the selfless service of others,” Mlungu said.
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Tags: federal system, Harry Mkandawire, Msenga Mulungu, PDM
20 Responses to “PDM justifies existence after Mkandawire’s exit”
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In reference to my coment, Aston Cheyo Nyondo has agreed to disagree with my core line of thought. He has however not responded to my conclusion that it is people, not the system, whose mindset should be changed for positive attitude towards nation-building. Malawi has the executive, legislature and judiciary as three independent arms of government. Nyondo has emotionally lamented the fact that only central and southern people have headed the executive. What he has avoided mentioning is the fact that northerners Rodwell Munyenyembe and Richard Banda have headed the legislature and the judiciary. Nyondo has invain tried to create a picture of biaseless northerners versus biased central and southern people regarding voting. This is utter falsehood. The north overwhelmingly voted for Chakufwa Chihana in 1994, and voted for Chakwamba in 1999 and 2004 simply because he was deputised by north’s Chihana and Aleke Banda respectively. In real essence, no region has been exclusively home-oriented. For example, southerners and northerners generally welcomed central Kamuzu Banda when the centre was sceptical in late 1950s, northern Kasungu voted for north’s Chihana while Ntcheu opted south’s Bakili Muluzi as Chikwawa and Nsanje preferred centre’s Banda in 1994. Furthermore, Nyondo agrees with me on the challenges of every system of government. But, whilst claiming that federalism is the solution to the defaults of current unitary system, he hardly offers solutions to the problems of his prefered federal system. Instead, he creates an utopia kind of Malawi apparently to be realised after embracing a federal constitution. He does not bother to tell us any country where unity, responsibility and industriousness have ever been a product of federalism. Finally, Nyondo alleges that Kanyama Chiume supported dictatorship in accordance with his position as a minister of dictatorial Kamuzu Banda. Yet quiet certain is that real people stand by their principles. That is why principled Chipembere, Aaron Gadama, Twaib Sangala, Dick Matenje etc opposed Banda. Dictatorship can only survive if influential personalities opt to sustain it. Malawi needs sincere intellectuals, not ordinary demagogues. I repeat that Malawi’s problem is people’s mindset, not the unitary system. Asakunamizeni anthu adyerawa
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ReplyIts sad that most people have taken politics as one way of getting out of problems and most of them are those who dont understand what politics are.what i know is pdm will never die but confused people like those ones will die.I SAY LET THOSE WHO CAME TO LOOK FOR MONEY GO!ITS THEIR HABIT THEY WILL NEVER SUCCEED.AND IN OTHER WAYS THEY WILL GIVE ROOM TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD HELP IN CONTRIBUTING IDEAS.NOW THAT HE IS A CONFUSED POLITICIAN. HE DIDNT FORM PDM HE CAME TO DISTURB
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ReplyReality has said that northerners are “not free from autocracy”. In effect Reality says we as nation have a tendency to despotism. Agreed. Therefore was call for federalism. Anyhow to my recollection and knowledge none of promotors of the federal system has said dictatorship in Malawi is the monopoly of the Centre and the South. But it these Regions that have occupied the Presidency. All three dictators in varying degree. The is no way of gauging the governship character of the North having never been President
Kanyama Chiume was only a Minister who knew was serving under the dictator and thus perhaps spoke those words for his safety. Kanyama cannot be a yardstick
Norherners”are not free of autocracy”. Therefore some of us (the vast majority are Northerners)call for the federal system for our country. No one promised that there is one system that is without flaws. The Unitary State that is now Malawi has proved unsuitable for one and one main reason only: No Northerner will ever be President of Malawi. You hear these words from many a person in the Centre and the South. On our way to Malawi mid September 2010 in a bus there were passengers at one seat who spoke these very words. James Banda who had been with me was appalled and angry. He being born in South Africa heard these words for the first time. I calmed him down. I was used to hear the words from time to time in my days in Blantyre
In voting the Northerners have behaved as a nation. They have often voted for in their opinion a promising candidate irrespective of Region. The same cannot be said for the Southerners nor the Centreluers
Uranium is not a factor here. After all minerals must of necessity belong to the country and the Federal Government Not to a province. Federalism is chiefly about constitutional division of of government between the Centre and the provinces. Some here have explained the system very well. I need not repeat
The faults with federslism Reality has listed are no reasons that we should be afraid to go federal. The devil that we now has is too evil that we would not continue to accept it. Our country is already divided on regional boundaries Reality. You have so confirmed in your comments reading the unspoken. That consciusnes that the civil service is dominated by the Northerners is another witness to a divided country. It would not be dominance if we were one. It would not be an issue. Yet it is an issue and I suppose the reason the South would wish to instead dominated politics as the Centre did for the first 32 years
Federalism will make all the citizens aware of the need for one another. Malawi will as a result be truly united
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ReplyI support PMD with their federalism idea. Malawi need federalism than going for the Mutharika dynasty which most mulhako supporters are advocating for. No region should oppress others as it is now in malawi. With federalism there wouldn’t be quota system. Those Norherners who support the oppression of their people do so to enrich themselves, and they have no interests in uplifting Malawians lives. The unitary system and dictatorship are the ones which brought Malawi to its knees.
