Malawi youthful MP ‘massacre’ English, ignite debate for Chichewa in parliament
Calls for government to allow members of parliament debate in vernacular Chichewa are growing louder after a video clip circulating in social media platforms show a young legislator Fyness Magonjwa speaking in grammatically incorrect English.
The 25-year-old, the youngest of the members of Parliament elected on May 21 in the 2019-2024 cohort , from Machinga South East Constituency was giving an interview to the national broadaster MBC after an official handover ceremony of a bridge from a contractor to her community.
A transcript of Magonjwa’s interview can loosely be like this; “They are walking towards to travel at the same bridge. So the way the bridge has started to maintain we are not to take it for granted because we have been waiting for 15 years it wasn’t easy.
“We can just say thank for the leader of Professor Peter Mutharika the way they have handled this world, the way they are making their aaaa what can we say….”
The interview has gone viral in social media platforms with some people telling her to consider going back to school while others saying her lack of English proficiency does not mean she is not intelligent enough to handle parliamentary business.
Magonjwa attended both primary and secondary school in Mangochi. She is currently studying for an advanced diploma in public health.
Dowa east MP Richard Chimwendo Banda says he will introduce a motion in parliament to allow the legislators either debate in Chichewa or English.
“Chichewa should be made official language too apart from English. Language should not be a barrier for the members of parliament to participate freely in parliamentary business in the House,” said Chimwendo Banda.
But lawyer Justin Dzonzi says allowing members of parliament to debate in Chichewa in the House would be difficult because all the laws are written in English.
“Introducing Chichewa will not help matters. We need to have members of parliament who can speak, write and understand English,” said Dzonzi.
The Republican Constitution says a person shall not be qualified to be nominated or elected a member of parliament unless he or she is able to speak and read English language well enough to take active part in the proceedings of parliament.
Magonjwa defeated seven other aspirants and according to Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), she amassed 8 108 out of the 30 497 votes cast.
Magonjwa is affiliated to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
A firstborn in a family of four children, Magonjwa grew up in Machinga, experiencing first-hand the challenges faced by the rural Malawians she will represent for the next five years.
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This shameful girl should go back to school. I believe she is a Tippex MP, I pray the courts should also remove tippex on MP’s as well. Shame!
Izi ndi zija zoti term yanu ya u Mp ikatha and simunasankhidwenso anthu adzakuonani mukugulitsa Kaunjika pa nsika wa Kampepuza…………… Go back to school.
Neither Chichewa nor any of the other tribal languages found in Malawi has the vocabulary necessary to cope with the science and technology of the 21st century. During colonial times many English words were adopted by Malawians because they did not have their own words, such as sukulu, belu, chalichi, buku, etc; So many everyday objects do not have a Chichewa word for them. English is a very flexible language, much more so even than French which is constantly adopting English words and expressions. Our parliamentarians must of necessity be able to speak and communicate in English in order to take Malawi forward in the 21st century.
Achiswe and your friends be careful what you wish for. As implied by the final sentence of this article, those who are best equipped to serve the public are those who have experienced firsthand what the public have been through.Are you sure you want people to be excluded from parliamentary matters simply because they have not grasped the language of our former (current?) oppressors?
Why not accept them into parliament first (as the chosen representatives of their communities) then proceed to sharpen them to be the best they can be. There is a reason why her people chose her above everyone else. Broken English is a problem easily solved, it should never be a disqualifying factor to enter politics. I bet you with a good tutor this lady can improve her English by December.
Note: We have had the word “Mkachisi” for the English word “church”.
Tippexed MP-not a surprise!
Please do not blame the honourable lady for speaking poor English. She is a product of of a poor education system. This is an indictment of the education system in Malawi. A form 4 Certificate person should be able to speak good English. As for those who advocate local languages should be spoken in Parliament, to the best of my knowledge there are 13 languages in Malawi. If each language has an MP and spoke in their own language, it would require 12 translators so that those who speak the other 12 languages understand. If you workout how many translators you will need you will see how silly the idea is. This idea would also make tribalism worse. This is why Kamuzu made English as an official language. There is too much tribalism as it is. DO NOT ADD OTHER TRIBAL FACTORS to make it worse than what is. If anything we should be abolishing tribal identities.
The answer to this unfortunate situation is to improve the education system.
