Where is the President? Muckraking Extra
“We must be careful with Peter’s seeming quietude,” so irreverently wrote my young colleague Mada Musa last Friday on his no-holds-all-barred Tales of Times column in The Daily Times, “because we might be thinking the old man has locked himself somewhere thinking about the nation yet he is asleep and snoring heavily.”
The kwacha is in a free-fall now. It has cruised past 500 units to the mighty green buck, a 20 percent depreciation in two months.
Ok, Joyce Banda devalued the local currency by a whopping 49 percent and let it float. This after her eccentric predecessor Bingu wa Mutharika resisted any tinkering of the kwacha against the wise counsel from the Bretton Woods institutions and local economists.
The Big Kahuna even famously advised the Chikaondas of this world to go rinse their brain in Omo for advising him it was high time he eased control over the kwacha.
Of course after Ama released the kwacha prices of goods and services shot right through the roof. But donors came to her rescue and injected nearly a billion dollars into the economy. The kwacha stabilised, we no longer needed to wait for three months just to get US $500 in banks and fuel queues that characterised Bingu’s reign in the twilight of his life suddenly disappeared.
But now we are back where we were two years ago, the kwacha is in a tailspin, prices of goods and services are going south…I shudder to imagine us back to chasing water bowsers thinking they are fuel tankers!
Actually, if the truth be told, the salary increases we celebrated in the civil service are now useless for their nominal value has been wiped out.
And yet State House is behaving as if everything is normal. We know there is not much President Mutharika can do but we at least need assurances that our leader is aware of the situation and is doing something about it.
When Barack Obama suffered a ‘shellacking’ at the mid-term elections last week, the US president quickly summoned the opposition Republican leaders to the White House. Peter, too, must acknowledge we are in a crisis and has to assure us he is doing something about it.
We appreciate he is not on the road daily. But he can still assure us he is in control from the confines of his office.
RIP mr APm!!!!! kupita mofulumira nthawi isanakwane!!!
I think we (Malawians) deserve this cause we voted for cashgaters back in power. may be by Gods intef. or 2019………………….
Raphael Tenthani and his friends deliberately ignore important facts when trying to paint a bad picture of DPP and Peter while at the same time glorifying Joyce Banda. I thought the issue of the floating our currency was debated and concluded, I remember even people organised street protests on this subject. It is not this DPP which embraced this monetary policy and it is no longer an option to fix our currency. Even what Tenthani is suggesting, being meeting with the opposition, is out of the question because MCP has never been willing to work with the government because it has been in the opposition for a long time to the extent that it dreams that every election is stolen from them. The only remedy for this national issue is to export more than we import period. Donors have been helping us for a long time coupled with the cashgate issue, regardless of when it started, asking for donations from donors is also out of the question. How I wish what Tenthani writes is a commodity worthy exporting maybe it would bring some dollars here.
Mbola, Pitalayu seems has no idea of how to go about with the situation or else timatcha ndithu
Ena mwainu mukuonangati ziribwino.Msova! .Zizakhala bwino federation yikatheka.Apo bii musova Agalu inu
gentlemen and ladies please think first before you speak. Are you not aware that its dollars that can keep our money strong? Are you not aware of the donors suspending flow of dollars ? Lets withstand the heat and learn to stand on our own by exporting more of our products abroad How? Improve our products by adding more value and eventually we will be self reliant. The sons of Israel had to face tough time before being liberated. Kumaona kaye chatsitsa dzaye kuti njobvu iphyoke nyanga.
ine mwini dzina Chinkombaleza gumanyundo gowa
ulibe nzeru!!!
No. 19 , Jay, you must be one of those blind and stupid DPP loyalists . How can you say that JB’s policies are to blame for Mathanyula’s failed leadership of this country? As the current president of this country, doesn’t he have the right to discard JB’s “failed” fiscal policies and implement his own brilliant policies?
