MP Nyalonje backs federalism: ‘Absence of war doesn’t mean Malawians at peace with one another’
Mzimba North Constituency legislator Agnes Nyalonje (People’s Party-PP) on Thursday spoke vigorously in Parliament to back calls for federalism system as opposition lawmakers expressed feelings that Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government values the development of some districts and regions more than others.
Rumphi East MP, Kamlepo Kalua moved a motion on the Matter of Urgent Public Importance under Standing Order 14 for the house to discuss a matter of federal system of government.
And in her contribution, Nyalonje one of the few constistent legislators who displays her wits in her parliamentary contributions of susbstance, observed that regionalism, nepotism and tribalism are “common human failings” not just to Malawi but to many countries in the world and these have led to wars in such countries.
“The absence of war in Malawi does not mean that we the people are at peace with one another. This very discussion this afternnon is testament that we are not at peace with one another. As a result of this discussion, some feel threatened and some hopeful.”
Nyalonje said federal system has more potential to unite us as Malawians.
“Those countries that have effectively adopted a system of federal government can testify to the fact that it has more potential in addressing division between people, division that come as a result of tribalism, division that come as result of regionalism and nepotism,” she said.
Nyalonje said Malawi has, through decentralization, already adopted a system closer to federalism hence the need to make the system formal.
“If I go to Mzimba today it is not a setret that many people feel that the government does not listen to them,” she said.
Nyalonje said in that situation what people want is a “government that is closer to them” and federalism “tends to be closer to the people.”
She, however, said the country has not fully decentralised as the government has not achieved the minimum five percent of the national resources to local government.
Nyalonje said decentralisation is a step closer to federalism and that the country should get federal system in full circle.
“What we need to do is to look at why are we failing to go all the way and what are the benefits of going all the way.
“We cannot afford to ignore the voices that say they want equitable development,” said Nyalonje.
But Machinga North East MP who is also Minister of Health, Atupele Muluzi said government is ensuring that Malawians across the country are offered the necessary and required resources.
Muluzi said there is a shift in decision making from central government to the local councils citing the issue of district hospitals which are at the moment being managed by district councils.
However, he said the challenge is on accountability of the councils.
“We are moving towards having resources fully decentralized. It is for this reason that we demand accountability of the local councils in the management of the resources,” he said.
In the motion, Kalua advocated for a federal system to ensure equity in all areas across the country.
“In a federal system resources can be channeled in a proper way and can benefit all the people regardless of their tribe or region. For example, if there is a federal system in place, resources in the national budget will be shared equally and Malawi will develop,” he said.
He said the house needed to discuss the motion for the sake of the future generation as he observed that the current system leaves some discriminated because they belong to a certain tribe saying there is too much nepotism and regionalism which leaves certain areas underdeveloped or not developed at all.
Dowa East MP, Richard Chimwendo Banda (Malawi Congress Party -MCP) supported the motion saying the call for a federal system of government comes because of discrimination that is there in distribution of resources.
“Malawi should have the spirit of equal distribution of resources. If there was that equity there wouldn’t be call for federation,” he observed.
He said most constituencies have something to point at because of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Chimwendo said communities cry for basic things like potable water because they do not have access to the same while others have three boreholes in a single village which would be avoided in a federal system.
Other Mps who supported the motion were Dedza East MP Juliana Lunguzi (MCP) and Karonga Central MP Frank Mwenifumbo (Aford).
Debate on the need for Malawi to adopt a federal system of government was revived after the May 20 Tripartite Elections whose voting pattern showed that people still vote for leaders, notably the President, based on tribal or ethnic considerations.
Some people have argued that for even or fair spread of development, the country needed to have federal States to facilitate the same.
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Foolish politicians always find a way to divide and rule and this is why it easy for those with empty heads to stoke rebellion by dividing people on tribal and regional lines and sometimes through religion. It is even a bigger tragedy to elevate one tribe as superior to others or one region to be superior than the other through allocation of resources and development projects. This is what causing major challenges in Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Africa etc. Civil wars are just inches away due to foolishness of politicians who flourish on divide and rule. Malawi should never fall into that trap in this day and age with so many examples right under our noses of negative effects of perpetuating tribalism and regionalism. Ife ndife a Malawi…..fullstop!
Kenya is has registered some good development because of federal system of government. Those opposing this system of government are selfish and greedy.
