Chilima urges Varsity students to be resolute in resolve for a better Malawi to be possible
University and college students in the country have been urged to be resolute in their resolve in order for them to make meaningful contributions towards Malawi’s socio-economic and development growth as future leaders.
The call was made when a group of students’ leaders from both public and private universities and colleges across the country visited vice president Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima at his offices in Lilongwe.
Chilima who is also leading United Transformation Movement (UTM) said: “I would like to encourage you all to be active citizens and ask you to meticulously increase your participation and involvement matters that affect the development of this country because the future belongs only to the organised.”
The vice president said a better Malawi is possible but that the students as the future leaders and decision makers of the country must stand up , be counted and be part of the revolution to drain the swamp.
Said Chilima: “Malawi needs change and for that change to come, we need the young intellectuals to take charge and ensure that things are done in the right way.
“ As young futuristic leaders we must step up forward and challenge the rot that has been going on in this country for the past decades. We need new ways of thinking and doing things to have a better Malawi for all and not just for the chosen few.”
Chilima urged the students to register themselves and also to encourage others to do so, so that they can be able to vote come May 2019.
“We must all register ourselves so we can be able to vote during the elections. We have the power through the ballot to bring about the change we want and make Malawi, our only home, to be a better place,” said Chilima.
US based outspoken UTM’s social media commentator, Manice Hale, who coordinated the meeting between alongside another US-based UTM executive member, Keith Manganya and Bishop Trevor Kautsire said: “These students like many Malawians are tired of the thieving and corrupt politicians and want change. They want you to lead them in draining the swamp.”
“The time for change is now, but change will not come if we just sit on our laurels and do nothing. We need to act and take out all thieves that are in power and together build and restore our country to its glory. We can do this and as people, we must act now so that we can secure our future,” said Hale, who is UTM’s USA Diaspora Wings\’d director of membership and expansion.
Jaston Bulaula from Polytechnic said: “As UTM students’ wings, we are appreciative of the efforts to include us in the advent of the new wave of political change that UTM seeks to bring about.”
In his remarks, Christian Chikalimba from Malawi College of Accountancy (MCA) said that the youth especially those in higher learning institutions are the driving force behind change for the better in any country in the world.
“It is our hope that we will work hand in hand to truly transform this great nation with an inclusive movement that is propelled towards change for all.”
Chilima assured the young intellectuals that once elected into power as the president of Malawi he will ensure that quota system which he described as ‘a satanic act’ is abolished so that only deserving and hardworking students are selected to the university.
“Tertiary education is essential and decisive to development of any country and as UTM our first priority after elected into office is to make sure that higher education is made available to everyone in the country,” said Chilima.
Wisdom Promise Phalula of Catholic University (CU) making his contribution said: “As a student body we would like to be actively involved in the advancement of the UTM’s agenda. We are grateful that Dr Chilima encourages the youth in the country to take their rightful place as development partners and not merely be used as instruments of violence.”
Ulemu Kanyongolo from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College asked the vice president to empower and equip the youth in the country with resources so that they are self-reliant and can thus contribute positively to the socio-economic growth of the Malawi nation.
“There should also be a provision of legal studies by other private institutions of higher learning and educational loans must be made available to all students without looking at where they are coming from or to be specific, which region. There must be equality for all,” said Kanyongolo.
Chilima assured the students that their suggestions will be incorporated in the policy documents to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.
During Chilima’s meeting with the students, there was no beer that was distributed to the UTM wing leaders as was the case some weeks ago where State House entertained President Peter Mutharika’s intellectual guests as they imbibed Chibuku and the students were given Mk25, 0000. 000 each.
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Countrymen,
Unfortunately, what Malawi needs first for it to begin to move are none of the issues discussed in this meeting. There was a time when Malawi did not have quota system; their was a time when Malawi did not have corrupt leaders; there was a time when youth were at the centre of national politics: Tembo, Gwanda, Yatuta, Kanyama, Dunduzu, Bakili, Chipembere, Aleke, Rose Chiwambo, there was a time when social inequalities were very minimal; there was a time when university graduates were being employed before graduation; there was a time when the Malawi economy was strong; there was a time when Malawi was an exporting country; there was a time when the construction industry was booming – when capital hill was built by government; there was a time when industries were growing; etc.
This forum of intellectuals needed to discuss real issues behind the malaise we see in Malawi today. Promising jobs to youth without telling them where those jobs will come from is just brewing more depression and frustration among them.