Tikulira pali pano ndi APM, NDI CHIPANI CHAWO CHA DPP. Amai JB pa zaka ziwiri zinthu zinali kuyenda.Koma amalawi tikufuna kuona zomwe m’bale wao anatichira asanafe dziko lathu lomwe kumabvutika nalo.Tangoonani moto ndi uwu ukungoononga zithu za eni komaso mafuta ndi awa akwera pasanathe miyezi 6. Maziphuzitsi ndi awa malipiro sanalandire.Amalawi za Cashgate zinayamba ndi a DPP OMWEWA,
I hear people on this forum saying that we elected a president blah!blah! The truth of the matter is that nobody elected this president. He bulldozed his way into office with the help of MEC and Mbendera. The DPP rigging syndicae made sure that their desired candidate got into power at the state house so that the corruption and swindling of our state resources continues. Does it surprise you that this inept big headed man has no clue as to what is going on in this country? In fact I am surprised at the docility and the way our military is behaving. We need to get rid of these corrupt people once and for all. Bukina Faso did it, Egypt did it why can’t we? We need to take this country back and stop the suffering of poor Malawians.
hahaha malawi wafikapo ndalama kuchita kusowa ngati thako la njoka, apulezidenti ali kunyumba kugona,
If he is not doing something about it then the country is in danger. Him and his cabinet are at advantage already. But us, ovota, we will never enjoy the fruits of democrancy. The problem is that even if we say anything we are not heard by them. He is at easie now coz his term to rule has just started but come 2018, he will be more vigelant not to serve us but remain in power for nothing. Power hungry people like them will never deliver to the expectation of Malawians.
Mr President, its time to collaborate and get fruitful views from your opponents.
please mr president instead ov waisting our tyme do someting osati zinthu kumangopsa.n kukwera mtengo..soon sugar afika pa 700
Malawians, let’s admit it, we elected president wombwambwana . The next five years are going to be another lost five years . The problem is, ma lost five years wa akuchuluka and our country is not getting younger .
zoona kulamjwija zinthu padela..koma munthu wabzery amayitana azake titani mohika wabooka..
surely ana knew hiw to fux problms apm doesnt anangisekekera..bola ajazi awi akytesa kusesa zunyalaka za thichi makhode….. koma ndadabwa .na prif anatero!!
hahaha true the man is sleeping and snoring at the state house and you think he is thinking and working.Tiyeni nazo ma president okalamba what do you expect
PETER !! WHY CANT YOU JUST RESIGN FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE POOR PROPLE OUT THERE ??? PLEASE PLEASE AM BEGGING YOU IN THE NAME OF GOD ALMIGHTY THINGS ARE NOT OK WITH YOU ON THE DRIVING SEAT
Ndizime mbuli za kumwera zimafuna, sipanopa zimakatapa ufa, ndiwo, ndizonse kwa Peter ? Njala kumeneko yikunthanani munya. Komanso musiye kubelekana ngati nkumba. Kaya kwacha ikwere olo igwe, ndine president panyumba panga. Mkazi wanga ndi Vice president. My son is Minister of Caring(MOC).
Bwanji kumangolemba ngati ndi machende ako? umaganiza ndi kumatako eti?
W@ r u sayin vubwa iwe?? the economy of Malawi oz growin @ 8% per annum jx b4 namaloko came in!! Bt wher dd sh take t?? The “azungu andiuza kut” woman thot donors wud b entrusted wt facilitating our economy thereby reducing the growth rate per annum 2 negative values she knws herself,,, only God knws w@ u want 4rm Peter now! U floated the currency dziko lopanda ma export ngat lino, it aint surprising that kwacha ikutsika mphanvu daily,,, ndye china chisatiso Peter nyo nyo apa kwacha ikatsika tisanakolole fodya coz namaloko started t thru the so called devaluation and flotation and we shud b expecting more depreciation unless mayb if we can change in2 an export led economy overnight (DREAMS MXIII)
RT you talk of salaries am afraid in police supretendet and above got 100% increment while the majority constables got 33% and so are other depts. there is a tactic to silence vocal majority juniors here, it realy wil work like they want considering how docile angwazi made us
Mr Tenthani, you have stated yourself that during JBs time donors injected a huge sum of Dollars to stabilize the economy. So you have your answer. Without donor aid the kwacha will fall to a crtain level and then stabilize. I do not know why people link the fall of the Kwacha and lack of fuel. As long as the ´Kwacha is not mechanically controlled, there will Always be fuel even though at a high price. it is the fixing of the Kwacha that ill make fuel to be scarce
The conomist lets meet and discuss better ways to take our country ahead. Dont wait some one from uk to cheat us or solve our problems. Lets start thinking like the donor aid will not come back any more. And the strategy we need should come to stay even if the donors start aiding our us. Lets start thinking like we are alone.
