Professor Peter Mutharika: a choice of presidency?

There is a huge debate going on in Malawi. The question is whether President Bingu wa Mutharika should is planning to leave his brother after being so pronounced that he does not have a wish for third term. We hear of task forces both in the president's home and the other in his deputy. We hear of bitter politicians in DPP who are waking up to realise that keeping silence does not pay. Others have silently started pushing for a convention.n This week I am embroilled in cancer challenge that I was not supposed to write anywhere. But I thought moving my thoughts out of cancer would only work if I engaged in politics.

I am privilaged as a jorunalist to have been the first one to be granted one-on-one interview with professor Mutharika when he made decision to run for Thyolo East constituency. My opinion of him basically is formed out of the interview and his personal reaction when issue arise in the media.

Contrary to public opinion, Professor Mutharika does not leave in the State House, he has his own home in one of the Lilongwe surbubs, he informed me that he bought it soon after deciding to come back home. Everything inside is of a legal mind, all brown leathers as if in a court room.

As to whether he deserves to be a president that is a question Malawians will answer when time comes, but as to whether he has a right to run for presidency, I will say a loud yes.

Sometimes we Malawians make an issue out of nothing. Nothing as we have seen the world leading democracies such USA having Bush the father and Bush the son, we recently had Bill Clinton the President and Hillary Clinton the wife all vying for the country's top seat.

In Gabon it is now Bongo the son, and in many cases people especially Malawians have not called it erosion of democracy. My question would be so why not Professor Mutharika.

To me he is a simple man with the talkativeness of any college professor. He listens to everyone but keeps his informed opinion as his choices, and he is a man who believes he can change some of the fundemental things.

My writing is not to back 'another Mutharika presidency" but it is to give the realistic and closest view of this world acclaimed legal mind whose challenge today to become a President is not his intellectual or moral capacity, but his being a brother to the sitting President.

Professor Mutharika as his brother Bingu rightly observes is a Malawian with equal opportunity to be anything want in public or private sector of the country.

But what would the professor stand for if he was given the presidency?
His critics hide behind that he is an American by holding of a green card and he is not very familiar with Malawi. That was the same mistake many politicians used on Bingu. Bingu survived politics in 22 African Heads of States who do not have any pronounced ideaologies and yet you underated him in politics of three major parties.

On his part Bingu is a schemer and he managed to adapt to the 21st century campaign very well that left his opponents searching for answers and their parties breaking.

The other smart politician is Joyce Banda. Mark my word, she is a woman and a grassroot mobiliser par excellence. Very few politicians today can match her wit. I will talk more of her when we approach 2014.

Back to the professor. Should he become a President, he will be perhaps the country's most educated legal mind and professional in his field. I would want to believe his life time achievement including being the first African recipient of the International Jurists Award, makes him one of the most watched legal persons in the world.

As a prefessor of law, his presidency would be a model of the rule of law and good governance as he would not only have to answer to Malawians, but the thousands of lawyers he has produced across the globe should he choose another part other than respect for the constitution.

He told me of being the legal counsel for Malawians in the 60's when Malawians were running from Dr. Kamuzu Banda. He ranks along the revered Orton Ching'oli Chirwa as the first Malawians lawyers in this part of Africa.

This should give confort to all self professed critics who thinks another Mutharika coming would mean the end to the constitutional democracy that Malawi enjoys. No to the contrary, I do not imagine Professor Mutharika loosing all his life long credibility for merely political power.

Actually when I asked him if being a parliamentarian was not lower compared to his two positions as Chair of the Law faculty and African Studies, he replied that academically he had reached the pinnacle of his career.

He had two options: Retire or go into University Administration. He had offers to be President (USA universities) or Vice Chancellor (British Commonwealth). He says he loves research and training. He looks at being a parliamentarian as one way of finding our applicable solutions to the challenges the people face. After all he argued, you are elected by ordinary people who trust that you will bring change to their lives.

On his knowledge of development issues is very clear as a Chair for the African Studies department, he has extensively written, research and consulted for International finance, trade and investment institution that his beliefs in what can change Malawi look more plausible if understood by ordinary people.

One of his outsanding ideas is that instead of searching for foreign investment, Malawi can become a knowledge centre for Africa and generate its in come the way Malaysia and Taiwan did without any mineral resources.

