How Mutharika can save Malawi and preserve his legacy
President Peter Mutharika issued a clear threat this week and made known the position of his administration on the coming airports and boarders’ protests – he is ready to unleash the full terror of the defense force against civilians who are being used as pawns in the struggle for State House.
I applaud the speech and commend the president for coming out strongly against enemies of his administration. I am, nonetheless, also very sure that the threats and military terror are not the solution to this crisis. Actually, over reliance on the army to preserve his power in volatile times like these is a huge mistake because the army is there to defend government only in principle, but in practice it is the greatest threat to any government. The army is the only organ that has the capability to takeover government from politicians at any minute of the day or night without seeking any mandate from the electorate or anyone.
When there are violent and destructive mass protests with a majority of the socially and politically active citizens being anti-government, the loyalty of the army cannot be predicted and neither should it be tested.
As a result, i strongly feel that Mutharika has risked his presidency by publicly showing that he draws the confidence to keep himself in office from the defense force. The danger here is that he cannot guarantee under the circumstance that if demonstrators proceed, the defense force will really spray bullets on civilians just to keep him in power at this time when his unpopularity is very high.
Mutharika has gambled here because the legitimacy of his presidency is hanging on the balance of whether the MDF will really kill for him because they might not. And if they don’t he will be exposed and get embarrassed. Those demonstrating Malawians will mock him further and get energized to demonstrate further since it will appear that he has even lost command of the army. I can’t predict what will happen afterwards, but it won’t look really good.
Therefore, I insist very much that Mutharika needs a different strategy and approach. His strategic objective must not just be about keeping himself in office but also preserving his legacy. This is his last term and he must think really hard about how he wants the people of Malawi to remember him whether he finishes this term or not.
His strategy to use the army against demonstrators who are very likely to get violent is a huge mistake. He is only playing into the hands of his enemies. All these anti-Jane Ansah demonstrations are a mere provocation of an overreaction from Mutharika so that the country should really burn and get bloody because only then can the international community force themselves to mediate peace deals, or worse; the army can take over with the excuse of wanting to bring back order and save lives until fresh elections which, if this happened, DPP would never win.
Mutharika and the DPP administration must not test their fate too much. I propose the following courses of actions which are very bold, daring and tough decisions but possible:
Firstly, Mutharika must facilitate the resignation of MEC chairperson, Dr. Jane Ansah within the coming two days to stop the airports and borders demonstrations. I am very confident that Ansah is not guilty and the courts will eventually vindicate her.
But this is politics. Mutharika should not risk his office and lives of Malawians for Ansah. Cadets and all members of the DPP must understand that Ansah did not give them victory. They do not owe her anything. It is 38% of the electorate that gave Mutharika and DPP victory. Ansah was only managing the elections. She did not decide the winner. She only announced who had more votes. As a result, Mutharika, Cadets and the entire DPP do not owe Ansah anything. They must stop defending her and taking her side. She was only a public officer doing her job. If anything, they owe the 38% who voted for them a safe and peaceful Malawi which they can get if Ansah resigns, even if temporarily.
I know very well that the Opposition want the DPP administration out of power not Jane Ansah. But if Ansah resigns, HRDC will be forced to call off demonstrations as they go back to their command center to reload. Meanwhile, peace will return on the streets and Mutharika will have a window to implement the second course of action which I have given below.
Secondly, after the resignation of Ansah, Mutharika must pursue diplomacy and dialogue with MCP and UTM to find peaceful solution to this political crisis. He must not use Muluzi or PAC or anyone. He must personally invite Chakwera and Chilima for face to face talks and they must talk until they find a compromise. I can guarantee that the Opposition will not reject a diplomatic approach for dialogue from Mutharika himself.
Mutharika must make these tough and bold decisions which may not really be good for party politics, but they will be excellent for Malawians and for his legacy. He must understand that this being his last term, his legacy matters more than the politics of power. To him, time for politics is over. Political fights and power plays with the Opposition will only distract him and divert his focus. He needs a good political environment to give Malawians the best of his last leadership contribution.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
wonderful article
jeni was managing the elections. ok.
pre she was everyday on the govt pulpit preaching to all malawians on how we should or the voting to be. well she then went behind the nation and stabbed us, apatu akukanika kumasuka .
It can a retirement package of about 100million KwachA to retire Ansa compared to billions lost due to strike. So why go round and round. Be academically logical.
The article is well-wrtitten and nice to read except the sentence “I am very confident Ansah is not guilty and the court will eventually vindicate her.” What gives you this confidence? Is this supposition based on facts or perception? Tell us. Write another article.