Sometimes you need to think when writing in this colunm. You mean what you want is just a talk from the president? Cant you leave him and when he want to talk he must talk substance. You want him to tell you something not concrete then later you should call him lier. He cannot do anything its the economy that drive the currency, lets just wait for donors may be they will soften their heart.
Yes JB was on the move trying to recover the lost glory. Though her moves, Malawi received a huge amount of aid. Fuel resurfaced in the filling Stations. Forex came back. Businesses resumed and Malawians were getting employed. Toina anuo kuti Malawi amutengera kuti. At times one fails to move simply bcoz he/she has no friends. Kikikikikikik. Ife ndi o Chewa ophunzila. We dont smile anyhow. Angwazi woyee. kikikikiki
Actually ambuyako @ 1 is very correct. It is the business reports that can guide the president. Mr. Tenthani and the whole host of journalists you gat feed the nation on what is happening with regard to business on-goings not muckraking all the time.
In very rich economies Presidents check business news before their very first mugs of coffee. Tip the big man on what is happening in the Stock Markets etc. Feed the Nation real news damn it!
Signature tune: Money Money Money,
other people’s money
Mr. Tenthani IF you wanna carry the civilization torch please carry it unextinguished…! Ndatha wanu mukaladi wa khalidwe lokoma zeedi.
Leave JB alone samadya kwanu komanso samagona kwanu.JB fpr ever and ever man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
pepani onse, amene munavotera mbwerera yanu ya dphiphi timangopangira inu ife zanthu zinayera kale. vuto si cashgate koma nzeru, zinthu zikalakwika sikuti umangokhala koma umapeza njira nkukonza. ine Dausi ndikuti chitsiru no 1 ndi pita munthalika.
By the way, how old is this Tenthani guy? Doesn’t he have a family to think of? Does’n’t he have a career to extend? Doesn’t he have a future to think of? All he can get out of his balls is attacking APM and longing for a JB return. What a pathetic gollira, it’s good that he is not my relation otherwise I would have sold him already. He is a waste of space.
Thats his job.. he is a journalist at work……!
tenthani….what is it exactly you are attempting to say..kodi a Mutharika analulankhulani mkazi. Why can’t you be constructiv at times Bwan.? Your arguments are mostly pointless..
Tenthani is thinking aloud! When thinking aloud you say anything. He is constructive at many times. Only this one, the point is not very clear. But that said, there is nothing wrong to exercise freedom of speech enshrined in our constitution.
No 4 You must be stupid. You think this is the problem of DPP. It is not. What you are forgetting is that APM is presIdent elect. He is in control. But do not attribute the mess of cashgate to him. When your caretaker President was messing up, you said nothing. now we are paying for her sins. So what has this got to do with APM?
Let us all find a solution together as a nation . osati kumanena kuti usova wekha. You really think APM angvutike? Ovutiuka ndife tonse. I dont want to hear this noncence again.
Bwana Tsamba, the President Elect, as you call him [he actually stopped being ‘elect’ when he was sworn in] promised to clean up JB’s mess. Are you going to blame JB for the next 5 years?
APM did not promise to doze his way through his presidency, otherwise even my fellow southerners would not have voted for him. The presidency is not just about pomp and ceremony – it is about working for the people of Malawi. The sooner APM realises this the better things will be.
Even the ‘caretaker’ president had a much better record in her first six months compared to APM. As one columnist has put it today, the problem with APM is that he sought power for the sake of it: He was not really interested in improving the lives of Malawians.
Mukunama akulu. Peter is learning to drive the country but he has very little knowledge where he wants to drive the country to. I agree that ovutika ndi ife anthu, but we need to blame him for taking charge of the country and then start to think of what to do with it. Old age abwana siyabwino. The cashgate issue you are referring to here was were started with Muluzi, Bingu and Amai anangodutsamo. What has Peter done to shhow that he is clean?