Proper to state when that poor education system existed. Is from 1964 to 1984 or is it from 1994 onwards when the yellow regime was ushered in government. But during the Kamuzu era, education standards were very good. I remember at a secondary school in Lilongwe we had a student in Form 2 from Sierra Leone. Yet in his home country he was in Form 5. In Zomba, at a certain primary school located between Zomba Catholic Sec School and Sir Harry Johnston Primary School, we had a student in Std 7. In Zambia he was in Form 2. Surprisingly he could not solve a sum involving the use of BODMAS. It was a tall older for him. But was excellent in spoken English while in grammar his performance was average. Those were the days when Education Inspectors used to visit primary school to see what teachers were doing.
However, standards slowly went down when people brought in WAKUBA YEMWEYO as chief executive of the country… Here we are now. Some parliamentarians are failing to converse in good English. But parents should shoulder the blame. Do they have time to figure out how their children are fairing in class in all subjects? How about teachers, inspectors and curriculum developers? Do they monitor education standards?
As a Country we need to modernise our thinking more specifically let’s demonstrate our PRIDE in our mother tongue, it’s one of the Bantu languages spoken by two countries! The majority of Malawians don’t speak English and even if they do it’s not grammatically correct but better than English people have lived in Malawi for 30year who can’t even have a conversation in Chichewa. I have seen many Foreign leaders from Asia, Eastern Europe, Russia and many more who don’t speak any English when the visit English speaking countries BUT they are very proud and comfortable to stand on a stage with World media around and converse in their vernacular language and no one questions it. That is pride!
And for me Chichewa is not my mother tongue..Being Malawian has nothing to do with Chichewa fluency
Tsopano amene mukulimbikira zoti kudziyankhulidwa chichewa Munanva bwinobwino mmene amawechetera chichewa ku machingaku? Kapena kudziyankhulidwanso chiyao ku parliamentiko? Then we will be needing translators for our own parliament chifukwa kukhala chinkhonde, chilomwe, chitumbuka, chikhokhora, chisenga… etc
Khamula, please do not attack innocent lady. If your intentions is to destroy her, then you are not achieving anything. Character assassination is not good. What matters is that her constituency believed in her and have all confidence in her. We even see mistakes in your writings. The problem is when the mind is blind the eyes don’t see good things in other people and that is what you’re doing. She has qualifications that were acceptable for her to compete for the office.
IT IS ONLY IN ONLY IN MALAWI WHERE THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE COUNTRY IS REFUSED IN PARLIAMENT JUST BECAUSE THE LAWYERS ARE TOO LAZY OR TOO IGNORANT TO INTERPRET THE LAW INTO CHICHEWA. ADZONZI ZIMENE MWANENAZO NDI ZA MKUTU, KU KHOTHI BWANJI TIMAKAIMILIRA MCHICHEWA. MWATANI KODI? TIKUPATSANI NKHUKU TU NGATI MAN OF THE MATCH AHHAAHHAAHAHAHA
Chichewa has never been nor will it be my mother tongue
Come on give her a chance she will pick it up in time, looks intelligent and young enthusiastic
At least she had the guts to speak. Although the grammer was bit bad but people understood the debate. I think everyone should encourage young canditates to play more active part in politics
Mavuto alipo,ndiye tili ndi achiwiri kwa mtsogoleri wachipani china eeeeeee malawi wathu!
Timva posachedwapa kuti asankhidwa ndi dpp kukhala mulangizi wawo kkkkkkkkkkk.DPP!!!!!!!! kkkkkkk koma mwaonelela kumalawi
Ambiri mukutero chifukwa choti ndi mtsikana(wa ana atatu koma) komanso poti akuchokera ku South not East of course……akanakhala Mtumbuka or Northerner inakakhala nkhani yina. Anthu aku Malawi ndiogwetsa ulesi kwabasi….debate in the National Assembly in Chichewa? Then I will debate in my local language too, why chiChewa and not lomwe or Yawo or Lambya?
Phiri sililondola nyani koma vice versa…..mtumeni kusukulu mwanayo/mzimayi wamng’onoyo…it’s not too late.
These are some of the products of quota system……..zilipo zambiri…….you can collapse mutamvera most of the 2000 graduates….it is pathetic. Now that there is no JC whereby mwana from Std 8 azidzalemba mayeso mu Form 4 kudzawoneka zotani…….
Ma Southerners ndi those from the Central mukutinamiza kuti mukuchita manyazi ndi chiyani apa poti ndi m’mene muliri ndipo ndim’mene mukufunira kuti dziko liziyendera ndi quota yanuyo….shame to DPP….these are the results…..go and interview ana a CHANCO, Poly and LUANAR mukakomoka!
APUMBWA AKUWONONGA DZIKO TIKUWONA.
