Is Tonse Nepotistic?
“Ali dele nkulinga utayenda naye” is a Chichewa old adage that insinuates that ones character and motives are only revealed when you get to know them better.
So they say if you want to measure and know a man’s character, you simply have to give them power.
How one handles power determines and defines their individual distinctive mental and moral qualities.
For the past few weeks, social media was awash with stories of nepotism by this government.
What dragged the president before this ad hoc grand jury of citizens was the appointment of his own biological daughter to the embassy in Brussels, and his other earlier controversial appointment of the Vice President’s mother in law to serve as envoy at a foreign mission.
To add ethos to their argument, those who were raising concerns resurfaced an old clip of our president in which he was vehemently accusing the former president and his administration of nepotism.
This was when he was still the leader of opposition and had not yet tested the trappings of power and the luxuries that comes with it.
What’s wrong
I personally do not fault the actual appointment itself. As a matter of fact, If there is merit that both ladies qualified for the position I would not have any qualms about it.
However, on principle just like everyone else has voiced out their concerns, I personally have an aversion for hypocrisy.
Our leaders had clearly set a high bar of moral standards.
However these two appointments raised eyebrows and serious questions about hypocrisy; Did our president come in pretence and gave us a false impression of who really he is?
This is the question that is still on the minds of many people who feel that there has been quite some unexplained unethical mishaps pertaining the way the he has conducted himself.
Double standards
In my own opinion, what I am faulting the president for is the double standards as this smacks of sheer hypocrisy.
We can’t be a nation that takes pride in allowing our leaders to actually apply sets of principles differently and only rigorous when it’s convenient for their personal ambitions and agenda.
One of the Tonse punchlines was “Malawi okomera tonse” a Malawi that favours all not just few families and individuals.
Brutal catalyst
Under the previous government, nepotism was one of the long standing ills our nation had to endure.
We have to remember that even though many believe corruption was worse under DPP, it was nepotism that was the actual vice.
Nepotism provided a guaranteed safe passage for corruption with no interruptions.
The truth is that, these two vices are actually twins and they thrive on each other’s backs.
Nepotism is a brutal catalyst for bias in decision-making and unfair treatment. It is the ground on which corruption plants its roots.
By definition, it is practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs and other opportunities.
While corruption hinges mainly on abusing power by certain individuals, nepotism extends the abuse of power to a larger group.
It favours a particular interest group at the expense of others, and it is usually based on personal greed, conceit and ego.
That’s how oligarchies, political dynasties and mafiosos are born.
These networks thrive on systems that are incentivized by bribery, embezzlement, abuse of authority and money laundering.
In a similar way, unscrupulous leaders keep a tight circle of trusted cronies and close family members in order to conceal, collude and transact while avoiding detection and leakage.
Nevertheless, the most worrisome thing about this type of practice is the rewarding and promotion of unqualified individuals.
Nepotism unfairly and unjustifiably demotes and rewards those who are the most hard working among us with negligible compensations.
When deserving people are pushed down the ladder to make room for family members and close friends, we risk creating a mismatch between what is demanded and the skills required
The potential outcome of this upward mobility idea is usually poor quality of services produced.
Consequently, qualified and deserving individuals get demotivated because they see no incentives.
Thus, the existence of favouritism ultimately weakens competitiveness and morale in government service.
It eventually dampens and reduces public faith in the integrity of government and its leaders.
Am not suggesting in any way that the president’s daughter or the vice president’s mother in law are not qualified.
Precedent
It is the precedent that am worried about.
This will legitimize and normalize the culture of favouritism and it leaves a bad taste in many.
This is a big departure from the commitment that our leaders made.
They promised to root out nepotism in its entirety.
Sadly, what we are seeing is the opposite. Just painting something with a different brush does not change it.
Just swapping Lilongwe with Thyolo , the south with the centre is not what we’re looking for.
We didn’t anticipate our leaders embracing practices that are inequitable in providing opportunities for young people.
