Let’s postpone Malawi elections: Mtambo should know Coronavirus is real nightmare
Whichever way you want to look at it, but let’s not joke about it Covid-19, a strand of coronavirus is real, it’s menacing and, please, let’s not play games with it.
We are witnessing a steady rise in the number of people testing positive every day.
But this case—of a person who jetted in the country on March 17 and our system only managed to find the person on April 12—should make all of us worried.
We should all be worried because it tells us that there are many local transmission out there.
As a country, this is the time we must stop playing games; we need to get really serious about this virus pandemic.
This is the time we shaved aside all our political, religious, social and racial difference to face the outbreak head on, on a united front.
Unfortunately, we are not getting that united front from our leaders—especially politicians and opinion leaders.
At this point, President Peter Mutharika could have consulted all political parties regarding the postponement of the fresh elections because—with Covid-19 preventive emphasis on isolation—it is not feasible.
In the wake of politicians’ snail pace in handling this sensitive elections issue, I expected opinion leaders, such as Timothy Mtambo and others, to lead the debate towards postponement of these fresh elections.
Let’s face it.
We just can’t have these fresh elections within the court’s specified 150 days. In fact, even the registration process should be cancelled forthwith.
Here is why:
One, these elections will increase mobility among the people and, we all know, the virus only travels and spread when people move.
Two, these elections will increase overcrowding and, we all know, this virus can only be contained by social distancing.
Three, political parties need to campaign to sale their manifesto to the people. In the wake of not more than 100 people gathering, how will political parties campaign?
Four, we need to ensure that government has enough resources for managing this pandemic and, also, managing the elections. We can’t manage these simultaneously—it will be a big drain on our already shrinking resource envelope.
Against these points, I expected Mtambo, in his news conference on Tuesday, to be people-friendly by challenging government to postpone these elections as a critical preventive measure of this pandemic.
I expected Mtambo, as a human rights activist, to challenge all politicians from all political divides to come together and deliberate the question of postponing these elections.
He should have been the critical voice in leading debates of ensuring that social distancing is working, isolations and quarantines are effective.
Unfortunately, Mtambo has chosen to politic, not to reason as nation-builder.
He has chosen the political blame game that hardly adds value in the quest of finding a solution to this pandemic.
This is a dangerous route Mtambo is taking and if his movement will be towing a deep politicized approach, he will lose the relevance he has gained and be revered for.
The point is: Covid-19 is real and we know that the best preventive weapon we have, for now, is social distancing.
Any leader of reckon should, therefore, strive to stand against every happening that increases overcrowding.
Covid-19 has ravaged the global economy and strained the healthcare system and Malawi needs to focus its resources to dealing with this crisis on the scale of a major war.
Malawians need to have a very serious look at how we need to go forward in this virus pandemic. We should not be playing Russian roulette with people’s lives.
Mtambo, surprisingly, has chosen to see politics not the well-being of people. That is not the leadership we expect from him—for now.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Its good. But the problem is majority want DPP gone yesterday. 70% of the Malawi population can’t trust anything they do, in good faith or not.
Its only through the actual vote numbers that you would determine who people want not because the noise against somebody is louder than the other no, no, no!! you will be taken by a very big shocking surprise my friend
? Kodi mkulu ameneyu Neil ndani ? Ndikandani ikoka kuti kawauze Amalawi zochita? Only those who use their buttocks to think will listen and follow this fool. The problem with this other guys they think their claim of popularity can start defeating people’s thinking capacity. Fools !!! all they want is to gain where they did not cultivate. Mukadya idya tima allowance ta wanthu ofuna kupanga polomoti mathanyula kwanu Komweko!! Ife Ayi,,!
Anyani inu mukanena kuti chisankho chisalephereke ,mukufuna anthu afe kaye kuti milungu ya chakwera ndi chilima ipeze nsembe kuti ikupatseni mphamvu zina zopangira kampeni ,tikudziwa kuti anthu amenewa akafuna kuyamba zilinganizo zokhudza ndale kumafa munthu kaye kenako ayambepo .Chomwe muyenera kudziwa ndi ichi mu mtengo sagonamo.