Allow Chichewa in Parliament please….may be Chimulirenji can start attending to Debates…
Mmmmh, I really don’t know what to say but I’d see chaos in the August House. Why? Remember Malawi is a multilingual country. We have Chewa, Tumbuka, Ngonde, Sena, Yao, Lhomwe, Mang’anja, Lambya, the list is long. What would happen if we have MPs from these linguistic origins & would also want & demand to contribute in their maternal languages? This would be openning a can of worms whereby goverment will have to hire an army of language translaters & cough billions for their salaries, digging deeper into our already lean purse. Using Chichewa or one’s mother tongue is not a problem but it can be a problem when one is dealing with English speaking people or delagated duties. Remember that in other times Diplomats, Ambassadors, donors or anyone from developed countries do come to watch Parlamentary proceedings. It would be embarrassing to the nation. Tiyenazoni!
Koma zinazii, kikikikiiiiiiii. Go back to school young lady. You know what, as a legislature you may have to represent our country in conferences etc at home or abroad. God help us if that were to happen. This applies to every educationally lame member of the chamber, ie chimulirenji.
Koma kuli kanthu ku DPP ko, the likes of Mchacha, Fyness yu, Chimulilenji, mp uyu wachimwenye anali mechanic yu, osaiwala a Ben Phiri a dokotala okanika kuloza university anali………………. nchito iyo a POLOFESA!
Folks, once in a while we miss a good grammar, that being said the honourable lady’s english is in bad shape, it needs some panel beating. But honestly folks, the case here should not be her, it should be on our education system, with all the funds flowing into education, all the teachers in primary and secondary, did we really produce her? yes we did, and we must be embarrassed about it. Honestly, we still need english to participate in international business directly.
Come to Tanzania and you will not hear English in parliament. They are proud of their Kiswahili.News bulletin is in their mother tongue. Let’s be proud of our local language and use it even in the August house. This young Mp should not be scorned . She communicated so no need to build a hill out of a mound
I see nothing wrong, most Malawian people are fool! That is why the country called malawi will never develop.
English is a foreign language, is not easy to copy. In Europe other leaders of some states or Asia, does not even know how to speak English, they use translater to communicate with other foreign countries. But their country are more developed. Long as you communicate with your people and thats it. There is people out there that got phd but can not speek English and they dont care.
Development is not about English or well educated no! Is about your techniques. You have been having educated presidenrs in malawi, what change? Fools!
Why should we continue lowering our standards to favour mediocres. Introduce first degree as an mp qualification. Uganda has done it.
You can say that again………. Lero Msce ilibiretu value oloooo. Even ma cleaners or ma guard entry point ndi Msce yomweyo, what more our honorables???
Degree from which university? This woman is studying for a diploma but she can’t express herself in english. They are a lot of them out there with degrees or you name it but can’t communicate. The standards are really down in Malawi.
Yes standards have gone down, and if you put to proper scrutiny some policies pursued by Ministry of Education one will encounter that they are responsible for the prevailing mediocrity. Malaysia experienced what Malawi is currently going through but it waked up to review all its policies that were a contributing factor to mediocrity.
‘It will take easy for us to travel from this side to the other side, even the mothers who has got childrens to travel from school, it was takes almost 2 hours to travel the same bridge, so i say thank you to the leader of Prof. Arthur Mutharika the way they are handling this world, for the good heart , because of chitukuko….. what can i say it chitukuko? what can i say it?” End of Quote!
Oh oh it was that bad! I haven’t listened to the clip yet shaaaaa!
Oh oh it was that bad?? I haven’t listened to the clip yet shaaaaa
part time english teacher available here
She cant even speak chichewa.Given a chance, she can speak yao.
I think the best approach to this problem is introduce Bachelor’s degree in any field as a mandate for one to contest as a member of parliament. To have debates in Malawi Parly in Chichewa will not help matters because we need to change everything to be in Chichewa. Can she represent Malawi in continents where English is a MUST to communicate? What if donors approach her constituency to start a project, how will she communicate effectively with them?The young MP can hire English teachers/lecturers to assist her on issues of Grammar and Literature. Within 1 year she can tremendously improve and speak English well. Just learn the Queen’s language to ease this gap. But all in all, congratulations for winning the seat since people in area have trust in you young woman. Congrats once again.
pomwe ndaona vuto ine mpoti she failed to accept the fact that she is not fluent in english, nkupempha intrview ya nchichewa….KOMA nkhani yoti tintchule maina kuti ndi Mbuli…kumbukilani mau aja oti Opusa anaimba ng’oma ochenjera navina….inu okutha kuyankhula english’nu talozani zanu zomwe mwachita tione? iyeyutu ndi phungu…talimbikani mpange zanu nanu nchizungu chanucho…
Kuthyola mano kumeneko? Kikkkkkkkk hahahahahahahaha!
