Goodbye Mulli – welcome Munalli, ha ha ha!
I wonder how some people always manage to get all the attention all the time. I also envy how they manage to get all the preference all the time. And one business tycoon and politician-cum-mourner, Leston Mulli, the bill buys into both.
It was not long ago when I discussed with friends a many, in both amazement and awe, about the fast-tracked business growth of a few-months-ago unknown entity Mulli Group of Companies. Before that, this was just one little businessman in one corner of the southern region, doing earnest business after taking over from a hard-working dad.
May his rest in peace – Mulli the original (at least as far as this business empire can be dated back).
Goosy easy ride!
Yes. Mulli was one blue-eyed boy in some corner of Malawi. Born with a silver spoon in one corner of his mouth, and grown into a favourite business ally in the other corner of his mouth. With his political fortunes as a ruling party member, and offering his deserved services to the late Big Kahuna of the ex-ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Mulli quickly became the man of the town.
Ha ha ha ha! My discussions with friends and foe alike all pointed to one thing – we all agreed that there has never been a business success in Malawi, demonstrating skyrocketing and gigantic growth in a short period of time, as was Mulli the business.
It started with just one company. Forget what its called. But soon Mulli Transport was a force to recon with. From the old Bedford like trucks of the wamchenga levels, soon Mulli had across the border trucks – complete with haulage signage and international presence.
As kids, I remember my brothers arguing between what a body and trailer and a land train was. I had no idea, and I still do not, all to say a truck is a truck for me. The only difference is the size and whether you call it an attic or a what have you, Mulli had it and still has it, at least somehow. Or has he sold them road-snakes yet?
He had presence in everything that was business in Malawi. With fellow indigenous businessman, Mlombwa, he was the chosen one who travelled the globe under the blue leadership representing all the poor business sods Malawi has managed to churn out – less not to its national development agenda.
Mlombwa succumbed at an earlier stage. Lucky bastard!
Mulli and nothing unMulli
Yes, so came presence in timber in Mzimba up north, a precursor to destroying the green beauty that was once the envious Chikangawa Forest Reserve. Mulli also went matches down south. He bought into bus or travel business, successfully kicking off the scene the government run public transportation system with his buses and coaches. He kicked his heals deep into fruit processing, producing jam and tomato sauce (pyuli – ha ha ha ha!) and what have you at Mulanje Cannery or what have you.
Names don’t bother me much, if you know what I mean. Ha ha ha ha ha!
Yes, Mulli also took over every wall fence in the capital city. He painted them all his company names and boy, this guy had cash for all that. He went into medicine distribution and nearly drug production. He also bulled his way into various areas unheard of.
His was a fast growing and gigantic business presence Malawi and this part of Africa, and the world if you like, would ever see. For those that call India and China tiger economies or fast growing or grown economies, am sure they should have christened Mulli Group of Companies a super tiger economy.
The small boy from somewhere near Ndata Farm had it all.
And yet Malawi had hundreds of other business people whom the DPP government thought less fortunate, equipped, skilled, or political nerved not to get any of the national cake in honest business deals.
Mulli owned government and all the services that it required. I would be no wiser if he did not supply the new police anti-riot vehicles and that murderous teargas employed unto innocent Malawians on 20/11. I would also not be the wiser if he also hand-printed those Russian-style blue police camouflages spotted by late Bingu’s security detail at State House.
Ha ha ha ha ha! Blue camouflage perhaps to blend into the party blue in case there was an unforeseen avalanche, I would guess. But I do not know where and when Malawi has ever had any such blue jungle that Peter Mukhito, Mulli and late Bingu thought the security men would melt into when required of their duties.
Blue jungle my foot!
Munalli
Not any more. That is why it sickens me when Mulli starts to cry out loud about been left out of any government lucrative business deals. When he was blue, stinking blue and with blue gusto, there were hundreds of Malawian businesses that were denied part of the cake. Apparently, Munalli had all the cake for himself and the Big Kahuna business and political interests he could ever have.
Rumour has Munalli used to challenge the financial institutions, including the Reserve Bank of Malawi top brass, denying them audience and not even for a second for the millions that he and the late brother owed Malawians through stupid and senseless loans.
He is on record to have shouted, “go out!” to a collective group of RBM, National Bank of Malawi, Standard Bank of Malawi, New Building Society, Malawi Savings Bank, etc bosses who called upon him to impress about the much needed loan service he owed the nation through the banks.
And that blue signature that gave him that valour and power has suddenly turned orange. And orange does not mix well with blue.
When I read news reports about Munalli claiming he is been politically sidelined in government business deals, I close my eyes and visualise all those logos and company names he is got painted on those numerous Munalli Group of Companies. In Kanengo, Areas 36 and 25, and another struggling to go up around City Centre in the capital city I now smell Munalli.
Damn, and ha ha ha ha ha! Munalli crying about what? And then, journalists wasting their time listening to cries of a man who bought and owned everything the DPP leadership had in its control. Really?
Give that front page prominence to a better and nobler cause!
What maddens me even more, is the fact that Munalli went ahead and grabbed land from a woman who tried to give a life, hope and compassion to less fortunate and far from privileged orphans from his very own area. If a man could manage to have arrested such a Mother Teresa hearted Samaritan just to get her land for his overblown business empire – spiced by political other than business acumen – you pretty well know that God will definitely take clear action.
That divine intervention came on 7th April 2012 when a cardiac arrest first registered itself in the ears of all Malawians and beyond as a notable life-snatcher.
With late Bingu’s demise, Mulli immediately became Munalli. I am not supposed to take sides, but can someone please tell Munalli to quickly shut up and try earn a living the hard way like any other sane Malawian?
I for one am tired of his whining, and if I had my wish, would ask the media to ignore that man who had Malawi at his fingertips on the expense of all that Malawi ought to have had for the benefit of all.
Iyeyo m’mene ankalanda ndikumapezeka yekha ma business onse m’Malawi muno, pamene enanso a business amamanidwa mwayi umenewu, iyeyo ankati anzakewqo akulimba bwa? Kapena akumva bwa? Do you want to tell me he has a special blessing in best business management and that is why his business empire grew this dangerously?
If that was the case, then this is the right time he can impress on Malawians and the world that he has that special business flair. And we shall all understand he is crying for real.
What is happening to Munalli happened to Tuwiche and Yanu-Yanu under the United Democratic Front (UDF) and may soon happen to someone in the orange party soonest, if these politicians continue to think they have a special deal with God and ill-treat Malawians, denying them their right to meaningful economic activity.
Ignoring the voice of reason? God is not your personal friend over the next poor man.
So shut up, Munalli!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