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ReplyWho told you that Tumbuka’s are failures? Ukufuna boko haram eti? It took Chihana a Tumbuka to Liberate us from One party system of Government. Ndiwe mtundu wanji wa munthu iweyo?
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ReplyI believe PDM not only will it survive but also will grow to be the most potent movement in the North and the country. A movement being a whole is greater than its parts. That is the nature of an organisation. Mlungu is right
PDM is the only party inside the country which hase spelt out a bold vision. That vision is Federalism. Mr Mlungu hasn’t minced words. Time is long past for Malawi to begin moving forward. That cannot happen under the present Unitary State. Two or three generations of Malawians are lost generations – generations that have lived on earth having done nothing worth. Generations that have had no opportunities to realise hopes and dreams. Generations whose lot have been dictatorships, poverty brought about by bad governments populated by self serving people who properly could be describe gangsters
Federalism holds out the promises of responsible and responsive government. And opportunities. The young will have opportunities either at provincial level or at national level be it in public service or in the private sector. Political, civil and professional. Name it
Come with us to make our country a better place for all its citizens and all the people that live in it. A country that takes its place of honour amongst the nations of the world
I believe that’s the kind of Malawi we all want
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ReplyHonourable Msenga Mlungu you have spoken those with ears have heard. “PDM is bigger than any of its members and its survival is based on commitment to particular ideal. A federal system of government remains the party’s most important ideal”. Waaaaa! What else do other people want to know? The northern minority vote should never ever be wasted on crooked politicials who will never respect you once in office. Once bitten twice shy.
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ReplyFederalism is the only solution to the political system we have in Malawi. Malawi is a volcano that is ready to erupt any time. There is a lot of anger that is seething underneath everybody. The Mutharika brothers run Malawi like it is their own personal property.They are corrupt and looters too. We can’t continue with a system that give the president absolute powers without accountability.
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ReplyThere was no justification for its existence even when Harry Mkandawire was there. Kusowa chochita basi agalu amenewa.
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ReplyNeither is the unitary system our core problem nor is federalism our key solution. It is easy to point fingers at the central Kamuzu and southern Muthalika as dictators, but that does not make northerners free of autocracy. Northerners have also implanted and nurtured dictatorship in mother Malawi. For example, on 24 May 1964 Kanyama Chiume, a northerner hinted, “I see nothing wrong with dictatorship”. He also composed the song “zones zimene mza Kamuzu Banda in 1961. The quota system is bad to Malawi as a whole, but northerners fail to embrace a national tone when addressing issues. They have always done so since their description of the Skinner report as anti-northern in 1964. (see the Cabinet Crisis in Philip Short’s Banda). People should also assess what is happening in federal states rather than just listing them. Corruption is very high in South Africa, and its northwest province is yet to have a state owned university. Nigeria is federal and rotates its presidency, but that has not safeguarded it from becoming a sick-man of Africa. As for Ethiopia, it is a miserable story of its own kind. In 2003, George W. Bush dragged the federal USA into invading Iraq despite protests by American citizens both within and outside the country. Thus, the greatest challenge we have are talkative people who speak things they hardly understand and assume positions they can hardly manage. Federalism shall have many, complex and lasting effects; Mikakumbire has highlighted on some of them. Federalism can not reduce the power heaped on the Malawi president; it can not stop Malawians from worshipping a president for constructing a road; it will aggravate the problem of disunity etc. People, not systems bring change – unitary system never writes/amends the Malawi constitution; be reasonable. Northerners should not be fooled that uranium and other minerals recently discovered in the north guarantee development; check with Nigeria. Functional citizenry is the best resource societies need for development in the 21st century. People from the centre and the south are aware of the northern monopoly of job opportunities, but we accept it as the price of oneness; what is so wrong with northerners that they should attribute Muthalika mistakes to the whole south? Wake up Malawi. The country belongs to us and our offsprings; be foresighted.
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