Malawi becoming a useless nation or are Malawians becoming a useless lot?
Is Malawi becoming a useless nation or are Malawians becoming a useless lot? Imagine how ‘maizegate’ has stopped everything and all energies, time and money are being spent on maize this and maize that.
One expects that the amount of money that we will spend in these never-ending inquiries and interrogations would be higher than the actual amount that we may have lost in the alleged maize racket. The Kamlepo Kaluas and Dr. Joseph Chidanti-Malungas of this world have been making a killing through sitting allowances during the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) interrogations of the concerned officials, including ADMARC authorities.
Suddenly, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) seems to have woken from their long slumber and they are planning trips to Zambia to ‘investigate’ the matter. The ACB also wants to invite some Zambian officials linked to the deal to interrogate them, all this at the expense of Malawian taxpayers.
On the social media, particularly on Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp forums, Malawians are discussing and exchanging satirical and disparaging messages against one George Chaponda, the embattled minister of agriculture, whom Malawians believe is the main culprit in this whole ‘maizegate’ saga.
Newspapers, blogs and nearly all media forums are awash with satirical and demeaning cartoons and photographs, all attacking Chaponda and his boss, President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.
There is no doubt that Malawi is a perfect model of a functioning democracy as exemplified by citizens’ full enjoyment of the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press. In Malawi, newspapers and private radio stations are able to grill people in authority and expose all their crooked intentions and actions. The matter of one George Chaponda and Zambia maize is a perfect case in point.
But as I said earlier, it is ‘useless’ to concentrate all our time, energies and money on one George Chaponda and his alleged accomplices. It is not wrong to criticize and ask government to account for its omissions and commissions but we should not overdo it.
This ‘maizegate’ is simply theft of public money and the police and other law-enforcing agencies must simply move in and do what is expected of them. We must not be trumpeting this matter as if it is the worst scandal ever to hit this nation. This country faces mounting social and economic challenges that we, as a nation, must collectively confront.
We have an elaborate law enforcement structure and system in Malawi and that must be used to deal with issues like the ‘maizegate’. It’s not for every Jim and Jack to decide what happens when issues of this nature arise.
The case I am making is that we should not preoccupy ourselves with one issue involving certain individuals but rather concentrate on real matters of national importance.
For example, we rely on agriculture for food and income in Malawi. One expects that during the current farming season, the nation must be preoccupied with issues of how to ensure that we realize a bumper harvest.
During Dr. Kamuzu Banda’s and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) era, this was the time where all energies were expended on farming and agriculture. Dr. Banda would embark on a country-wide ‘crop inspection tour’ whose primary objective was to encourage farming households “to work hard in the field” and realize a bumper harvest. Malawi was a food basket in this part of Africa.
Today, we can borrow a leaf from some of the positive interventions during that era that resulted in Malawi being food secure throughout the year. For example, fertilizer during the Kamuzu era was extremely affordable. It is time we stopped importing fertilizer but have our own fertilizer plants to make fertilizer affordable. It is a song we have sang for a very long time. It is time for action.
As a nation, we must seriously be addressing the major challenges that ordinary rural peasant farmers face and how best we can assist them to achieve progressive agricultural production, food security and sustainable income. As said earlier, agriculture continues to be the key engine for Malawi’s economy representing a critical source of income and ensuring food security and nutrition.
Subsistence farmers in Malawi heavily rely on rain for agriculture production for food and income. Climate change has had devastating repercussion on subsistence farming in Malawi where weather patterns have significantly become unpredictable, negatively affecting harvests. It is time that we started to seriously implement irrigation and other alternative forms of agriculture.
Different progressive interventions in agriculture, both in policy and in technology, are a prerequisite to addressing food insecurity and economic deprivation in Malawi in the short and long term. Genuine political will is paramount to achieving these goals. Government must increase agriculture allocations in the national budget to cater for research in new agricultural and farming technologies, agricultural loans and other initiatives aimed at empowering the peasant farmer to maximize production.
It is only when we address the challenges facing our agriculture that we will be able to prevent ADMARC and other officials from abusing public funds in the guise of importing maize from Zambia. Why should Zambia feed Malawi, in the first place? It’s unfathomable!
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :“When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us how good and pleasant it is when god’s people live together in unity. We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue sold art.”- Donald Trump, President of United States of America
Thought-provoking – especially the last two words in the Trump quotation! Clearly, he wants us to pursue SOLIDARITY, not SOLD ART! Please give your proofreader a slap on the wrist.
it seems CHSPONDA US THE ONE WHO IS RULING THIS COUNTRY NOT PITARA NAWOSO SKAPHARE NZERU NZOCEPA MUKUPITA KU SUPREME KUKATANI ? KUKATETEZA CHAPONDA?
LC. Somehow a passionately written article! However, the police or ACB cannot just go and arrest an alleged offender in this matter. Take note that as of today, no Tambala has been paid to the would-be Zambian maize suppliers. While it is encouraging that citizens are taking part in the discussion (through social media), just to keep on the momentum, authorities are likely taking this matter with caution (and avoid law suits), possibly just to establish whether there were plans or intentions to defraud the Malawi Government or not. These contracts have since been cancelled. The question should be has… Read more »
ooops! Quoting Donald Trump? He is the biggest disaster in recent world history. We do not so much need bigger allocations, we need reforms of the govment system to make it lean, efficient, competent and corrupt-free. This column misses the point all together.
One of the greatest articles I have read on this site. It beats me that half of the country need to be fed by government. Are we serious really?
Presented of malawi Mr muthalika is shirt presented You don’t know nothing how can you helping people u think abou him only now i need to talk of Malawian people’s now time for look someone
Your written English is appalling. Did you pass out from Form Four? If you can’t speak/write English, then
stick to your own tongue, Chichewa. Your comment makes absolutely no sense at all.
Please, Thom Chiumia let people talk about these ills and join the fight against the abuse of power in our communities. Its awareness and prevention at the same time. It seems you still think ACB and Malawi Police Services are free from corruption and bias or they are as effective as we wish them. Not at all. I don’t have to you remind how many cases of corruption are still outstanding either at area 30 police headquarters or ACB office. Nor how selective your responsible structures or systems are in pursuing cases. Nor how many police officers were involved in… Read more »
We are all thieves. Only that Kamuzu was a true leader who prevented us from showing our true colors. I wish Kamuzu was alive and still ruling this country. Muluzi, Bingu and Joyce onse ndi Mbunzi za anthu. APM is the worst human being God has ever created
If the ‘elaborate law enforcement structure and system in Malawi’ did its job, its citizens would not feel the need to ‘be trumpeting this matter as if it is the worst scandal ever to hit this nation’. They would have faith in that structure & system to look after their interests. But recent history has taught Malawi’s citizens that their leaders are not working for the benefit of all Malawians.
Even greater folly that somebody sat down to write one more article on the same and here I am ready it…poor me!