‘Realising Kamuzu’s dream of wealth creation for all’
“Whatever my people should have or not, I want them to have three basic things. Enough food, decent clothes and houses that do not leak,” founding president late Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda’s simplified, household wealth creation strategy and focus on agricultural production.
As daggers have been drawn for the showdown at this month end convention, it is yet to be known whether candidates competing will tussle using names in the political arena, their loyalty to the party or what agendas they are advancing.
Ready to battle for the leadership position are:- former Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo, Secretary General Chris Daza, former Assemblies of God President Reverend Razarus Chakwera, Edwin Banda, Betson Majoni, Felix Elia Jumbe, incumbent president John Tembo and others.
The question is, who will be the right candidate to carry MCP through 2014?
Kamuzu Banda’s philosophy, legacy and style of development composition still remain the party’s strength as it heads into the campaign. Now 17 years after he was dethroned by Bakili Muluzi during the 1994 general elections what card will the party throw on the table?
According to Felix Elia Jumbe, one of the MCP presidency aspirants, “Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda’s vision has been the cornerstone and foundation of Malawi’s outlook, when human development was key and not just empty political rhetoric.”
Evidently, under the MCP regime, Malawians opened the University of Malawi with purpose built colleges for Education, liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Chancellor College, Engineering and pure sciences at the Polytechnic, Agricultural sciences at Bunda, Medicine at the College of Medicine and Nursing and Public Health at Kamuzu College of Nursing.
Focused colleges like skills training Technical Colleges were built at Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Nasawa and Soche, while health bridging programmes were offered at Malawi College of Health Sciences. Accountants were to have the Malawi College of Accountancy, Extension workers at the Natural Resources College, Teachers at various Teacher Training Colleges and many others.
“20 years later the Late Kamuzu Banda would be shocked that Mzuzu Teachers College is a University, so too Domasi is being buried under Chancellor College and Natural Resources College under Bunda. Today even Malawi College of Health Science faces closure to become part of College of Medicine,” he says.
Jumbe explains that, “The UDF, DPP and now the Peoples Party regimes never adapted Kamuzu’s vision and expand it to respond to the needs of a changing society. Only the Malawi Congress Party understands and can implement expansion not changing of names and focus only, but intake and new human resource development programmes.”
Further, only 20 years later, Malawians now live under the constant and real threat of food shortage. ADMARC, another brainchild of Kamuzu lies in shambles. Liberalization without a focus or priority attention to the sector has seen Malawians die after eating wild poisonous fruits, sleep at ADMARC depots, increased malnutrition and cases of livestock theft.
“The sad story is the same in Health where drugs are now a luxury not a basic right, respect for Chiefs, parliament where unprincipled politicians jump parties taking voters for a ride, environment where trees and forests have disappeared, dirty cities, electricity and water not being available all the time, roads in poor conditions and even in sports Malawi National Football Team success seem to be elusive since the departure of the Malawi Congress Party” he narrates.
Youth unemployment, early marriage and indiscipline by adults and young people, strange and culturally unacceptable practices such as homosexuality, legalized abortions and podium insults seem to have replaced the once disciplined and culturally pride nation.
Such a sad story can come to an end as the mother of all parties, the mighty Malawi Congress Party holds its elective National Convention to choose a generation of leaders that have vision, focus and strategy.
The MCP convention has proven one fact, it is the most popular and attractive party, thanks to its values and leadership in the past 20 years under JZU Tembo, attracting massive interests from all sector of society.
“The MCP leadership contest is the most attractive and democratic as Legal, business, teachers, Religious and even farmers and veteran politicians have all joined the race to lead this Mighty and beloved national party,” Jumbe says.
Jumbe, a novice many would think in politics, is however a guru in the core vision of the Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda- agriculture and wealth creation.
Malawi’s economy is driven by Agriculture and almost 80 percent of its working population depends on agricultural related industries and jobs. Its major export is agricultural produces and all its economic fundamentals including inflation and building of foreign reserves are all tied to agriculture.
“Without Agriculture-Malawi is dead. Without agricultural focus Malawi has failed to spur accelerated growth as it happened under the Late Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda and briefly under the DPP when it prioritized agriculture,” said Jumbe.
Jumbe a renowned farmer, former President of the Farmers Union of Malawi and Southern Africa Confederation of Agriculture Unions and a reputable farming businessman, is that right person to continue that Kamuzu vision, of creating wealth at house hold.
Said Jumbe: “It is time for MCP to rule again. After almost 50 years of independence Malawians can return to days of having enough food, decent clothes and above all household wealth beyond political rhetoric.”
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