We have been searching for investment and resources for the last forty plus years, for the first time I agreed that pursuing a double faced approach to our economic sitution could help Malawi develop fast.

Deep down the debate into quota system, Professor Mutharika sees Universities and other tertiary colleges as corners of key development. He is yet to share his thoughts on quota and I am sure when he has time we will go into such a debate later.

But his idea simply explained is that encourage professors at Bunda to do more research on improving lets take egg production in chickens, milk production in cow and even improved seed varities. Let the enginnering department and Poly expand into computer part manufacturing or low cost technology research, while we produce more doctors and nurses at College of Medicine and Kamuzu College of Nursing.

The more research we conduct, the more we expand our Universities to train others from other countries and export either human resources and technologies, allowing us for the first time to have quantifiable and our own unique exports.

The human resource exports earns Mexico billions of dollars in remittances, so too the Phillipines while Malyasia, Taiwan and Singapore really run on grants, fees and other Universities related income.

We could do speacilised HIV and Aids research, TB, Malaria and others and attract huge projects worth billions of kwacha pumped into the economy.

Kamuzu Academy and College of Medicine are the only schools bringing in forex, if we expand them, and upgrade our colleges to International research and training standards, the same stone that has split Malawi in terms of quota system could save our country from tobacco madness that has kept millions poor in the past ten years.

Further as we search for long term solutions to our poverty, the Universities offer one of the most short term solutions of our foreign exchange and developmental needs.

As I said these are ideas of professor Peter Arthur Mutharika in creating a fast track to economic development.

I have not seen him for a long time, but I dont believe being a cabinet Minister has changed him much to loose his vision on how Malawi can transform. He has many other ideas, but I was confortable to use this as i already published.

Now why should we deny such a mind and opportunity, when Americans would elect father and son. Does it become less democratic because it is in Africa.

Given a choice in the current scenario of opposition leaders, I would support a candidacy of one Peter Mutharika as I share his vision and thinking. By the way he is a link to his CV for some Thomases! http://law.wustl.edu/faculty/documents/mutharika/CV112508.pdf

Next week I take a look at Joyce Banda, Malawi's greatest community mobiliser and then Chimunthu Banda the gentleman of politics. Then we cross over to MCP and look at Chris Daza and a few silent figures whop can replce Baba. In UDF, who can stand up and take the Muluzi mantlle.

Lets debate our way to bring in the finest creme of Malawi to lead us in 2014. Ndale za ufiti zithe enafenso ana tifuna tizayime wopanda kuwopa!

Quota systems and resignation of Northern MP's and Ministers

President Bingu wa Mutharika's support of the quota system was a political mistake. As a head of State he cannot openly voice support of any negative or positive discrimination in public. His support could have been done silently and remain politically right.

He labels himself as unpredictable, but this is a political blunder that might end up haunting him for his entire political life. The issues of John Tembo and Northern Region are not necessary based on MCP torture or killings, they are based on two issues. Expulsion of teachers to their respective homes in 1997 which targeted the Northerners and the quota system.

Unfortunately quota system affects people at household level. If my brother after working hard, using candles and match sticks to read scores 10 points but unfortunately all places for Rumphi are filled up, I feel bitter for him having been left out.

Bitterness breeds anger and anger hatred. You would not wish to plant that in the young generation which has made strides to identify itself as being Malawian. Constitution bars any form of discrimination. The President said it was to balance up North region dominance.

Should hard working Northern region students be punished because most of their forefathers worked hard in school while other tribes were trekking to South Africa or indulging in earlky marraiges? That is a very dangerous precedence. That is why the courts in early 1992 barred such a system.

The solution lies in creating more places at the University level. Let Unima open up distance learning for both Mzuzu University and University of Malawi. Let us have weekend and evening classes intake which can double our University intake.

Instisting on quota system is discriminating against a particular region.

Now the aftermath, should people from the North in Government resign after the President's position. I know as someone from the region that there is a full campaign to pressure parliamentarians or Ministers to quit their positions in protest against the quota system.

But having seen the political landscape for years, I have also heard of many agruments which the future generations might want to seriously ponder. I have heard of proportional system of parliamentary representation, others want federation other radicals will talk of breaking the country.

I choose to differ. Malawi is Malawi and Malawi is one. I cannot subscribe to any idea of creating conflict.