Just shut up. Deliver what you promised at the elections to stop people from blaming you and the president for the mess. Cashgate was there during the 10yr DPP rule, it only got discovered during JB’s rule because JB was fair enough to expose that money was going thru tge gvts pockets thru the holes in the system
Peter knew very well that cashgate happened from bakili to his brother, he is the biggest beneficiary of cashgate. Bakili used stolen money to campaign for Bingu, peter benefitted with ministerial positions. Bingu stole and Peter used the money to fund the DPP. Peter must revisit his campaign messages. He was campainging after baker and tilly report and donor freeze had happened. he told us athana ndi mavuto, prices of commodities will come down. Everyone chanted prof, prof, as a prof he knew what he was talking about, i want to believe, or else he is proving to be a good teacher but not a manager as he did when he was a minister. Peter never wanted to be president but Bingu. Bingu amadziwa kuti ndife opusa zitheka.
Peter Mutharika should wear a big L sign around his neck signifying that he is a learner in politics. How did he land himself with the presidency amangwetu? koma a Malawi
KEEP UP MR PRESIDENT. SIT IN THE OFFICE AND PLAN. PLANNING IS IN THE OFFICE AND IMPLEMENTATION IS IN THE FIELD. DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS WRITER. Actually many Journalists have gone broke since JB left office. Allowances were being claimed every day following JB.
Since You took over the govt, the writer has never written any one sentence of positive for you. SO DO NOT MIND HIM.
WORK TO SORT OUT THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.
I agree with you, the quiteness froom statehouse is worrisome we must know ehat is happening, and for how long is this state of affairs. The finance minister and Governor of RBM must come out in the open and tell Malawians how we can hold this sliding of the Kwacha. Aid will not help us but lets lesrn to stand on our own and live within our means not handouts.
We know that the genesis of our predicamemt lies in the way these thieves so called policians have chiefly behaved since the dusk of MCP. We are paying a heavy price for voluntarily voting for thieves Muluzi, Bingu/JB & now Peter. Malawians must know that Lomwes that have led us to this mess are the ones who are going to suffer happily while the rest grinding our teeth with anger. No one must cheat us that Malawi as country can stand on her two feet without aid. Even USA has trillions of dollars owing China through government bonds. So what is needed to clean the mess by effectively voting for new politicians & disposing this garbage politicians into an early retirement dustbin. Next time vote for a young person say 45 years who can have the conscience that if she or he messes up thing shall live the mess & not very old people who don’t care since they know they won’t be there in 15 to 20 years to come. What they care most is their death & enriching their immediate family not even the poor voters Mr & Mrs Khoviwa from TA Chimaliro & Mulyafu of TA Kameme. Shame on Southern voters since the advent of democracy in 1993 you have given us only hardcore thieves. Check the list; Muluzi to Peter.
That’s the writers opinion you so called nyasatimes you have bad atitudes towards DPP Amai will never come back to rule this country if you were enjoying cashgate money in exchange for production of article to praise her you are lost DPP has come to stay .Shame on you.
What you have written here is true and a need the attention of Arthur.
However I remember that this Arthur is also called Peter, and during Bingu reign, this particular Peter told the whole country that he was not aware that thete was a crisis in the Univetsity of Malawi.
Ndi chikhalidwe, so are not surprised.
You are not offering any solutions Mr Tenthani! Your mum, JB, cluelessly floated the currency while relying on donors! Do you build an economy based on donor money? JB did that and we are seeing the consequences! Offer solutions please!
why tenthani should offer solutions mister? i thought its your stupid government which has been entrusted to offer solutions? if you are clueless on running government, you better resign. it seems tabula lasa’s are ruling malawi especially you mbuyanga. kikiki you are the one’s who mislead the president. advise him the best solutions now
What do you want with your Raphael Tenthani? APM to force donors to release their so called aid? Accept that its JB’s cluelessness in thinking that an economy can be built around donors that has gotten us this far! APM is looking beyond donors and this can’t be done in 5 months! So Raphael Tenthani, keep on crying a river with your western masters!
Peter Mutharika is being paid for ffixing our economy. We were being told that he is learn ed. Therefore Ralph Tenthani is speaking his mind and for many others who are taxpayers.
It’s not rocket science to know that the country is in a deep spiral. We are almost halfway to where Zimbabwe is. Atleast the Zimbabweans had South Africa for a cushion, where they could go by just crossing a river. The good thing is hyper inflation which is just around the corner is a great equalizer. Whether you are a cashgate millionaire or a poor farmer, we all will be poor soon. I wish some of you could read about great economic calamities of the past. More millionaires commit suicide in a hyper inflation than poor people.
Moron. Simple as that. You. Mbuyanga, is a Moron.