We have to remember that nepotism goes beyond tribalism and sometimes it is a stimulus for cronyism, a more dangerous type of favouritism.
This corrosive act of bringing back retirees and cronies into the work force just because they have to be rewarded for the favours they dished out during campaign is a perfect example.
This has unfairly burdened our young people with joblessness.
Leadership and responsibility
Our president is like a parent of every one in this big family. When he is seen to be encouraging this kind of favouritism towards his children and friends, the same will be embedded in the unconscious mind of the nation and will begin to alter and impact our future behaviours.
The kind of frivolous and careless decisions that this administration has continued to make will leave an undesirable impression on our leaders.
Many people are beginning to question their virtuous characters and moral principles.
The danger with this growing sentiment is that it has already added a bad ambiance of virtue decadence. It connotes a lack of seriousness in handling matters of national interest.
When leaders flippantly fail to conform their behaviour to the bar they set for others and decide to portray something different from what they preached, it sets a terrible blueprint for those who follow.
When this group sentiment of perceiving our leaders as being dishonest and untrustworthy grows, the simmering disappointment and dissatisfaction of citizens may lead to something more dangerous.
Lack of trust in leadership undermines its seriousness.
Lost safety-net
Honestly, it is disheartening to see that this Tonse government has lost that safety net that they had with Malawians.
Their careless dilly-dallying and failure to deliver on critical promises has actually resurrected aDadi and his DPP cadavers from their abyss.
This was a bunch that was devoid of life. Unbelievably, now they have managed to gain a new lease of life and a moral standing ground.
I can guarantee you that unless this government is able to show tangibles, DPP will position themselves as a credible benchmark and they will keep on pointing out irregularities without equivocation.
They will continue to draw a stark contrast and brag about milestone achievements during their tenure.
This is because this Tonse government has nothing to show for and is continuing with the same corrupt patterns and practices.
Now if you make DPP a tough act to follow, then we can conclude that you are incompetent and that we are all in deep trouble.
My advice
If I were to advise President Chakwera, I could have encouraged him to set up a clear outlook through policy and demonstrable actions that would ably fortify against nepotism.
This is where he needs to begin clearing the rubble.
He needs to be intentional about creating a more open and transparent communicative culture so that there is trust and that there is no more perceived dubious conducts when it comes to appointments.
Separate from the parliamentary Public Appointment Committee, President Chakwera should set up a Government Ethics office that would be independent from political interference, and a government qualifications and credentials office with clear benchmark tools on nepotism.
There’s still an opportunity for our leaders to demonstrate that they are visionary and patriotic.
They should purge the entitlement syndrome from within themselves and choose to be intentional about strengthening our governance institutions instead of weakening them.
The social contract that they committed to was not for servicing themselves and their families alone.
Servant leadership is what you promised us. You committed to the nation that you would serve us all with fairness and transparency.
Mr President please try to find yourself in the news cycle for other good reasons.
Be sensitive and attentive to the many people who are raising their voices, and their cries should remind you that they still look up to you.
Your government should not underestimate the power of perception.
You can’t afford to do the same things that you faulted the previous government on.
Just because some acts are not against particular laws, it doesn’t mean they are okay.
The plot is still salvageable but you need to act now to earn people’s trust, again.
As they say,“wakutsina khutu ndi m’nasi”
Adios
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Even if the mother in law or daughter are well qualified, it smacks of evil appointing them unless they are appointed by an independent authority. Sharing the national cake among 18 million Malawians requires that our relatives stay as far away from the government business as possible. It’s more of a matter of principle than anything else.