I think that this is a lost opportunity. No hope for Malawi. It appears that Malawians are not thinking hard to identify real challenges facing their country and real solutions to our national problems. Some of us have heard these promises times without number but what has always happened in the opposite.
Let presidential candidates tell youth the whole truth rather than promising them the moon knowing too well that the moon cannot bring bread on their tables. This has many political questions that have remained unanswered.
Malawi must solve these political questions first and all these problems will be sorted out. None of these promises will solve these political questions no matter how loudly they will be shouted in political rallies.
The real problem is that because multi-party political parties have lacked a viable source of income they have tended to use Treasury to syphone money from public coffers in order to resist political pressure from MCP which has the tendency of reinventing itself even when it does not have money.
This was the problem with UDF, Bingu’s DPP, PP, Peter’s DPP and now UTM. These parties have feared no other party than MCP during their tenure. The question in each ruling party in the multi-party dispensation has always been: how do we keep MCP at bay from the hot seat? I don’t think that UTM’s worst enemy is DPP. It is MCP. Should they win elections in 2019, the real force they will have to contend with is MCP.
The situation was much easier to notice during the UDF era. This was the time when the Muluzi did everything possible to make sure that MCP disappears from the political scene in Malawi. It grabbed Press Corporation, it killed the tobacco industry to economically paralyze key MCP supporters; it tampered with the tobacco market market to the extent that most MCP supporters started selling their tobacco to neighboring countries. What UDF did not realise at that was that paralyzing MCP economically would also paralyze the entire Malawi economy. All tobacco and food production estates and industries collapsed and unemployment settled in. Today , our economy which is agro/agri-based is in tatters. Jobs cannot be easily created without a strong economy. All because of the fear that UDF had with MCP.
New parties have always resorted to stealing from Account No. 1 or to give contracts to rich foreigners so that in return they can get kick-backs to enable them buy vehicles, run logistics, etc. All this happens because the “poor” MCP has always been the major force to contend with. Whether MCP leaders and members know this I don’t really know.
So, unless Right Hon. Chilima tells Malawians how UTM is raising its funds for campaign rallies and where the money to run the party while in power will come from, I don’t personally see Malawi’s biggest social-economic challenge, corruption, ending. Leaders will still be forced to find money from dark corners. They may find it in Account No. 1. This is my greatest fear.
So, there are many political problems I can outline here, but one of the key political problems UTM and Hon. Chilima must solve is the balance of political power that the “poor” MCP has always had through thin and thick and his young party. If this question is not answered I don’t see UTI and Chilima dealing with corruption. They may still frustrate the system in order to find money with which to run UTM like all new parties in power have done.
And, if Malawians are going to solve the problem of corruption in government, this is the problem that they must solve. Is voting unestablished parties into power solving the corruption question or not? It’s a political question of gigantic size. Of course, it is just one of the many that I have. But this one is very critical.
I may be wrong. But, that’s my honest opinion based on what I have seen since 1994.
I rest my case.
KENT Y.G. MPHEPO – Blantyre (0888435629)
I kike your detailed analysis and questions. Its true that the greatest fear of any ruling party in Malawi is none other than MCP. This is the only party that has stayed long out of governement but anke to sustain its operations witthout stealing governement money. If UTM is being sponsored by DPP gurus as he said at Njamba then we are in for another trouble.
Kent,
Pliz.post this on facebook Malawi views. You are a great man
I hate politicising the events of the VP
CHILIMA NDI deal and the only hope come 2019 until 2024
He is already in government. SKC is a great cheat. Malawi will risk again as we did with Pro APM.
APM TAKE A LEAF .
No beer, just discussions….that’s how intellectuals do their thing! Abale ndani anawanamiza Adad kuti awagulire mowa ana? Ndikayesa Synod imaletsa mowa??
Youth is about time we take charge! Internet is expensive for us, the e-commerce in malawi is not developed and we have no mastercards cheap enough for us to transfer funds to online merchants etc. These grannies dont care for us but looting funds cause there children are enjoying govvy money and benefits but what about us? our children? They will pay an expensive price if we dont act now!!
Anangobwerako manja-manja wopanda kenakake mthumba. What a stingy VP. Abida atleast gives to MCP wing, and DPP does the same just for pocket money. Nanga akuluwa bwanji? Ndiye muzimwaza pa campaign koma?
Kuzolowela katangale akulu inu, kenakake kachani ndiye katangaleyo ndicho chiyambi chakuba ndrama za boma
Enough is enough !!