Of DPP cadets and uncivilised politics

Stories are told repeatedly by our parents and forefathers about how Malawi Congress Party (MCP) used to harass people before democracy. This was when the ‘Life President’ Kamuzu Banda had ears and eyes everywhere in the country.

People got tired of the barbaric behaviour by MCP and this led to the referendum in 1993 where people voted for the multiparty rule. MCP was shamelessly booted out of government in 1994 during the elections. The ‘Life President’ was no longer untouchable.

For 10 years United Democratic Front-UDF led by Bakili Muluzi was on the driving seat. The party was later day robbed by its elected President Bingu wa Mutharika in 2004 who then went to form his own Democratic Progressive Party-DPP.

After convincing the majority of the country’s citizens with his good performance in his first term, he was given another chance by Malawians to rule the country for the second time in 2009. He messed up things though this time around. Death called him unexpectedly before completing his second term and Joyce Banda, his deputy came into power with her Peoples’ Party-PP. She made her own mistakes and Malawians in 2014 tripartite elections voted her out of power bringing back DPP, this time around led Arthur Peter Mutharika popularly known as APM.

APM’s rule just like any other Malawi’s president has had its positives and negatives. Humans as you know them usually judge by looking at negatives. Just like any other party in the country, DPP has got youths in its fold. These are unfortunately popularly called cadets in the politics cycle.

Cambridge English Dictionary defines a cadet as a student who is training to be a military or police officer. The DPP Cadets as they are fondly called, are not in the army school but it seems they are trained in such a way to destabilize the opposition side as 2019 tripartite elections are around the corner.

In May 2018 DPP cadets stormed the Parliament and brought the meeting to a standstill when APM was opening the parliament deliberations. They further assaulted Times Group photographer Douglas Banda while on duty as he filmed their wrong doings. Later in August, two cars belonging to UTM were torched in Mangochi when the party conducted its rally launching the party in the lakeshore district.

The trend has continued up to date where recently UTM Director of Youth Bon Kalindo was beaten in Mulanje. Just days after this incident MCP member Edward Govati was mercilessly beaten and left in deep pains by the same DPP cadets while some UTM supporters were also harassed and one woman was undressed.

Comrades, these are just a few incidents done by DPP Cadets. Despite that this behaviour is uncalled for in a democratic governance, the Malawi Police Service is yet to show seriousness in arresting anyone responsible for inflicting pains in our brothers. The police service is probably sleeping and this is dangerous. People have obviously lost trust in the police and slowly by slowly we are creating a state of lawlessness.

Worse still despite the outcry from opposition political parties, Civil Society Organisations, political commentators and other stakeholders on the matter, nothing is changing. The party itself including APM is not disciplining its disciples. Maybe this is their strategy towards the 2019 elections.

One thing these cadets forget is that we are all citizens of this country, brothers and sisters of the same mother Malawi. Is an affiliation to a different political party with different theories a reason enough to attack your own brothers and sisters?

It is unfortunate in a democratic country such savagery still persists and is being tolerated in a country which should by now be enjoying the sweet fruits of democracy.

As opposition leader Dr. Lazarus Chakwera said in his statement soon after two UTM cars were torched in Mangochi, “No nation built on hate and mistrust can ever dream of development let alone transformation”.

We are wasting our precious time strategizing on how best to deal with our opponents instead of strategizing on having best interventions to develop our beloved Malawi.

It is only when we shall fully embrace restraint, maturity, tolerance and love that we will get this nation to a better level where it is supposed to be.

Politicians must bear in mind that the politics of a country has a profound impact on levels of development. Political development which among others involves tolerating dissenting views is a key to development. These dissenting views mostly make leaders accountable and transparent enough and in the process they deliver what is expected.

There is no way all Malawians can support one party just because it is in power. This is a case Malawians voted against in 1993. Let people enjoy their freedom of association.

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