The greatest lesson the late Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda left on some of us is that contact and dialogue works and that should be the direction. Let the Ministers and MP's from DPP raise the issue of quota system within the DPP.

They are part of DPP and Government and they have a right to be in those settings, they cannot resign and protest against their own system, but they can work and reason with others within the system.

Asking Goodall, Khumbo Kachalio, Billy Kaunda, Professor Chirambo, Catherine Gotani Hara, Ephraim Chiume, Etta Banda and others to resign is very short sightdness and would not take the region anywhere.

The late Chakufwa Chihana might had seemed mad, but the only times tangible development projects came to the region like the Auction Floors, Mzuzu University, High Court and Mzuzu Hospital it was when he joined UDF administration and bargained.

Today I implore all Northerners to learn from Chihana and talk to Bingu and others with similar minds and find a solution which is to increase university places. If Government can support University of Livingstonia, Adventist University, Catholic University and others we can double intake and stop all the talk of University places!!!

The truth and fiction

The truth is might. May God bless all mothers in Malawi on Mothers day!

The Ghaddafi UN comedy, witchcraft and reality

I decided to take a break from my own blog after some scares- dont ask me- on one expressing his freedom of speech. In reality it is never there, someone who think you are talking of them can create problems for you. But at least I am back and in West Affrica trying to make sense of Lagos, Abuja. Accra and Freetown in two weeks. So help me God.

As I prepared to leave Malawi, there was plenty to write about, Big Brother- the reality show that has been changed for the worse, whether Malawi representative in the house should be smoking on TV and many other issues.

Of course there was a scare on swine flu, some political comedy from Malawi Congress Party which is now of course in the news and the death of several characters who made news for some of us. Yes Inkosi ya Makosi and T/A Chimaliro of Thyolo and old freind Ishmael Chafukira whose death is now talk of the town and getting the whole country into witchcraft debate.

But I want to start with the Brother Leader Ghaddafu who seem is hell bent to drag Africa backwards. That is the price of over staying in power and getting old believing you are still in the World of the 60's.

I know some people believe colonialism not irresponsible leadership should be blamed for our poverty. Ghaddafi still seems to have joined the Indonesian Hugo Chavez dream that communism will one day return, while China and Russia seem to have adopted a new approach to their own systems while their followers are behind strill in Cold war era.

Mummuar Ghaddafi was rejected by the fellow Arabs and he lost clout in the late 1990's when he could not influenced the Maghreb Union. Even Egyptians, Tunisians, Morrocans and Algerians do not want him to influence their peoples at local level.

Since had the oil dollars he used them to buy himself freinds in poor sub saharan area and eventualy pushed his agenda to unite Africa with him as a President for a new USA. He hides behind pan Africanism when he is busy discriminating and torturing black skinned Libyans and those that come from West Africa in Tripoli.

At the peak of the transformation of the Organisation of African Unity to African Union which was done in a hurry at his influence, only two African presidents could stand against him to slow down things- they were Nigeria's Olusegan Obasanjo and South Africa's Thabo Mbeki who were advocating for an open and more democratic Africa.

Egypt, Ghana and Mali did not want event to attend to many of Ghaddaffi sponsored meetings mainly held in Tripoli or Sirte. I attended my first at last in summer 2001 on the role of Youth which ended up like another pro-socialist rally denouncing USA and the west for days. I opted for a toursim programme throughout my stay in Tripoli.

Ghaddafi wanted African Security Council, Parliament and Commission to be based in Libya and he met resistance and the Parliament went to South Africa, the Commission remained in Addis Ababa.

Just months ago he pushed to change the Commission to become the Authority with sweepign powers, he got the name change but not the powers. Too bad for him, many African states have democratised and Africans have voted for new leaders with better credentials.

Today you havew lawyers, renonwed economists and even career diplomats being presidents across Africa. New leaders like Botswana's Ian Khama, Malawi's Bingu wa Mutharika, Tanzania's Jikaya Kikwete, Kenya's Raila Odinga, Ghana's Atta Mills and even the new Bongo in Gabon cannot be pushed by Ghadaffi.

That is why when he asked the AU to reject the authority of the International Criminal Court, many countries dissassociated themselves from him. Ghadafi does not realise that we no longer need a godfather or fathers for Africa.

The liberation struggle was won with Namibia being the last State. Malaysia and others were poor as Africa, obsession with the past is what has ruined Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.