Let’s focus on developing the country. I don’t think the nepotism is as bad as it was during the Udf and dpp government. It became worse during the dpp government. It is true that other tribes were victimized by the dpp. Nepotism and other isms are really bad but do not expect each and every Malawian to be given a postion. The government is there to help everyone and this is being done through fertilizer subsidiess and will be done if schools and hospitals improve. Ma udindo is a minor thing. We literally have no roads in Malawi. We have to focus our writings on these things that affect the masses. By the way if you criticise Chewas you are very wrong because Chewas are everywhere and please do not associate Chewas with the central region. You will find them in Zomba, Chiradzulu, Thyolo, Nkhatabay, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Mozambique and Zambia. Tumbuka as a language has so many similar words with Chichewa. The problem with ma kadeti led by APM is punching holes in whatever the government is doing. The cadets are still bitter.
Mbuzi
I enjoy reading your paper but on this article whilst you raise important issues you FAILED dismally as a reporter by missing FAIRNESS what are the two ladies qualifications, how about what the constitution says about employment.of relatives ? what does it say any possible check and balances .
Well articulated, the mother to the VP has been to the foreign mission for a long time from the time of Bakili Muluzi and the time of Bingu so it is the continuation of service. But the rest it shows LC was jealous of what APM was doing.
Idk about the presidents daughter but MK is a well exposed woman , i remember in the late 90s she used to inspire us at the polytechnic, she’s a woman who knows her stuff and on top of that she’s educated ngini izizi akazitha more over ku Zambia amchepetsera amafunika South kumeneko anakaziwanso kuti Malawi is being represented
I read your article with curiosity. You took your time indeed but I expected to read about the qualifications of the two ladies in question.
This article is well observed I would give something am too poor but u shared apiece good advice to the president
Read Genesis 45 verse 22 and realise that blood is thicker than water. Nepotism is will always be with us because we have people we like ,love and others we feel not comfortable with. I salute the writer for this bold step and wish the authorities would have a hearing heart.After all this world is not our home and with the pandemic hitting hard we may change our way of living and see God as our ultimate goal.Osati chuma kapena kuchuka.
The worst a leader can do is to assume a leadership position and cauing terrible suffering among his people. Leaders who fail to fulfill promises they made, are beyond criminals. we all cerebrated our Chakwera, Chilima and Tonse stuff when we managed to put them on the leadership of our country. They promised Malawians so many good things. but to day it is all the opposite of what they said. This country is getting worst in almost all economic activities. There was covid 19 during DPP and there is covid 19 during Tonse of Chakwera and Chilima. DPP true was a real devil on corrutpion, nepotism, tribalism, etc, but atleast they cared about the poor. DPP could reduce fuel prices and created better business environment. Come these Tonse leaders, all small businesses are gone. Free tax period they promised is non existence. Nepotism is their style of living. Why take leadership with intent to cause more suffering among your people?
After castigating Muntharika for years, Lero tiwerenge Genesis? Are you retarded or what?
Am afraid if the advice is not going to a deaf ear
Walemba unenesho,para wanamakutu wasinthe
Apo nadi pala khutu walinaro wapulike but i doubt very much
I am not amused by what is happening in Chakwera’s government. From outside point of view, he thought that running a government is a piece of cake, he surely underestimated. The article is very clear in its presentation and the way I look at things, there will be no changes in the way they conduct their business. In addition, he is underestimating the power of the people who helped him be in that lucrative position. Anakuikawo ndiomwewo adzakuchotse.
Yes he is terribly nepotistic. He hires relatives , friends and party boot lickers only into positions of influence. Do you need evidence for this? Just grab the cabinet list or get the names of officers on foreign missions. Lazaro is simply and shamelessly too nepotistic.
Yes he is terribly nepotistic. He hired relatives , friends and party boot lickers only into positions of influence. Do you need evidence for this? Just grab the cabinet list or get the names of officers on foreign mission. Too nepotistic
I just wanna say Thanks to Tonse Government and alliance for a great job, well done. There is some sense starting to appear in your actions. I can see and feel the good changes propagating in the society due to this new administration. Well done our dear President Dr Lazarus Chakwera sir! Keep up. We need your leadership skills to guide us as a nation to move forward.
