The need for regime change in Malawi
There is an adage which says that, ‘if all else fails lower your standards’. The majority of Malawians have applied this adage in order to survive under the Mutharika regime. People have lowered their living standards to the bare minimum and can do no more.
Imagine due to fuel shortage, people with cars have resorted to walking to their work places. Even the over burdened rural women have gone back to pounding their maize to make flour since there is no fuel to run maize mills.
The unprecedented daily suffering of Malawians brings a question that, where is the development that warranted President Bingu wa Mutharka to change the national flag? In fact to prove that the so called development was an illusion, soon after the flag change the Malawi economy nose dived and has remained on an endless downward spiral. The government’s bragging about the flag change has unceremoniously died down.
President Mutharika has acknowledged that Malawians are facing a lot of problems. Surprisingly, what he seems not to accept is the fact that he is responsible for the problems. His denial has been evidently clear during his recent national addresses.
On one hand he has blamed Satan. On the other he blames MCP and UDF governments. It is absurd for the Mutharika government to make people believe that it is not to blame. This is totally wrong. Malawi is now ruled by President Mutharika. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense that just as he likes to be praised, he should also be prepared to accept responsibility for his government’s inefficiencies. By blaming others, it simply shows that his government has no clue about how it can get out of the economic chaos.
Malawians are aware that various cabinet ministers have presented statements to allay fears for more suffering. Sadly, there is usually very little that the statements convey. They are vague and leave people in suspense. No solutions are readily available instead , the message is that Malawians should learn to live with the problems. This is unacceptable to say the least.
It is such a situation stated above which calls for regime change in order to try another government. The regime change is needed right now because at the rate the economic situation is deteriorating, by 2014 there might be nothing to live for.
One is aware about the wrong perception about regime change. Some people deliberately look at it as an illegal way of replacing a democratically elected government. This is usually the mind set of those people who condone failure. It does not make sense that Malawians should continue to suffer and wait for 2014 elections.
There is need for a referendum right now for people to decide on whether or not to call for early elections. Imagine dialogue with government in a bid to find solutions to the problems has failed. The only solution now is a democratic regime change to usher in a new administration.
*Emily Mkamanga. Email [email protected]