Allowing Chichewa as a language of communication in Parliament, will eventually make it a language that one passes for the award of MSCE certificate. I am afraid when this happens, Malawi will not compete at the international stage. Countries like Zimbabwe, Kenya and even Mozambique where English has been introduced as a compulsory subject in school will beat us. Malawi should be an ambitious nation, set the bar high.
I wonder if the understanding here is that encouraging our local languages is not setting the standards high. In addition, the countries given as examples have been selected with some kind of bias. In China, they promote the Chinese Language, in Tanzania it’s Kiswahili – even sign posts at the University of Dar are all written in their local language, in Germany they promote German, in the Netherlands it’s Dutch, in Belgium, Japan, Denmark, and the list goes on … they all promote and encourage and communicate in their local languages. Do we match them in setting their standards high? I do not know why most of us Malawians demean our local things including languages.
Kodi iyeyu ndi mwana wa Chimulilenji???
first born wa Chimulirenji wakunjira
hahahahahahahah
In China they learn in Chinese but have developed high technology. In Russia and German they speak thier own language. We abolished mental Arithmetics and dictation in our schools but we want to be good thinkers and writer. No way.
I think it is not FAIR to compare ourselves with countries like: China, Russia and Germany. These countries are far ahead of us and they can hire interpreters to translate their speeches (These are First World Countries and China is soon replacing the US in terms of wealth and fastest economic growth). Malawi GDP per capita=$348. This is very worrisome as we are rated one of the poorest nation on this planet.
We canNOT change the whole process because of just one individual instead of that one individual change to adapt to the system itself. Case closed
Akuru ndinu a bulutu, open your eyes
What will happen to those who dont know chichewa when chichewa is declared official language in parliament and are told to speak in parliament? Even if we think of eliminating english language in parliament it wont help. Malawi is not only chichewa speaking country. We have so many languages in Malawi.
We are suggesting the use of both languages and translation shouldn’t be a problem these days. Infact it doesn’t have to be Chichewa only. An MP can use the language he is comfortable with and language translators can be installed in the parliament communication system so MPs can hear the speaker in their language. Unless you tell us that this lady was tippexed through we have no moral grounds to deny her constituents to be represented by a person of their choice
Simply do not allow illiterates to be MP. These people add no value to the country’s development. Malawi needs educated MPs and ministers to objectively formulate development policies and legislation for the country. It is for this reason of allowing illiterates that the country has a Vice President who cant articulate in English, how on earth do you believe such a man can understand national, regional and global discourses on development? Malawi used to be considered as having good education systems, but these were diluted during Muluzi’s era, what a shame!
If Parly deliberations are in Chichewa, what would happen to the likes of Hon Dr Goodall Gondwe who refuses to be interviewed in Chichewa?.
The Hon would prefer to be interviewed either in English or in Tumbuka but NOT in Chichewa. So this is a small matter to be dealt with.
akuru ndinu a bulutu, mukufunika pemphero
She not being able to speak English is not the issue rather her arrogance and stupidity not to accept the fact she not fluent in English is the problem. She was under no obligation to have the interview in English ,why she decided to speak a language she not fluent in makes it clear she not a person who has normal thinking and reasoning abilities.
I would love to know what you have ever accomplished that you will be remembered for with your perfect English.This young woman got her point accross and is helping people more than you ever can. A lot of foreign leaders dont speaker English or are poor at it.Tell Putin to speak English,Ronaldo,Messi,Xi XINPING, The Pope..try
thats the point. They speak a language they are comfortable with when in public.
All those people mentioned above are wealth people on the global scene. We are talking about communicating well with stakeholders as the person who acts as bridge between stakeholders and people in her community. Think locally and later act globally
akuru ndinu bulutu, mupite ku chipatala
You just wrote “why she decided to speak a language she not fluent in makes it clear she not a person “…… that statement alone is wanting yet you want to criticise the young woman. English is not our first language. For God’s sake one can only learn from one’s mistake. I am sure with all the public outcry she will improve next time. But remember “stage fright” might be a factor in one massacring the Queen’s language. I have heard seasoned politicians butchering the queens language so its no big deal.Why are we made to ulilate and clap hands when a white man or Chinese butchers our own native language including you the called Gem
You are equally a victim of fractured English
And are you confident with your broken English? Check again your writing and see if it does not need correction. Mind you, English is not an instrument for measuring people’s intelligence let alone their ability to articulate issues. Learn from Chinese, Japanese, Russians and many more foreign nationals who are not fluent in English but are doing fine in many ways !