PMFD was the first political organization in exile cried for FEDERALISM after seeing Bingu The Killer Wa Mutharika was unleashing terror on the Northerners. He slaughtered our brothers and sisters in Mzuzu like dogs. Malawi has three provinces and not more than that. Peter Hitler Mutharika wants to add more provinces to benefit his Southern region people by looting other provinces. Northern region will remain as one province undivided by our OPPRESSORS in the Southern region. We the sons and daughters of our motherland, Republic of Nyikaland will fight to the last drop of our blood. We are tired of being slaves of these people. We brought a simple solution to the Southerners how all in Malawi can live together in harmony and develop Malawi together but the respond we got was more violence against the Northerners. There are more road blocks in the Northern region than other provinces. If you remember how the Japanese used to harass the Chinese people in their own land and that is how Northerners are being treated in Malawi.The solution that we gave to our slave masters in the Southern region was simple. Let Malawi has a rotational presidency among our three regions, the South, Centre, and North. The most populous region must be allocated more points than others. For example; the Southern region will be allocated 40 points, Central region 35 points, and the Northern region 25 points. In order for one to win the presidency must have 55 points and above. If it is the Northern region’s turn for the presidency all political parties must choose their presidential candidates from the Northern region and all their Vice presidents from the next region that it will be its turn. The governorship must also rotate among its tribes in each province. It will be the powers of each province from which tribe political parties must choose their presidential candidates so that everyone in each province is treated equal. Introducing this system will end political parties being regional or tribal based. With this type of federalism Malawi will develop quickly and know everlasting peace without unleashing terrors on others to succumb to the oppression. TIME FOR DICTATORS IN AFRICA IS OVER. TIME TO OPPRESS OTHERS IN AFRICA IS OVER, THESE TRIBALISTIC LEADERS MUST KNOW CHANGE IS COMING WITH OR WITHOUT THEM. A REAL CHANGE THAT OUR PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE IN.
And MCP is backing this nonsense!
Even in a federation, national funds will NOT be shared equally, never. They will be shared proportionally, based on population of the entity, like the district.
Federations will only get those in power closer to the money, so they can steal it; even easier than now. Federation or not, we all need to get rid of corruption, and the mentality of some acceptance of it. This is a long haul project.
Even in a Federation, some districts will complain of others being favored!
PP MPs trying to get attention ,Kamlepo then Nyalonje.Mwatowona kale kuti PP chao palibe ndie mwati Anthu azakuvoterani chifukwa cha Federation? Let’s face it after Kamuzu we have had Visionless leaders coupled with an Ignorant Population who think Multiparty means voting for President wa Mtundu wanu.Anthu kuyesera kunena kuti uyuyu uyu ndi wa kubar.Koma hii ati wakubar yemweyo poti ndi wamtundu wanga.Vuto lathu ndi Umbuli osati Federation.
Good l propose the following:
Every one should work in his region
Employment in civil service should be done by councils and each council should employ people from the district where the council is
Capital hill should cease to exist instead we should have regional offices
This should even affect NGOs
Before that we demand census in civil service to know which region is dominating and why
This woman Agnes is useless. She is not doing any development in our area. The roads are not good. We enjoyed development when Dad Goodal Gondwe was a member of parliament even Inkosi Mtwalo knows it. What she is talking is rubbish . You are not going to win any seat, stay there is Zomba. By the way are you going to move from Zomba when Federalism takes place. Most of us we have settled in the Southern region including Kalua himself. Think before you speak. This is the reason young men like Kalua cannot be trusted to rule the country, too much Mdeyera akuru.
It puzzles me when people think the Southern region has had the lion’s share of the national cake since independence but the reality on the ground is quite contrary. Lilongwe and the rest of central and northern regions were all bush before 1964 but big cities and towns have developed surpassing those in the South but they still think that’s not enough. While Zomba, Balaka, Thyolo, Nsanje and Mulanje once pre-independence big towns have stagnated, Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Kasungu, Kalonga, Salima and Dedza are registering tremendous growth even during the last 24 years the southerners have ruled the country. Zayamba kundidabwitsa tsopano Mwatumiza makosana amenewa akawina atimangira new Stadium and airport in Blantyre?
Some of the mentioned towns are developing because of the efforts of the private sector as well efforts of the local people in the towns concerned. Such developments are being implemented without government funding. Balaka and Nsanje have indeed stagnated. It started with the privatisation of the Malawi Railways Ltd. Thyolo is changing. Recently, it opened its doors to a new college after the Science and Technology University at Ndata. A multbillion dollar stadium for Thyolo is in the pipeline. Mulanje has stagnated but is to blame because Chitakale is slowly but gradually swallowing development activities that are turning it into a small Luchenza. Most of these are initiated by the private sector. Zomba has not stagnated. I beg to differ. However, use of the word “tremendous growth” in the comment is an exaggeration.
