Demos speak volumes about Malawi broken system –Chinsinga
The recent post-election demonstrations have been described as a manifestation of a broken system which needs to be redressed for the country to retain trust of some Malawians who feel let down in the democratic project.
A multitude of Malawians have been marching on the streets in different parts of the country against what they call mismanagement of the May 21 Tripartite Elections.
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), who have been organising the demonstrations countrywide, are calling for the resignation of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah.
But Ansah has rejected the calls saying she will wait for the court’s judgment on the matter to decide whether to quit.
Political scientist Blessings Chinsinga said Saturday that the demonstrations speak volumes about serious challenges the country is facing which need to be addressed as quickly as possible.
“As a political scientist, I have been particularly interested in the messages demonstrators have been displaying.
“It is very clear that beyond the anti-Jane Ansah demonstrations, the demonstrators have a host of complaints that they would want to be addressed in the system,” he said.
Chisinga was speaking in Salima during a training workshop on parliamentary coverage for editors and reporters organised by Parliament of Malawi with support from the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP).
He explained that since the advent of multiparty system of government in May, 1994, there have been serious challenges which need to be addressed so that those who feel left out do not completely lose trust.
Chinsinga said in the last 10 years, the country has gotten into some kind of a crossroad and that if nothing is done, urgently, it would be difficult to regain the lost trust.
“The point here is that people are not getting what they had expected when we made a transition to democracy in May, 1994.
“The reason is very simple; there have been more emphases on procedures and not necessarily the substantive benefits of democracy,” he said.
Chinsinga cited poverty levels and widening gap between the rich and the poor as some of the issues which need urgent address. He said such issues have created disenchantment among people.
Meanwhile, commentators have called for a deep soul searching to bring sanity in the country as the protests have been characterised by violence, burning and looting of both private and public property.
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The demonstrations being supported by MCP and UTM are just unreasonable. This is because they are combining forces after losing the elections, instead of joining together before the elections. Obviously, they will now look as many disgruntled people considering on how they split the vote, with each presidential candidate getting say an average 30%. When the two opposing parties now join together, they now have followers of more than 60%, but at a wrong time, too late. This is not how the game is played. In 2024, just wait and see, they will do the same and start grumbling after… Read more »
This is very true Mr Chinsinga,Malawi needs achanged electro system,and mainly we lack leaders who can put malawians first,we need leaders who will not rush to teargass us before listening and fix madando.bcz what we have at the moment are thieves,selfish and unpatriotic people who put thier needs first and forget the reason why we voted them into power,thats why we this huge gap between rich the poor.
Malawi’s system is not broken, but requires panel-beating. Democracy is an alien concept that is embraced in Malawi wholesale. We need democracy that is consistent with our values and aspirations. If we bang our heads together we can refine our democracy to suit our situation!
CHOKANI A MBWENU MBWENU SIBWENI A TUMBUKA U PRESIDENT SIMUZAULAWA
KUFIKIRA KALEKALE MUZINGOKHALIRA
YOMWEYO YOTSUTSA NDI MNZANU MBUSA FAKE ACCENT —–
simuzaulawa nde kuti chani??? Iwe ndi Mulungu? You are so stupid. Malawi ndi wa alhomwee?? who knew kuti angulu inu mudzalamulira. Kodi chifukwa chanu mumadzimva u Malawi kwambiri. Kupanda Muluzi kumutola Bingu mukanadzalamulira inu. sibwenzi mukumakangolima fodya kuma estate a fodya ku kasungu, mzimba ndi Rumphi or kumangothyola tea. Mbuzi ya munthu
The best that can happen to this thing called Malawi is to divide it into 3 countries so that everyone rules themselves. Mutharika should rule the lomwes and their cousins Yaos basi
Dr Chinsinga the issue is, all players involved in the name of demonstrations have been manipulated.If you have politicians filled with pride and vanity,what do you expect the next level of players to be? I mean this group which we may call Human Rights Violators Coation[HRVC].They are the ones who are planting the culture of violence in our society because their ideologies such as liberalism and permissiveness have been transmitted wrongly to their followers.If one indulges in experimentation;that is what happens.They are all in experimentation process with everything.In other ways right without righteous is destruction and vanity.When late Dr H.… Read more »
Kkkkkk something which goes flying in the air no matter how long it will fly one day it will land it is just a matter of time
the post above must be from mgeme. stupid!
Sign post I respect your opinion but somewhere you’re wrong . Without HRDC we could have a say police officers are to too much into politics . They could have used force to disperse and silence people… Can you trust people like Dausi chisale or uladi mussa? Chisingas opinion it could be right there’s alittle salt there. But our expectations in democracy or multiparty is not what we see .. look munthalika is challenging us people like a boss not servant . We servant leadership not boss like . We ve seen corruption and tribalism in Malawi than ever.. if… Read more »
Prof. Chinsinga are you still around? We have been missing you. Now today’s issues for you and your fellow lecturer Dulani. Currently in Malawi we have six or seven active political parties. When you analyse these parties and their leaders what do they represent or in another way what are their core policies or ideology(is)? I have asked this question because I have been following elections in Europe, north and south america, Russia, Asia, China, some countries in Africa. What I have noticed is that during campaigns they spell out completely what they are going to after winning elections on… Read more »
Ambwiye
Foreigners will succeed where locals fail
We need to work hard as individuals not rely on government for everything
Foreigners come and concentrate on working
While we want jobs from government
Business from government
And foreigners pay the taxes
MAU.
ITS A BIG CALL ,FOR THE RULING PARTY THAT THEIR DEAFENED EARS ARE NOT ACTUALLY GETTING THE MESSAGE:
GET DOWN THOUGH YOU ARE AFRAID OF BEING JAILED. THATS WHY ALL THESE NONSESE ESP FROM KAPHALE IS DOING. AVOIDANCE. KOMA TIKUDIKILA LLA CI 40 AGALU AMENEWA
We should seriously think of the next generation which include our children and grand Children. If we are struggling now what will happen in the 10 to 20 years and beyond. Let us borrow a leaf from the West. The under ground train tunnels we see in the West were dug a long time ago and they are benefiting the current generation and they will do so for the coming generation. Our elderly politicians who are busy amassing wealthy for their individual benefit what legancy are they leaving behind. Why don’t we think of having a speed train between Lilongwe… Read more »
No Sir you talk like the development of democracy is the job of someone else. You need to realise that WE the Malawians are the people to develop this democracy you are talking about. EVERY SINGLE Malawian should see it as their duty to participate in the democracy management. Malawians need to realise this.The sooner we do that the better. We are the ones to make this work. When you get into Government you have the same responsibility! if you are a vendor on the road you have the same responsibility! Our Police should not be humiliated and we stand… Read more »
Our police is another problem we have in Malawi that needs addressed as well,thats why we have so much anger against them.we have poor delivery of service by police in Malawi,and they not well equipped,the way they handle cases sacks as well,and they are too controlled by politicians.
AKAPOLO YOU WILL NEVER SEE A NORTHERNER GOING TO SOUTH TO WORK ON TOBACCO FARMS AND SILLY JOBS BUT WHEN THE NORTHERNER GOES TO SOUTH IT IS A WHITE COLLAR JOB HAVE PRESIDENTS BUT BE FOOLS DZIKO NDI LANU KOMA NDALAMA NDI ZATHU