We are only talking about this girl. What about our journalists during question time at the recent election results announcement. Their English and pronunciation left a lot to be desired. But these are people who are expected to breathe and eat English.What about the so called Professors. The Political Analysts. Its unbelievable when you hear them talk. She is intelligent. It has to do with stage fright. Some people are good in spoken English and some in written English. She only needs to go to a school of public speaking to improve her English and Confidence. Not only her but a lot of us are not born public speakers. To have convinced the electorate to vote for her shows she has got what it takes.History is abound with people who never went to University but were born orators and went on to Lead great Nations. Winston Churchill, Samora Machel, Adolf Hilter, Jacob Zuma to mention but a few. Even the incumbent President Peter Mutharika is not an orator. A lot of them in Parliament struggle to express themselves in English. Joseph Chinotimba in Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans make a joke of his English but he went on to win his second term. So give the girl time and she will get it right. Her problem which is what a lot of people go through is to think in vernacular and translate directly to English. What i find amusing is black people celebrate when a white person speaks in broken Chichewa. But laugh when a fellow black person speaks in broken English. A sign of colonial mentality being embedded in us. Bob Marley said ” none but ourselves can free our minds “.
Mawu mawu munthu wamkulu.
please stop hiding behind the stage fright thing! how was she campaigning if you say its stage fright now? if someone is unable to construct a legible sentence the whole interview, i tell you stage fright is out of the question there. to be frank, i don’t think the honourable member can write good english because what you write is equally what you think and can speak, and we tend to wonder that she is now studying for an advanced diploma in public health! I have no beef with her and in fact i like her very much on a serious note, maybe one day i will get a chance to meet her and know her better.
Lets not trivialize this, if this is what one gets after going through our school system then we are in serious trouble, students are being short changed, they are not getting the value for their money, this is totally unacceptable!
Aphinzitsi ake ndi omwewa akugwirotsa ma tipex mu election. What do you expect?
Chizungu choline ntchito ife tikufuna munthu wa chilungamo amene angabweletse chitukuko m’dela lathu,chiyankhulo ndi lilime lamunthu ife tinabwera kuno Ku John kale kale 15years koma or chizulu osachidziwa,.mzungu ndani mu nyumba yanuyo.
MAYI! MAYI! MAYI!
Ndikamanena kuti ku malawi kwa chuluka ma idiots, sindimadziwa kuti zafika apa! English ili ndi ntchito yanji pa moyo wa munthu, kulibe dziko limene linatukuka chifukwa cha english. ABALE UMBULI TISAMAFIKE NAWO PAMENEPA. You all morons, akumafuna kuyankhula chizungu chifukwa choti ku malawi kwachuluka UMBULI ali pa pressure. KUPANDA ZITSIRU ZILI PANO COMMENTING NDI ZITSELEKWETE ZINA MU MALAWI dziko lathuli bwenzi litatukuka. And boy she is a looker.
You have used some English words in your sentences. That in itself is a sign that you cannot do without the English Language. If you happen to travel outside Malawi, will you communicate in Chichewa. Suppose you have landed at an airport in Brazil or France, are going to use Chichewa in order to get to your last destination? The fault of that legislator is that she was not exposed to good English teachers while at primary school where pupils are drilled in sentence constructions and on how to pronounce words correctly. She needs to go back to school to polish up her English. Look at Atupele Muluzi’s wife, nee Kachingwe. She was also the youngest legislator when she was elected as a parliamentarian. Her spoken English was excellent, meaning she had enough grounding in the language while at primary school. It is a sign that she practiced on how to speak the language on her own and with fellow pupils at an early age.
Sindikumvesa, TYPICAL MALAWIAN GENIUS( ndi oxymoron koma) china chiri chonse chimene wanena sichinathandizepo wina aliyense ku Malawi PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE WHAT I PRAY FOR EVERYDAY. MENTALITY YA CHIZUNGU!!!. This is the source of all the poverty in Malawi. That Malawi mentalit!!!!!! ANTHU AKUPHUNZIRA, ANTHU AKUJOINA EGC YA A BUSHIRI, ANTHU KUMENYEDWA CHIFUKWA CHA A CHILIMA UMPHAWI OSATHA. THAT MALAWIAN MENTALITY!!!
