Malawians being short-changed
When people are desperately in need of something, they usually refer to a statement which says that half a loaf is better than none. This statement is suitable for less important situations but not matters of the State. Running a country efficiently calls for total commitment, no half-measures and, above all, no sugar-coating of failure.
Having said the above, one of the priority areas for development in Malawi is the road infrastructure. Every government in power tries to do something on upgrading of roads. While this is appreciated, there is a tendency of working on a small part of the road instead of the whole road. For example, it seems only 16 kilometres will be done of the Jenda–Edingeni Road, which is 53 kilimetres long.
The same was the case with the Ekwendeni–Mzimba Road via Kafukule, which is over 100 kilometres and only 18 kilometres were done. Such piece-meal type of work is just cosmetic and may be fit for campaign purposes, which is the likely hidden agenda for such half-measures. Malawians are being cheated with such type of development.
Malawians are also cheated on the access of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), which is a public station. The more it is said to be independent, the more it remains controlled by government as its mouth piece and that for the ruling party. Anyone perceived to be an opposition party sympathiser, let alone opposition party leaders, can only be beamed on MBCtv when they are being disgraced for one reason or another.
Recently, MBC introduced a programme called ‘Talk to the President’. Without doubt most people thought it would be live with people phoning in and talking live and direct to President Peter Mutharika about matters of their concern. Unfortunately, the programme is pre-recorded with questions from people.
The questions might be edited and scrutinised to suit what both MBC and the President want to hear. With all due respect, what has been covered so far is what people already know. There is need for more challenging questions. If people cannot be allowed to talk directly to the President then, alternatively, it can be better if the President can talk to people through their representatives in Parliament. This would be more beneficial. Serious issues such as insecurity and land concerns can be addressed with follow ups. Malawi can borrow a leaf from South Africa, where President Jacob Zuma faces parliamentarians.
The other point on which Malawians have been short-changed is on the promise that the President made during his campaign, that he was going to reduce his powers. What came out was just some restructuring of various departments under his office into relevant ministries.
For example, the department of HIV and Aids and Nutrition and Safe Motherhood Initiative was relocated to Ministry of Health. This style of reducing presidential powers was just cosmetic. On reducing powers, it is likely most people were looking forward that the President will no longer be appointing people into boards of parastatal organisations as well as appointing all sorts of special assistants and advisers. Such appointments are usually seen as for appeasement purposes. This is one of the reasons that some parastatals perform poorly.
At the moment, the opening of rural technical colleges which are planned for every district has created a lot of excitement among youths. While the move seems to be in the right direction, but on its own it will not mean much.
To start with, in the absence of job creation by government, the trained youths will just end up joining the qualified job seekers already flooding the streets. If the idea is for trained youths to be self-employed, they will need capital to start businesses. It is common knowledge that if the source of capital will be from organisations of the likes of Mardef or Yedef, then the businesses will be non-starters. Such organisations have been lending a mockery. No one can make a meaningful business with such a tiny capital.
Celebrations about rural technical colleges are premature unless first and foremost the DPP-led government creates jobs or engages lending organisations which can provide meaningful capital.
What is stated here is a tip of the iceberg on things that the government and its leadership is short-changing Malawians on. It is up to the people of Malawi to say no to half-measures and any form of cheating on national issues that affect their lives.
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you jimbo abc whatever you call yourself. be informed that I’ve never ever supported any political movement or figure, be it moron apm or dpp. in fact it is you Mr/s jimbo who doesn’t so appreciate criticism. Emily kamanga has written her composition “criticising” whoever or whatever, and you see any wrong in that because “it is her right to expression” of which I agree 100%. I have written a comment encouraging her to improve her style of writing her composition (based on the same right Emily has), then u say its wrong?? And another thing, I just don’t like… Read more »
‘drogba’ (No 3) you are obviously a keen supporter of the DPP and APM who does not appreciate criticism. Democracy implies freedom of speech. If you don’t like what a person writes, then you should respond with rational counter arguments and facts.
Truth will always be painfull to the ears of the praise singers of which ever party that is in power. What the current Government has been good at is to window dress what is contained in their manifesto with very coloufull ‘ OFFICIAL LAUNCHINGS ‘ while there is, practically, very little that can be shown on the ground. The problems affecting the country,at the moment, needs a whollistic approach in tackling them.
When you go to Mozambique, Zambia or Tanzania, you see massive infrastructure developments taking shape, roads are being built in almost all towns, bridges, side walks pavements, buildings etc, such as hospitals. But in Malawi, you see an abandoned tiny road work here then the next you see is a group of people Lin party clothes listening to hours to someone who looks insane. What is wrong with us Malawians? So far no real development is taking place
Palibe chilipo apa.
Atumbuka. Kumangoliralira ngati nkhuku
There is sense on what you are saying more especially on Ekwendeni-Mzimba via Kafukule road, this area is still Nyasaland and the road is very panthetic as if we don’t have a president.
Emily Kamanga, thank you. I am not alone that is very worried with the government’s deliberate concentration on politics rather than development. We all know that the President’s inspection of the welding “college” was just a show case of nothing that exists in practice. Can the reporters visit the 11 community colleges that have been established and tell the nation if they are indeed community colleges – equipment, teaching and learning materials , qualified teachers, etc?
Shame on the government.
Kamuzu had a vision. He built MYP bases where the youth were trained but people did not appreciate this. We only concentrated on the bad side of MYP.
kodi you said this Emily Nkamanga thing is what academically?? Her type of writing trash is no different from a composition written by a Form 3 Limbe Community Day Secondary School student. So unpalatable, childish. Emily, you seriously have to improve otherwise we don’t have time to read such half baked compositions like these.