MUKUOPA CHANI ZA CHISANKHO?
Ma border mu natseka kalemale iyeho analowa bwa ji za mavote ife sitivotanao mpaka kalekale tasiya mukayamba kukangana timafa achete covd 19 ipha yekhayo alibe mulungu ikamugwira chigukwa simulili wake uwu ndizakumidima
The person jetted in on 17 March and his status was known on 12 April. You mean the Immigration department did not pass on the information to the appropriate authority? What is this so-called Ministerial Committee doing apart from pocketging hefty allowances?
I have said it and will say it again. This Committee is too partisan to be trusted. An interparty Committee would have been ideal in the situation we are currently in.
Iyayi. No need to postpone elections. As long as you are testing and putting people in quarantine, tiyeni tikavote. We will do like what South is doing by voting amidst the virus
KKKK. Which South Africa is voting. Koma mutu wanu umagwira akulu kapena mukungomva. I am here and we are being beaten by the army if you move foolishly and there is no election here. Sorry!!!
Americans didn’t take lockdown seriously and they are suffering for it. Dying like chickens, burying loved ones in mass graves. Same with Italy and others. Please Malawi let’s be different avoid being manipulated by fools that pretend to have our best interest at heart.
If we die they won’t even help or remember us. Who remembers the loved ones of Robert chasowa?? Who? Who helps them?? His kids if he had any? Vauchindere yayi. Let’s protect our selves.
Uyi mtambo uyu, ni chindere chakifukapo nadi.
You are lying brother. i live in the US and I am a Registered Nurse who work in the hospital. There are no mass graves. The government is very careful and it is cushioning it’s workers. Food for school kids up to high school is literally coming to bus stops on school buses. They are bringing breakfast and lunch packages. This is very very true people I am a mother. At work, all health workers working through this season salary has been adjusted. Those in danger zone it’s a hefty but we are also using N95 masks not the regular masks you see my brother. I feel the pain of Malawians and I wish this one person who always comments pro government would know that what they are doing is evil. Please consider the poor. With social distancing and washing of hands this virus can easily be cubbed. It is a flu. I hope you will notice that I did not use bad language on you. I am a mother, a nurse and yes I live in the US and have been working through this covid season. Some people commenting here, you are the one confusing the leadership. Covid can not even be reason enough to slow democracy. Voting in time is paramount. The amount of deaths caused by covid is nothing here as compared to flu deaths per season. Please do not confuse people my brother. I just responded to this one but it’s my belief that the other comments are cordially yours. Learn to love the poor. They deserve a mouth piece.
Speaking bad of other people takes away the respect from us brother. We are civilized people and as such let’s act the same.
It is also not true that Americans did not take lock down seriously. I wonder where you are getting your information from brother. Do your research first before you come on public forum. I hope this helps somebody.
May God bless you and God bless Malawi.
I also was gonna say that even when schools have physically closed down in the US, learning has not stopped. Each child including pre kindergarteners through college all are doing their school work on line. Now consider that? Apart from face to face interaction, the school system is thriving. Kids are busy working on assignments and by end of season they will go into another grade level. Do you see the difference here. Things are being cushioned not just stopped.
A mayi it does not matter whether you are a registered nurse or unregistered nurse or a cleaner in some hospital. That does not make your claims true or believable. In fact by first appealing to authority, automatically your argument is faulty and problematic. We all have access to reliable news on TV and online. We all know what is happening in the USA and the UK, Spain and Italy. The situation is bad and out of control unless something is urgently. When over 1000 people die in a single day, it is out of control for the human population. You know the reality but you simply wanted to tell this space that you are a nurse which is neither here nor there. I would be the last person to disclose my profession as a nurse if I were you because of the marginalisation and the low regard attached to such a profession. Thanks
Mayi
I hope you know that life is important than elections. We will always have elections but not life. Even if we feel that the government want to hide behind corona virus, the elections will still come once this pandemic is over, and trust me, it will be over. Let’s not fool each other here, people in USA are dying at an alarming rate considering not withstanding the fact that it is an advanced country…. The poverty you are talking about will not come to end overnight simply because we have elected new president.