What a stupid country. How do we have a parliament that bars all local languages except the language of the brutes who came here and called us monkeys…
What a stupid republic of benighted cunts. End this English hegemony and allow people to speak their ideas freely. We have had stupid, torrentially stupid presidents who speak English. Time we needed this bullshit. Every other country in our neighborhood is doing better than us in spite of language and we cling to colonial artefacts like English and those dreadful wigs our dimwitted lawyers upon in courtrooms. Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I HAVE READ ALL THE COMMENTS WITH KEEN INTEREST AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT AS FOLLOWS:
I GREW UP AND WENT TO SCHOOL IN A RURAL SET UP AND TO SPEAK ENGLISH AT SCHOOL IN THOSE DAYS WAS TOUGH FOR A SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT ESPECIALLY THOSE COMING FROM RURAL RURAL AREAS.
OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IS A TOTAL WASTE OF TAX PAYERS MONEY. GO AND INTERVIEW A UNIVERSITY GRADUATE AND HEAR THE GRAMMAR ,,,,YOU WILL BE SHOCKED SO WE CAN NOT BLAME HER.
ITS ALSO GOT SOMETHING TO DO WITH HER CONFIDENCE, SHE MIGHT BE GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT IN WRITING NOT IN SPEAKING. NOT EVERY ONE CAN STAND IN FRONT OF A CAMERA AND SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH.
SOME OF YOU WRITING HERE IF I AM TO SET UP A LIVE INTERVIEW EYAAAAA WE WILL HEAR ZEZZZZZZZ.
I AM IN SOUTH AFRICA AND EFF HAS YOUNG MPs, THEY HAD TO TEACH THEM FIRST AND LEVEL THEIR CONFIDENCE, BUT I BELIEVE THE ORIENTATIONS SESSIONS THAT PARLIAMENT ORGANISED DID NOT HELP AT ALL.
SO LETS NOT LAUGH OR BLAME HER AT ALL WE MUST LOOK AT THE ISSUE IN A POSITIVE WAY. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS SHE MUST HAVE SOMEONE TRAINING HER IN ENGLISH SPEAKING AND ALSO ON CONFIDENCE ISSUES.
SHE NEEDS OUR SUPPORT LEFT AND RIGHT, SHE HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT SHE IS A VISIONARY YOUNG GIRL READY TO SERVE OTHERS AT A YOUNG AGE. GOD WILL BLESS HER ABUNDANTLY.
SHE IS THE ESTHER OF OUR GENERATION…..
Well said ” By the Apostle.”
mawumawu! olemekezeka Apostle what we are seeing is hypocrisy around our Malawian circles, thanks for your wise and honest comment.
Well put Apostle, this mentality and the hood winking by the colonialists is killing Malawi. Speaking English is not a measure of intellectual capability. We must support the young lady at all costs.
And your keyboard doesn’t have Cabslock.
Very sad indeed. If someone who is now pursuing advance diploma in public health can fail to comprehensively articulate issues in English, what do you expect? It is anticipated without doubt that she can not ably discharge her duties as an MP in parliament . The MP has responsibilities to three groups:First is their constituents where he or she act as a figure head representing their concerns; Second is the parliament where he or she participates in critical debates examining new laws or existing ones or the work of government departments; And finally is their political parties.
Frankly speaking, choosing such people as MPs is a big loss to not only to the constituents but the country at large as they can not add any value to discussions in parliament on matters of national importance.
When I went to school English composition was mandatory now I know why……I’m not a laughing stalk🤣🤣🤣
muyankhura kwambiri…… muzoyankhura zanu mukusowa chinthu chimodzi…… mdera la munthu uyu ndekut ku parliament kulibeko coz in malawian august houde only English is parmount so this lady will not contribute anything mpaka azachokako. even anthu ake atamuuza kut akanene kanthu believe me sangayankhule uyu…..
True. So too with English Literature. Sad that some guys took it off from the syllabus. They were lazy. They did not want to keep children busy reading books. It killed a reading culture. That led to the downfall of standards …
It’s road accident on the lake………kkkkkkkk. ……..Chichewa should be official language in the august house.
What about those who dont know chichewa?
Kipome, Chichewa will never be used for communication in parliament. Hansard, Government Bills or Acts, Laws amendments even the president’s speeches are written in English. The fault of one legislator should not force the entire parliamentarians to revert to English. Let her go back to school in order to improve her English proficiency.