This is the only way to go. Let all the thieves in the likes of Ben Phiri, Nankhumwa ,Chaponda among others rule their own people.Public appointments are going to the people from Lhomwe belt,this is so unfair. The quota system should be abolished
federalism won’t solve tribalism and regionalism problem. It won’t solve quota system either. We should just abolish tribalism and regionalism and we have to come up with smart ways of ridding Malawi of regionalism, tribalism and looking at Malawians on religious lines.
One party,multiparty,Federal system is Malawi moving forward.
MPs are abusing CDF why?
How much is the country wage bill?
The money collected all goes to wages,salaries and allowances
Federal system will benefit the southern region which is the industrial capital of Malawi. Just look at unbundling of ESCOM
Reading the comments here one gets the sense that a lot of Malawians are way behind in articulating issues of national interest. People comment because they are for/against the government. Sad. People don’t even know what federation is. Others even think that federation means akumwera apite kwawo, akumpoto kwawo, apakati kwawo.. Is this federation? The MP said people in this country are divided, was she wrong? People in this country hate one another on regional, tribal divide, is this true or not? Don’t we hear things like Vichewa, Vitumbuka, Vilomwe, Viyawo? We can be sharing offices, but deep down each one feels blood is thicker than the waters of civilization….Go to Capital Hill you will know what this means…Join Aford as a member from South or Central region, join MCP as a member from north or south, be in a senior position in DPP as a member from north or south…..Be a senior member of Islam from other tribes other than Yao, …Ever wondered why Hope Chisanu has sold his senses at MBC??? Do you ever imagine how hard it must be to fully and constructively participate in DPP related discussions for the likes of Jappie, Jeffrey, Chilima, Grace Chiume, Goodall, Atupele? Is it any wonder that their images have come out more bruised …(just for your ears….They want to survive)….if you are from south/north and working at State House….That’s the time you will know whether we are united or just pretend to be so.. The question, I think, we should be answering is whether or not federation will heal these vices.
Un-thinking tribal and regionalism starts with you Peter. Tribalism and regionalism is probably the biggest diesel the world has ever had. Look at what is happening in the middle amongst moslems (the Shia vs Sunn), in Sudan (moslems vs christians), in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa. people are fighting and killing each other just because they belong to some tribe or come from a particular religious background. It is laughable that people would kill each other because of artificial and purpose-created differences. Any political leader in Malawi who talks of tribalism a=or regionalism through vocalising or allocation of developmental projects, should be shown the door and voted out. They don’t belong to Malawi. We are Malawians!!!!!
And federalism has to be fast-tracked kuti tipezane ndi maiko a anzathu…Lets leave a lasting legacy to our future generation. As of now, ana akungotisekatu kuti kodi zomwe makolo athu amatha kalelo ndikunyengana basi? With a federal state, issues of the quota system will be gone, chifukwa region iliyonse ikhala ndi ma universities ake. After all the south will benefit more coz they have 3 universities already in place. Even though any citizen can register with any university that they want because they will still be a Malawian.
#DzukaniAmalawi, you have a point and it is worthy to pursue. Only that many may not understand you. Some years back all northerners were told to go and work in their region, these were primary and secondary school teachers. UNIMA was not involved because at that time half of the lecturers MIGHT have been from there. What we need today are indeed visionary leaders. 53 years, we are still working on quarter system to get our children to university, how about the Mkandawires in Balaka, Mhangos and Gondwes in Mulanje, Mbewes in Chitipa, Makazingas in Karonga, etc. Probably the baby has a vision. It is sad that we vote into power people who are near their graves, they know they have nothing to lose. Everyone is going to die but the young may and the old is a must.
Very true but let’s learn from that past. it was horrible to see families being torn apart on the basis of their tribes (whatever that means). Malawians, whether from the old Natal, Mozambique or Zambia we are all originally from central Africa (Congo). We have one source but politicians always want to find a way of dividing the nation so that they can rule. We shouldn’t fall for that nonsense as citizens.
Tingomenyanapo basi. Atumbukafe tatopa
That is a lie. You are not one of them. Even themselves, they would rather fight using words just in the same Kamuzu did with colonial government or Mandela did with pewrtheid South Africa.
Federalism will take generations to be put in place and might have its own challenges. In fact federalism might not solve the very problem that has been identified ie tribalism, regionalism, nepotism, cronyism and favouritism. Malawians should elect people with open minds and visionary leadership who see Malawi as one. With intermarriages over the last five decades, Malawians should never be in a space where they identify themselves on the basis of tribal and regional lines. That’s backward thinking which cannot be resolved by federalism system. Kamuzu Banda at least tried to unite Malawi through language and culture but then all that work was dismantled by Muluzi with the support of Bingu, Joyce and now Peter. We need to unthink tribalism and regionalism and embrace the power in diversity. That’s the kind of leader Malawi should be looking for.
