Mutharika-Ntata ‘talk’: Helpful or harmful?

The office of the president may not have a job description. True. That be true as it may, it is certainly every citizen’s expectation that whosoever is president will act in a manner reasonably expected of a president; and, sad to add that picking fights is sure not one such expectation.

 Z. Allan Ntata: Am keen for good governance in Malawi
Z. Allan Ntata: Am keen for good governance in Malawi

The above may somewhat be too much of an expectation given the fact that the president is human too—he has feelings capable of being hurt. That is the reason why, at the risk of courting criticism, the president’s move in suing one Allan Ntata may not be entirely unpresidential.

That being said, however,it is now almost obvious that the president has had his feelings hurt so much so that he has left government business to fate. This becomes clear when, only a few days after the Ntata-Nyasatimes legal suit, government released a press statement to the effect that Allan Ntata is one tried and tested fellow. It is at this point that we now ask, “Is this APM-Ntata empty talk helpful or harmful?”.

The quick answer will be it is. Yes, this empty talk is both helpful and harmful. However, caution has to be sounded here that the empty talk is more harmful than it is helpful.

The APM-Ntata talk is helpful in that now every avid follower of current affairs knows how much hurt certain ‘talks’ can cause to people a million times powerful than ourselves. Or, for lack of a better expression, the hurt Ntata has caused president Arthur Peter Mutharika through his ‘empty’ writings is one best captured by the old adage “a pen is mightier than a sword.”

Also, the APM-Ntata empty talks may be a helpful as it wards off other would-be Ntatas. To this end, the ‘talks’ are a veritable warning the Ntatas in the writing business to watch their writings for fear of stepping on the president’s sensitivities. Wacky as this reason sounds, it still remains a reason, so ‘newsmongerswatchout!’

The above being said, of special concern is the harm the APM-Ntata empty talk brings. Firstly, it is harmful for the simple reason that it has proved capable of derailing the president’s attention from the more serious issues—Kwacha depreciation, drug shortage, dwindling education standards, salary delays and all that. President Mutharika seems to see it all normal to pick a fight with Ntatadedicating his time to outclassing a guy that looks after himself and perhaps a couple other relatives forgetting that he, being the president of this poor nation, has the hopes of the fourteen million souls heaped upon him. Alas!

Additionally, his picking fights with Ntata is to Ntata’sadvantage as it is Ntata who gets the limelight—he is seen as a biggie who speaks and the president responds. Mind you, APM is the president. And so a public figure. The thing is: a public figure is a public picture; whoever sees it comments about it. Public as he is, one is free to graffiti him the way they would have loved him rule the nation just as people graffiti a picture to make it look the way they would have loved it look.

The point being driven home here is that the president is essentially a public poster of a nation. This implies that as long as the Peter Mutharika remains president, the Ntatas and the nonentities like this author will always take pride in dragging the president into a fight once in a while.

Furthermore, the APM-Ntata fights have the dangerous potential of gagging the media. This is bad for a nascent democracy like Malawi. We are, as a nation, too young to tolerate such a fight. The media will effectively be unnecessarily forced to censor what they publish especially if the stories likely touch on the president’s sensitivities.

Here it is, this piecethis serves as a plea to the president to focus on the big picture which is proving relevant leadership that responds positively to the fears and aspirations of the nation. The plea here isthat the president should modestly contain his anger, honorably deflate the insults, and confidently deal with critics. Otherwise getting involved in every empty talk makes the president lose sight of the big picture, and that is not healthy for our nation.

Reaching this far, it is hoped that the point is made; the point being that the president should see the big picture and leave us—the people that make a name by ‘naming’ those with names—to our writing and talking business. So don’t give us the platform Mr President, keep your eyes, your attention, and your focus on the bigger picture.

In the long run, it is hoped that the foregoing has made it clear that, whatever the intents of the people involved, the APM-Ntata empty talk is more harmful than is helpful.

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Alungwana
Alungwana
8 years ago

It doesnt matter wether Ntat was in the DPP corrupt government. He saw what was happening and it means that he is telling the truth. If he is lying, why is APM hurt and burnt? Jack Bauer was working in the CTU under Charles Logan. He unveiled the corruption and a plan of attack by the President and the terrorist group. Bauer choose to attack and interogate the president. People didnt believe Jack in the first time. Later his truth was true. Here is Ntata and APM. Malawians must be careful of these politicians especially those in power.

Telling the Truth
Telling the Truth
8 years ago

Phodo has written trash. People such as Ntata are doing a great service to many Malawians without a voice by pointing out the ills and evils of the Peter Mutharika DPP regime. Let us not forget that it is the DPP regime that brought Malawi to its knees by April 2012. As of now Peter Mutharika’s government is failing to fund the Public Accounts Committee so that it can examine the K92billion DPP Cashgate report. Why fear? Those who killed Chasowa are not being taken to court by the Peter Mutharka regime

TrueFact
TrueFact
8 years ago

Steve Kankhwala & Phodo, I like your comments and I support you fully. Let Ntata come to court and defend his allegations. Why seeing corruption now when it has ever been there when he was part of DPP-led government under Prof B WA M? If he thinks what he has been telling is the truth then he should defend it in court not in papers or online forums.

Kenkkk
Kenkkk
8 years ago

No problem as long as they don’t kill each other or no one is killed.

Foxyandy
Foxyandy
8 years ago

Really,this article is unbiased.This is what is required to bring conflicting sides to a common focus. United we stand as a nation,divided we fall.

Lord Denning Chatsika
Lord Denning Chatsika
8 years ago

My friend Thom Chiumua teach this guy to write the way you have written your article which l find to be factual good well argued and analysed osati this article. Jounalism is not just putting ink on paper please Thom teach this guy please by the way l miss you Thom l remember the days you were working for local defunct paper long time ago was it the inquirer, mirror something like that

George Kamanga
George Kamanga
8 years ago

The Truth will never be accepted by minds which are corrupted like the DPP followers. APM will be haunted by the same evils he does yo innocent souls in Malawi. Ntata is a voice in the wilderness no one will shut him up. APM as your brother was haunted for oppressing Malawians so shall you also likewise. Cash in your pocket will not free you at all cost. Don’t be fooled by dogs in in party they are there to put fire more on your head. Stop the evils you are hiding then freedom you shall have. A true friend… Read more »

joelm9ses
joelm9ses
8 years ago

Is this defending the defenceless or what.this article is empty

pat
pat
8 years ago

Plenty substance in the article. Those who don’t see it are probably blind and I can’t blame them simply because they cant see

phodo
phodo
8 years ago

Malawians clamp hands at anything.Ntata and Muthalika were in the same government. There was no single day Ntata told Malawians against the cashgate when he was in the government.The boy barrister was at large making noise against the then government of JB when he was outside PP government. Soon after the DPP won the elections by whatever methods DPP used, Malawians were shocked to realize that Barrister Ntata appeared in Malawi trying to win a position in DPP government.When all his attempts were proved unsuccessful, he resorted returning to the home of Michael Nevin so that he should declare verbal… Read more »

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