It is flu season in US and the northern hemisphere in general and because of the weather there many die of flu. Of the cases so far diagnosed in Malawi will you, Ngoni, please tell us how many have died apart from the 2 away deaths that we have had so far. How many new cases have been found apart from the fake ones which have been refuted.
Zopha anthu zili phee kutakata pa Malawi pano and no one cares to mention them let alone warn people the way they are doing with covid and they have never held life to a standstill.
Sure you people u want poor people to die because you are afraid of flu? Munayamba mwafako ndi dzimfine inu? You have your freezers loaded with food and you know u can eat for many months to come and you want the less privileged to die of hunger? It is good to wear a human heart and think of the other person who is not like you. And to cancel elections because of flu? Please be real.
You are a foolish mother who can respect election than peoples’ lives. Why are you in the US? is it not because you are running away from poverty?
Mali went to the polls despite coronavirus and South Korea will soon do the same, let alone Am,eric beginning with Democratic Party primaries when cowards like you Mike Fiko wanted to stop the elections but the Supreme Court of Appeal reversed the High Court order to stop the elections. You should expect the same to happen in Malawi, we will stop at nothing till we send your master packing. If he uses the virus as an excuse for postponing the elections let him discuss with the political parties, otherwise any unilateral decision by the President will be challenged in court.
Taking everything to court will only make lawyers richer and richer because of your foolishness, especially Chakwela and Chilima and the devil Mtambo.
This zeze Mtambo guy is a fool. You want many Malawian kids to become orphans because of Corona just because you lot (you and your Mcp sponsors) are power hungry?? Are you serious?
Malawians please follow World Health Organisation guidelines, lockdown procedures and stay safe, stay healthy. When u fall sick or die of this pandemic, Mtambo will not be there for you or your loved ones.
All affected countries have instituted these policies, this isn’t politics. It’s a matter of life and death. It’s not a time to play wannabe Che Guevara,Julius Malema or a Tsokonombwe from Burundi.
However much the buttocks are in a hurry, they will Always remain behind. Please fellow Malawians, disregard this fools message. Remember your loved ones.love them,stay safe protect them by protecting yourselves
Go to court with your childish ideas. They may partially be true but we follow the rule of law in Malawi. This can not be solved in the media
It’s just a virus.
kodi inu mumaona ngati Mtambo ndi munthu wa ku MALAWI? He is from Burundi. He will not listen to any word of Wisdom. Malawians know that covid 19 is real and it will spread in Malawi like bush fire. Ikazayamba kusesa anthu kumpoto mpamene Mtambo azafziwe kuti government must prioritize covid 19 than zisankho. Makamaka ikawakantha a Malume ake oklalamba aja ku chire akubisla kuja
Ndiwe mbuli komanso galu
LOCKDOW is the only way.
Postpone election for what? Give valid reasons. Iweyo why are you still working? Why not get unpaid leave until corona is gone? Nonsense. Whatever means you will put in place just to ensure that this illegitimate government remains in power, will not work.
Moyo sagula ndipo omwe mkufuna kukawavoterawo or pakwamu sakuziwapo or mpang’ono pomwe ngakhale inu kukatenga nthendayi kokavotako mzangomwalira panokha iwo asakuziwa kuti uku kunali chee bwampini
koma mtsogoleri timufunabe chifukwa peter ndi care taker president
Silly goose. There is no provision for ‘caretaker president’ in the constitution.
Inutu muphulika chifukwa he is the legitimate President and the Concourt clearly said it. Why not talk about Chilima? So Chilima is legitimate and APM is not? Nonense. Just keep your mouth shut!
He is a vsretsker .u plesdent dzina cabe tinazolowera kugulila mowa mbava