The fault of one legislator should not force the entire parliamentarians to revert to Chichewa.
kkkkkk
There is no way a form four graduate should fail to articulate herself like that! I want to know who were her English teachers
Form four . Talk of our graduates and some so called Professors and you will fire the “system”
If Overton Chimulirenji and Fryness Monjimbwa are products of our Educational System then we need to take a serious look at the curriculum! It needs a mega overhaul!…….we cannot continue with mediocrity!
The correct English here would be it needs a major overhaul, not mega.
Looks like you are in the same boat as Chimulirenji and Fryness, check your dictionary or google the meaning of Mega, unfortunately it may be too advanced fir your small brain
Apumbwa, the use of the word “mega” in Ndatopa’s sentence was not proper. He should have used a correct word as reasoned by Jameson. English words should be placed in their proper places. Mega in relation to word beginnings means “a million times the stated unit”. For example: The Queens are set to earn megabucks after retaining position six:” – meaning they will earn an extremely large amount of money. However, the word mega is not used separately. It is joined to another word, sometimes with a hyphen. Examples include megastars, megaton bomb, mega-project. However, would you post the ones you found from Google search or inforsearch or Lycos or Altavista etc so that our small brains are large.
She will improve. Remember former president Bakili Muluzi.
Is it very hard to have an English/Chichewa interpreter in parliament?? Why are we being shallow minded? There are many important issues to worry about other than this petty issue. She made a point that’s all that mattered. Stop the hate please. Seodi White should come to her defence!
QUOTA SYSTEM!!
AND YOU SAY SHE’S STUDYING ‘ADVANCED’ DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC HEALTH, IS THIS TAUGHT IN VERNACULAR, DID SHE PASS THE INTERMEDIARY SESSIOSN IN PUBLICH HEALTH WITH THAT ENGLISH??
Steve Jobs never graduated from college, so is the case with Bill gates and Mark Zuckerberg. Leadership cannot be measured by papers alone.
Naweso nzeru ulibe bill gates speaks english. He is english. Uyu msce anangotola. Or alibe msce. Ndimbuli sangatukule dziko..
You can’t liken Steve, Mark, and Bill to this lady iwe. We are not discussing papers here but simple English composition! You are a fake analyst.
What’s so special with English? Chinese president speaks Chinese but leads one of the greatest economies of the world!
The difference is that the Chinese president is smart enough to know that he can’t speak English and make a fool of himself .
Signs of brainwash… You mean failing to speak a foreign language makes one a fool?? Do you mean all these Chinese/Indian business men in town who speak broken English are fools?? Shame
It depends in the situations they have found themselves in where they look like a fish out of the water!
Nonsense
What is it that is nonsense, Analyst? You just cut a frustrated figure over a minor issue! Come on, extinguish that anger.
Not angry at all! Analysts just call spades by their name… bottom line, let’s give the young chap a benefit of doubt to demonstrate her capabilities. Another election is only 5 years away. If she doesn’t deliver, you will fire her that time.
My fellow women, if we are fighting for women’s rights, equal rights, gender equality, equal pay or whatever cause that benefits women then we must be able to clearly and eloquently express ourselves. We must come to the table from a position of strength and not make a fool of ourselves, we can’t be laughing stalks and hope to advance our agenda!……Lord Jesus please take the wheel
LET HER CARRY ON SHE WAS ELECTED , PEOPLE LIKE HER AND THE MESSAGE SHE GOING TO TAKE WILL BE IN CIYAWO OR CICEWA TO HIS AREA MUST NOT BE BARRIER. ENANUNSO SIMUTHA KULAKHULA MOMVEKA ITS NOT ONLY HERSELF WE ARE MALAWIANS SPEAKING AND WRITING NOT SAME ,SHE MIGHT HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AND WRITING .AKUTUMIKIRA AMALAWI NOT EUROPE SHE PRESENTED HER CERTIFICATES NOT SOMEBODY ELSE IF SO THAT MEANS IS MALAWI EDUCATION WHICH NOT GOOD.[CORRUPTION]
If she went through primary school, secondary school and now studying Diploma In public health but can only speak English at a standard one level then the system has terribly failed her!
Hahaha? izt difficult to rewrite our laws in Chichewa?
Foolish Malawians! Is English your mother tongue??? Why being obsessed with the White man’s vocabulary?
I totally agree with this proposal. Why should we struggle to communicate in a foreign language. We have been brainwashed. All the developed countries and even even many developing countries conduct the deliberations in their own language. After all, the deliberations are meant to benefit Malawians, the majority of whom don’t understand English. However I hold the view that MSCE or Diploma should be the entry point into parliament so that they are able to understand technical issues rather than the English language since one can have such qualification but still have challenges in spoken English. We must know that fluency depends on many factors such as school attended, family background, mother tongue etc.
