DPP practising ethnic cleansing: Fear and uncertainty are back in Malawi
Since 1994 Malawians want nothing less than total democracy , in the way they are being governed. It is wrong to assume that as long as there are timely elections to choose leaders Malawi is on a democratic path. However the timely elections must be credible as well.
Meanwhile it has already been said elsewhere that the 20th May elections 2014 in Malawi were far from being rated credible. There were numerous alleged irregularities which seemed unresolved. Worse still Malawi Electoral Commission behaved as if it was business as usual. This can force one to conclude that in Malawi elections , voters do not really matter but it is the people who count the votes and announce the winners that matter. It does not need a genius to know that this is a formula for voter apathy in future elections. This creates uncertainty.
It is not an exaggeration that the majority of Malawians experienced unprecedented levels of fear and uncertainty during Bingu wa Mutharika regime. By the time he passed on in April 2012, the uncertainty about the future of Malawi had reached climax. In fact it was not just ordinary people but leaders as well were clueless where the country was heading with its perennial lack of forex and fuel to mention a few.
Politics aside, the Joyce Banda administrations brought back the forex and fuel and above all there was no fear as people breathed a sigh of relief.
It is now disheartening to not that fear is back by the Peter Mutharika government. For goodness sake, the firing of senior officials in government and parastatals in the guise of redeployment leaves a lot to be desired. It is so humiliating when one is forced out of his position unceremoniously before he or she is told where to go. This is torturous and to defend it that it is presidential prerogative does not hold water. Needless to say those prerogatives must have a human face to prevent people from thinking that it is used as a tool for vengeance.
The above situation is made worse by the belief that the DPP government is practicing ethnic cleansing in job opportunities by favouring the Lomwes. With all due respect it seems ethnic politics has been brought into this country by the two DPP regimes. President Peter Mutharika talks about unity. He should know better that there cannot be any unity when there is open favouritism by those in power.
The other source of uncertainty should be the Aid Free budget. Just imagine even with donor aid the country still had lots of short fall ranging from lack of medicines in hospitals to civil servants not being paid on time. If the Aid Free budget will be successful, definitely it will be the 8th wonder of the world.
President Peter Mutharika should realize that he has to work hard to remove the fear and uncertainty that people have. Failing which running this country will be an uphill battle.
Emily Mkamanga Email [email protected].
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