Mr. President, perhaps it is time to stop going to the UN

Every year scores of heads of state from around the world descend on New York for the General Assembly of the United Nations. Each of these heads of state claims he or she has a special message for the world during their respective addresses in the chamber.

President Mutharika speaking at UN general assembly
President Mutharika speaking at UN general assembly

Yet after hundreds of these speeches, only 3 speeches (US President, Russian President and Robert Mugabe) eventually get to be reported in the world media. The rest do not get mentioned at all except by their local press. This raises the question: why don’t these heads of state just stay at home and make speeches to their respective local press?

Yes, I do understand that the gathering of world leaders and diplomats creates an opportunity for meetings among the leaders. I do understand that leaders can take this opportunity to talk to investors. However, I doubt that with modern communication in this era of social media, travelling to New York is the only way to achieve these results.

Even if it is imperative for the president to go to these meetings, it is just hard to justify a presidential delegation of nearly 100 people at a time when Malawi is battling with the fallout from cashgate. What is it that these 100 people do in New York that cannot be done by a delegation of 10?

This government has done quite a few things right: the cabinet size has been reduced to 20; the civil service is being reformed; and a credible competent Anti Corruption Bureau chief was appointed, and cashgate prosecutions are in progress. While there is still much more to do, these are substantial achievements. Yet all these achievements will be obscured if the government continues with these inexcusable unforced errors.

Allegations of bloated delegations and bloated allowances on these UN trips are becoming a constant feature of this government. These allegations are distracting from government agenda and painting the government in an unfavourable light. In fact to be fair to the critics, the leadership has not taken serious steps to address this issue. It does not make sense for the president to cancel a trip to a SADC summit because of money, and yet proceeds to take a 100-man delegation to the UNGA.

2019 is just around the corner. The tragedy suffered by PP in 2014 should also be a warning to DPP in 2019. Political experts often say that once the electorate of a young democracy realizes that they can kick out an incumbent president, the likelihood that future incumbents will not be re-elected is usually high. DPP would be wise to take this advice.

A picture is worthy a thousand words. Perception is everything. The picture being painted by these UN trips is terrible. Perhaps, it is time for the president to stop going to the UN.

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defender
8 years ago

one can not think much to come up with atickle like this one, kuganiza kwa leteral ngati uku mkovuta kuti titukuke. though u say u understood but it is clear u din’t & u can hardly understand things ur mind is locked

Blessings Samalani
Blessings Samalani
8 years ago

ndizonyasa kuona anthu ochuluka akunyamuka kupita ku UNGA ndindalama zansonkho komwe ena sakagwira ntchito pamene ife eni ake andalama tikusowa chakudya, kukadasangalatsa akadatenga ndalamazo ndikugula chakudya ndikupatsa anthu amene akusowa monga ku Balaka.

hastings
hastings
8 years ago

The most funny things is that being a lawyer and the state president, how would he forget all important aspect of th current national needs. and go on cheating the world that 15 milion people in malawi are HIV positive and that his Govt is planning to put them on ARTs Yet the total population is there about? How would the world media press such nonsense ? He heard the national complaints while there, he is home no national address to clarify this missery, do we realy have the president or a Robbot? No policies for economic recovery, instead harming… Read more »

shii
shii
8 years ago

one one the president of botswana was going for a summit,he travelled with only 4 people using commercial airline.6 years ago i was coming from london using kenya airways.mwai kibaki was aboard with a delegation of about 10 people,these two countries are far better economically but they spent wisely.problem with our leader is that he is selfish and greedy.our president can travel in a commercial airline with less than 10 people accompanying him.

Issa
Issa
8 years ago

BANJA LA MUNTHARIKA PAJA LIMAVUTIKIRAPO KULANKHURA. LIRI NDIMALILAKA A HALF

Mwethu
Mwethu
8 years ago

It is well documentated that APM is a top notch lawyer, and lawyers are known for memorization as they have to recite cases and the like in courts. on top of this he was a professor of law for many years, which means he had to read and regurgitate of the same to students. My simple question is: WHY DOES HE READ HIS SPEECHES ALL THE TIME? HE EVEN MAKE MISTAKES TO PRONOUNCE SIMPLE ENGLISH WORDS WHILE READING? DOES HE HAVE SOM SORT OF LEARNING DISABILITY MAYBE. HOW DID HE MANAGE TO TEACH ALL THE YEARS THAT HE WAS A… Read more »

kazionere wanunkha
8 years ago

The DPP gvmt cheated us a lot. What happened with PP will be the same with DPP in 2019. They will be shocked to see the sword going to another leader after 5yrs only. If care should not be taken they will greatly be disappointed with Malawians whom they take for granted. we are not the same Malawian of 1993.

John
John
8 years ago

It was better for if he was quiet till the assembly end than wast time wth that speech while and transport that would at list help 10 of his country citizen.

Afiya Gama
8 years ago

Moo fire

makiyolobasi
makiyolobasi
8 years ago

The speech itself was nonsense and doesn’t a address Malawis problem. Since when did Malawi become interested and an advisor in the UN security council? Whoever wrote that speech should be fired and doesn’t belong to the government of malawis interesrs! Kuno anthu akufa ndi njala. That’s Wat the idiot that passes for a Malawian president should have highlighted. Akuyesa adakali ku USA eti.

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