Kikkkkkk hahahahahahahaha haha zatigwela izi, but but but but but but! aaaa aa kikkkkkkkk if it will be in chichewa then standard 8 old school members can go to this house. No wonder this is from school zalero izi, this can just show how our education system is in Malawi, zipatso za dpp koma abale inu.
How did she qualify for MP with this type of English? Pathetic and shame for a small lady MP.
Parliament imulore aziyankhula Chichewa, kkkkkkkkk
True. Gotani and Mambo should just excuse her from speaking English during parliamentary debates.
The fact that we like many other countries chose English as our official language should urge us to try and learn the language and speak it properly. So.many people say ..English is not our language…that actually encourages us to massacre the language. It is our language in that it is our official language. The solution is not.about debating in Chichewa. The root of our problem is the Schools. Why teach in Chichewa when it is well.known that the official language is English. The students go to school to enable them work.i. offices or do business etc which is in English.
MASSACRE ENGLISH KIKIKIKIKIKIKI THIS WRITER SHOULD ALSO BE QUESTIONABLE
Let us not pretend the very fact that she cannot put her ideas in a properly constructed English show that she has not spend more time in class and one would question if she indeed have an MSCE. Many young people of her age and with MSCE speak better the language. My own child who is 4 years old speak good English all courtesy of watching cartoons and attending kinder garden school.
500 litres fuel per month, 20 m medical scheme per year, allowances, fynes, zitaye bola ma count ako ali boo
Life is not money, or being rich. Zizatha pasapite zaka 5 chifukwa ndi mbuli tsikanayu. Msce sanakhoze…..
salary per month 1 metre.
Our August house is a reflection of the never ending difficulties facing mother Malawi. It will never attract the best brains in the country. The main reason is the Malawi political structure which is far from being an issue based affair. It is a merely an affair of demonstrating tribal numerical strength. Very few individual vote for shadow MPs on the basis of their capabilities or understanding of the local and global issues. They are voted based on tribal and party affiliation and to some extent, handouts.
Not to say that best brains are good English speakers but the young woman MP (congratulations to her by the way)should have done better to demonstrate that she has risen to the challenges and expectations of being a member of the August House. I rest my case, madam Speaker.
Spot on Gonthi!!
Malawians wake up. You mean up to now you cannot differentiate what is real and what is not real on social media?
You are full of Jealousy of her achievement. Leave the young MP alone please and whoever created this clip should be ashamed of themselves
If what you have said is true, then, it could be the work of those she had defeated during the parliamentary elections or someone she had repelled his sexual advances..
Its a FAKE clip
Malawi needs to decolonise. How can a country with 90% people leaving in rural area stick to English as first language? Zinazi kumaziwona. Even azigogo akukumuzi omwe amavota amamva bwanji? Mu parliament chizungu ka ka ka ma R ma L osasiyanitsa,
If this is the level of spoken english by MSCE holders bearing in mind she is studying for a diploma in Public Health, then I am really worried about our education system.
Do not introduce Chichewa in parliament; tht is lowering the standards. Raise the calibre of the candidates instead! it is all good running a successful campaign,since it is done in the vernacular,but how does one comprehend government notifications in parliament with such poor grasp of the language used in government affairs?
If Mangonjwa can’t express herself in English, does she have an MSCE certificate? If she doesn’t have both, how did she find her way to Parliament when one of these are requirements for Parliamentary candidacy? The woman should be investigated. If she lied just because she represented DPP she must face the same music Lucius Banda did – no sacred cows in Malawi. Chimwendo has jumped on the matter to move a motion for Chinyanja in Parliament because he too has deficiencies in the Queen’s language and he would like to use this issue as an excuse. I am afraid if this woman is not investigated we shall have so many Chimulirenjis and Mangonjwas in our Parliament. To crown it all MBC journalists are stupid. They noticed this young woman could not express herself in English, they should have avoided interviewing her in English. Before doing any interview a journalist is supposed to engage his interviewee in a casual talk to gauge the level of language proficiency. It is from there you make a decision which language to use for the interview other than expsing one in this manner. The journalist could have just used the interview in Chichewa and do the voice-over in English. This is what professional journalists do.
At least she knows how to swim. And use tippex.
at advanced diploma level, one must be able to construct a good sentence in english. which college or university hahahahahaha…..
of all the problems this country is facing are going to dwell on trivia. ndani sanamve zimene amafuna kunena