Even with the intermarriages, children born out of these marriages are still being identified on the basis of tribe and region. Go to any secondary school and have a chat with students in Form 1 or 3 or 4. The findings will shock you. Identifying anyone by tribe is deeply ingrained in the mind of Malawians. It is a hostile perception fed from parents and espoused by politicians alike. For instance, quota system is used to identify secondary school students based on their districts of origin and region before being selected for higher education. It should not be like that but that is what is happening in Malawi. The silver lining is that tribalism and regionalism should be nipped in the bud by introducing subjects dealing with it at preschool age. Suffice that I entirely agree with you that Malawians should never be in a space where they should identify themselves on the basis of tribal and regional lines.
Americans unite under one American flag. They are Americans first before identifying themselves as irish-Americans, African_Americans or Americans of German descent etc. This is also one of the reasons they have prospered. If we have to make Malawi a land of dreams (of milk & honey), then we need to unite the country and not divide it.
Mwayambapo kuyankhula izi ndi izi.
Atumbuka mwatikwana!
Iwe thongo lako nalawuso wuwo
Some people have no clue what our very small country needs.
I emphasis tiny. So tiny and they want to break it Down further. Crazy.
Poor leadership and theft are the big evil we are facing.
Let us priorities and deal with our major issues first.
Ndiye poti Rwanda is a tiny country than us, but uses federal system of government. Ndizomwe ikuposazo zimenezo.Coz ndalama zimapita kwa governor kuti atukule dera lake.
Federation is an administrative arrangement, it has got nothing to do with geographic size of a country. Some of administrative bottlenecks have been highlighted: 1. Poor priorities (DPP opts to disburse K4 billion to crooked MPs while Mzimba Hospital doesn’t have essential drugs), 2.staff deployment (10 in 1 directors are Lhomwes in public sectors, etc.
And Atupele lacks real practical experience. He talks of decentralization. Kodi total budget yama council onse ku Malawi kuyelekeza ndi central budget (excluding capital investment) ndi chani? Proportionally? Decentralization iyi ndiya pa pepala chabe. And the reason is plain and simple. LOOTING, kufupi ndi mphika!
SHAME!!!
Totally in support. Let thieves rule over their own people and save other regions from destruction!!!!!!!!!! This is the way forward. it would even sort out issues of quota system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ndipo di.let them rule over their own people.azikaba komweko.anthu opanda chisoni.ofuna kuzikundikira zonse zikhale zawo.ma benefits ali bweeeee. komaso kuba ndi katangale mkati.move on with this federation mps.many of us will be happy.
Let’s start it.bear 8n mind that all northerners who are working in the south should depart and work in there regional. That’s one of maravi state constitution.
You don’t understand federalism. Keep quiet if you do not have anything to contribute
I as a Blantyre resident support federation call, because as producer of electricity Blantyre is subsidizing Lilongwe and other districts there by paying huge tariffs for electricity and water. Federation will help each region to pay economic fees for goods and services and not one price for the whole country.
Yes, I agree. Each region will decide on its own development priorites
Mwayambiranso atumbuka kufuna federal republic of nyika? Mukagwere kuthengere kwanuko.
Kupusa inu aDuli. What do you know about federalism?
Another shit from the shithole MP’s
Wtf is this ?
I have many friends from the South ,north or centre .
We drink together and don’t knock what this deluded people are talking about !
Power hungry idiots .
Be reall
You are just being foolish Biti John. Federalism is NOT about drinking beers with friends from the South, North or Centre. It’s about development. There is nothing about being power hungry. It’s about power sharing.
That’s the way to developing Malawi- federation of regions which after adoption of the motion shall be referred to as states. The biggest challenge is most MPs opposing federation don’t know what it is and how it works. You can’t have a state where 90% of public influential positions are held by one tribe, in our case Lomwes and other tribes dancing to their tune.
I second the motion
Finally, my people’s eyes are getting opened. North Malawi has always been marginalised. Remember the kwanu-nkwanu chase that north Malawians were subjected to in 1989. Remember quota system. See top positions in government and parastatals that favour Lomwes. The list is endless. A northerner is always treated as a second-class citizen in their own land. Federal government will make all these evils northerners experience a thing of the past. Let’s unite to support this move. It’s time to share the cake fairly and let northers decide their own future. Malawi wabwino!