If I say DPP is wrestling back power in 2025, am I wrong? Only if I remembered that a devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know, I would have voted wisely.
These people were blaming APM based on hatred nothing else and it is this time that malawians come to know that APM and his DPP did nothing wrong during their reign rather others were power hungry so that they too should benefit not serving malawians as they always preach. So DPP was not bad malinga ndi zomwe tikuwonazi.
Nepotism
The practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.
This is the basic definition. Going by the definition alone, Tonse is 100% nepotistic.
What’s mind boggling is that he stood on the podium and shamed others for nepotism. He looked at Malawians with a straight face and assured us that he’ll pick select the best candidates for these diplomatic positions. From his current behaviour, he’s selecting cronies. Clientelism is rampant where all government activities are based on personal relationship.
So far the president has failed go by the same values he preached which only makes him a hypocrite.
Kkkkkkkk. Let me Laugh my lungs out. Malawi wokomera tonse! The president is not ashamed to appoint his own daughter! No. She is qualified! Very much qualified! Yes!
I am wondering that a lot of people in Malawi didn’t know up to now that the tribe of chewas is so nepotistic than any other tribes in Malawi. For a long time we have been accusing people in the northern Malawi that are so nepotistic. I have lived amongst all tribes in this country in all regions.
What I discovered is that people of the North can easily mix with any tribe in this country without any problem and people from the South as well. But not people from central region, are so selfish so tribalistic. Whatever happens to people of the North and South people from central region always sticks to their normes and belief or even in politics even if they know that in Blantyre an MCP candidate can not win they still waste their votes by voting for their candidates.
Even in the working environment they stick to their home boys than mixing with other tribes. But the names of the people from North or South are always condemned that they are tribalistic. In central region it is not easy for an independent candidate to make it to Parliament if your ideology are contrary to MCP unlike to Southern and Northern Regions. If Hon. Vuwa Kaunda was coming from central region and contesting for DPP surely ladies and gentlemen he couldn’t reclaim his seat.
So listen from me Chewas are so tribalistic than any other tribe in this country and a lot of such atrocities in this country were planted by the first president of this country Dr. Kamuzu Banda. He hated so much people who were very wise than him those from South and North and were called dissidents.
John Tembo did a lot of bad things bad here he is regarded as a very good character amongst chewas because these people support anything which is MCP.
No. Northerners are more tribalistic and more nepotistic than any other tribe in Malawi. Just go to Ministry of ….or Illovo or tea estates or Yoneco, or BLM, or Pentecostal Life Ministries ( PLM) radio or escom, or Mzuni etc etc, and see how they employ themselves. When the HR is tumbuka you know that the office will be full of tumbukas to the point of speaking chi hinya muofesi. Chewas are number 2.
Ma kadeti mukusokosera zedi mwayiwala zoyipa mumachita zija. You wanted to kill the northern region with the quota system of education. You hated anyone from the central region. You stole public money. You appointed top management from one tribe. 90% of the PSs in government are still from one tribe. You behaved like the Tutsi in Rwanda of the 90s.
So you want all relatives of the president and the vice president to be jobless? That’s envy and hypocrisy of the highest order by malawians.
What determines nepotism is the level or percentage that those appointments are done osati mukunena apazi.
In whatever action the president does there will always be split opinion but as long as it’s for the good of the nation and he has the important majority on his side ma cadet mutha kukhala because you living in you own world.
Pali mawu oti madzi a mumtsinje okha ndiomwe amayenda kulowera limodzi but there can never be a time anthu azayendera limodzi pa chiganizo never afteall Malawians are generally born argumentative basi ndimomwe aliri so go on Mr. President you have the majority of the country.
Great writing, I enjoyed reading this.
Well articulated. Thumbs up
The man lacks vision. Let’s start there, no vision, no mission, no objectives, nothing will and is going to move. He is there to be president. To him a president is ceremonial. Speeches and trips.