Lyson that is the difference between you and APM. You are worried about keeping a personal legacy but he is prepared to take a risk to save the country from destruction! He i working like a good balanced leader and you are working like atypical me me me me type! only thinking about themselves. No he has made the right decision. We cant have the fragile economy collapsing because some selfish men want to be president!!! They don’t qualify anyway!!
Agree! Ansah is the tip of the iceberg. All the unresolved issues in the previous demos are below this iceberg.This is where skills of negotiations are needed most. If the opposing sides do not trust each other to negotiate, then may be an international mediator would help! We should take note that after long periods of conflict be it war,destructive demonstration etc, people get tired and long for peace. This peace does not just come, it is negotiated win- win and signed there off on the agreements to preserve it. Perhaps now is the right time.
This is the most powerful article I ever read on nyasatimes concerning the Malawi political crisis. Not those stupid speeches that I hear from this idiot who thinks more important than anyone.
Sibande Bhwana whanhama chomene!!This is a waste of energy inviting Chilima and Chakwera who are very hateful to the presidency which they are failing to grab using the HRDC and Anti Jane Ansa as a scapegoat. It is a total rubbish for you to propose what you have written Sibande.You are one of those who have hated the Lhomwe according to nyour proposal.It clearly indicates that you are craving for power to Chilima and Chakwera your favourites.That and this will never be condoned. These two have failed to make it.HRDC Mtambo have had dscussions with Chakwera assuring the all styles to ouster this government with all the tactic which have failed.Lets wait for the court to finish this battle.For your information regardless of what ,even we return to the ballot,Mutharika will still win with a small margin.The people who spoled the broth are you Thumbukaz who have been so nepostic for decades.Now because you are no longer players in the lead,because other tribes are working tirelessily in education,it then becomes a threat to you.Look at you!!
Thank you Mwinithako, because Sibande is not a good adviser to this calamities and he must also know that the Army is not there to grab the presidency but to take the order as required on the time . Sibande should not thinks APM can call a meeting with the looser because its only a power hungry the oppioition has over DPP led Govt. Mr Sibane is contradicting himself as he said that Mayi Ansha was only managing the Election but why his colleagues Mtambo ,Chilima and Chakwera can not see this ,why claiming her post to fall?? Why should people go for destruction because of Ansha ?? No logic -only malicious , envey and destruction -work of the Devil!!!!
Peter is man enough to stop these nonsense demonstrations. Whether he won with 5% I don’t mind. A win is a win .where were you bongololos with your 62% when the 38% went voting. Munya muona bola mwadziwa kuti mlandu utha 2025. Pano siwaimikidwa? Mulira mfwemfwemfwe agalu inu. Palibenso zonyengelera minzonzoyo . Inu ndiye muli Ma saints. Ka 7million ka grant ya Edzi kaja m’Busa. Mbava Sembeleka ndi galu mzake Trapence anakatafuna. Ndiye tingakukhulupilileni ndi Boma ?or titavota lero APM awinabe . PETER akulandila salary inu maso ali psyuu muchitokosi mukungotinso bobobo. Munya nawo mkhwidzi zanuzo
u reporter and ur criminal bosses must accept defeat and understand there’s 12,000,000 who did not vote.Twice the so called number of people who voted. Ansah is going nowhere and APM sayelekeza kuyitana gule Chakwera or baby Chilima! Kang’wingw’i akakumane ndi president!?Asaa!? Alibe ntchito.Ngati Ali ndi relevance ndi kwawo konko ndi kwayiweyo Sibande sinanga umayesa awina.Sorry!!
DO YOU THINK PETER AND HIS CADETS CAN / WILL LISTEN TO ANYBODYS ADVICE ??? DON’T FORGET BEN PHIRI SAID HE A BIG FIELD MARSHAL REMEMBER ??
Wakusina nkhutu ndinasi walemba inzi wamukonda nkurui koma popeza akusatira nzeru za ahina Dausi sindikukhurupilira ngati angatero
Ofuna moyo sadzapitako koma osakonda moyo adzatsala pa door pheee
Chimpwirikiti, chimpwirikiti. Proposals good for understanding people. But the question is WHO ARE THESE UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE? DO WE HAVE THEM? Probably the ELITE!! Mumfune
kusowa cholemba how far have you gone with your education
I agree with you, unlike police, with military it does not matter who is on top, During operation Bwezani, there were top generals, General, Lt. general and major general who were pro MYP, but were given house arrest and less senior proceeded with the operation even without the presidents blessings.
Mr Lyson Sibande, well written. However, what you are probably unaware of is that APM is not in full control of his ‘stolen power’ right now, Ben Phiri, Nicholas Dausi, the first lady etc. these are the notorious elite Satanist gang that are pulling the ‘presidential power’ strings. APM’s faculties upstairs are not 100% functional with his age. And these marauding DPP wolves have grabbed full advantage of the natural ailing abilities of the old man for financial and ‘power-sweet’ taste and gain, to rule Malawi by proxy. So your suggested course of action has first to be approved by this ‘ inner elite’ currently ruling Malawi by proxy, which is quite a tall order to expect to work. Power and Money combined, corrupts absolutely!
THE FORMER DICTATOR KAMUZU DID NOT ACT ALONE, HE HAD THOSE AROUND HIM.
THEY BENEFITTED FROM THE OPPRESSIVE RIGIME AND MADE SURE THAT DICTATORSHIP FLOURISHED THRU INTMIDATIONS AGAINST GODS PEOPLE.
MAY GOD HELP OUR NATION MALAWI
Bwana sibande what you are proposing is rubbish. Why should mutharika invite chilima and chakwera for negotiations? By doing this, it means anthu akuti sanavoteredwe will be part of the ruling team, zoona? They lost they lost thats a fact. There is no fifty plus one here. So let the president do things for the betterment of malawians, otherwise take the two opposition leaders to your village so that they become village headmen. Mind you these are the pipo who are causing panic and destruction. The moment akangoti kuli mademo anthu kudandaula, mmene anangoti zii zinthu kuyenda bwino. Anthu ena akuwawona one day not very far from now they are going to pay heavily. As I said one day, let some lives be lost then we are going to.come back to our senses.
your right i dont know if this man sibande is a well quelified he is not weath to be a writer
Is dialoguing with your enemy not one of the tenents or principle of peace building ???’ Do you dialogue with your with you friends(dausi, Ben), family, children and relatives ??. Dialogue is thus paramount ot bring peace
Give Mtambo some advice too. No bias.
Yes him too should be advised and he should ld first do calculations on how many people are really benefiting in the rights they are fighting for and try to balance with the rights they are violating while fighting
Yes you have also to advice mtambo and ask him ,this freedom is fighting for who ? Or only opposition.
What legacy is there to save???? You mean the worst president ever !
I disagree Bwana sibande
If APM agrees to the demand of HRDC then he will be setting a bad presedence
The wise demand for HRDC would be 50+1 to be made in parliament
Otherwise anybody not satisfied with election results will just get people from their region
To distabalize our poor small malawi
These are people who don’t care about legacy if at that age you are still corrupt, stealing votes and all, its clear print on the wall that money in their wallet is all that matters to them. Legacy is for states men. At that age if you want to leave legacy u would be emulating the Mandela’s, kwame, mzee kenyatta, kagame or magufuli but in this case Alas!!
Very True @ Moya.These people do not care about the citizens at all!
Mwayaluka anthu akuba mumafuna kut mukabe mu airport ndi ma border. Apm kpt up
I agree with u
what words of wisdom to take if i were The President of the land for the sake of saving malawians
Very intelligent writer,well articulated and unbiased piece.unfortunately some selfish guys will tell him don’t negotiate.if he’s not careful dzina limuswekela mmanja.
I like this analysis- Only if the president had a chance to read this !!!
I like this analysis, only if the president had a chance to read this !!!
Sibande no need to praise a person who threatens to kill citizens
You are a big FOOL Sibande! How can you even suggest that illegit Mutharika inviting Chakwera and Chilima for negotiations? Negotiations on what? On how he paid lhomwe to announce false results? Most Malawians and indeed development partners now know how Jane Ansah announced false results in favour of Mutharika, that is why no one important attended the two inauguration attempts. In fact this election was not rigged if you ask me, Its just that false results were announced. Wakuba sitingamusiile munda! You and your Mutharika are going, however way you want to look at it. Mtumbuka opusa Iwe!!!! Sell out!! Kapilikoni!
WHAT KIND OF LEGACY IS HE GOING TO LEFT, THIS THE LEGACY WHICH WE ARE GOIN TO REMEMBER, 1. KILLING OF ALBINO 2. CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY 3. LOMWELIZATION 4. WANT TO KILL DEMOCRACY 5.FAILING TO CONTROL PROTESTERS. THERES NOTHING GOOD WHICH WE CAN REMEMBER ABOUT THAT FOOL MUTHARIKA