Therefore when Ghadafi stood at the UN podium and tried to make headlines line Iran President or Venezualan Hugo Chavez, he might have been perfoming as a comedian not a leader or voice of Africa. The new Africa of success, an Africa which knows its root of problems and has keen energetic and visonary leaders who are taking it to prosperity.

The Ghadafi UN commedy was to his own benefit not even the Libyan people, he is a tired old man still living in the 60's while Africa has changed. It is no longer World powers play ground, that is why we can choose the Chinese and the West without anyone telling us anything.

Malawi is today a food self sufficient nation without any western or chinese money. Mozambique is on the path to recovery, South Africa will host the World Cup, even Africa Musicians are making it big just as footballers.

No Ghadafi is lost in his dreams. He can say anything he wants while he defends the murders in Sudan's Darfur beacuse they are killing black skinned Sudanese just like he tortures them in Tripoli. No he is not the consience of Africa.

He is perfoming the last act of Africa of the past alongside Robert Mugabe, King Mswati, Yaya Jammeh, Hassan Al Bashir and others who are the last dictators on this continent.

Finally just like Ghadafi, those who believe in witchcraft make sure they push their own thoughts. How can we speculate who has killed Ishamale Chafukira when we profess to be a God fearing nation!!!

Are our leaders peverts? The story of a raped DRC woman!

Are African leaders peverts? This is a question that I have failed to come up with an answer and I hope as many as followers of this page would try to give me their verdits. This question has lingered on my mind since US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially the war torn zone of Goma. She met women who were victims of rape and one woman had a chilling story. She said: " I am HIV positive I asked them to start raping my garls and finish with me. They did not listen they raped me and later my four garls. They raped us two times each the six of them. I am afraid my girls are infected. They should just have killed us.

Just a month ago the African leaders in their wicked wisdom resolved not to recognise the Interntional Criminal Court if it pursued the warrant of arrest against Sudanese president General Al Bashir. I felt sick.

I was involved in what was known as International Peace Carvan into Southern Sudan and then onyl aged 19 I heard horrific stories from people who had lived in Nuba mountains. We are were still trying to arrange for Northern Uganda and Darfur to go and speak to the young people.

I have been to several conflict zones. I have tried to go to Goma they have refused me. I intend to apply for a volunteer post at least for a year.

A visit to Kigalis genocide museum will greet one with total darkness and human cruetly of great magnitude. The weak cry at the sight of dozens of human skulls that are displayed there some of it of very young children. Innocent ones killed by fellow people.

Now, the stories from Darfur are chilling, but the woman from DRC spoke on behalf of Somalis' Eritrians and many oppressed African women and children. Many who have died from the conflicts that were started by greedy African leaders.

The voice of the woman on BBC is a voice that would chill any sensible human being.

Unless our leaders are peverts, they cannot wish away the need for justice to take its course. People in Darfur, Goma, Mogadishu and so many places wait for justice systems to heal the pain though it cannot remove the scar inflicted by ruthless men.

There is enough pain already in Africa. That is why President of Botswana Ian Sereste Khama can walk tall even if he is the sole voice of reason. Today no African leader except for Khama, has distanced himself of this pervesion of of shielding rapists and murders. At least I still think of them as thieves, robbers, peverts and crooks who want this woman to die and her killers never to face justice!! Shame on our peverts who celebrate misery!!!

A sick joke Goverment can play and BAT Malawi

I had taken time off after the elections to allow people to set down. My cabinet list missed about four people and the majority were as predicted. I am happy the Lucious Kanyumba is the Minister of Youth we go a long way in youth empowerment issues. I pray he will perfom as expected.

I had decided not to comment on cabinet appointments, but a change at Ministry of Information is soothing and a welcome change. Its peace time and worriors should be recharging for 2014. I welcome the good professor Peter Mutharika, I am sure he has learnt a few tricks including not to park his vehicle at the door as many prying eyes surely note everything.

But today its not about the cabinet, but a matter of health. There are two issues which i find very sick on part of Government.

I am a member of the Media Task Force on Service Charter for Salima which aims at improving service delivery for five key sectors of Health, Agriculture, Education, Police and Social Welfare. I spent the whole of last week in rural areas of Lifuwu and Chipoka where I almost cried at a school where four teachers are teaching 12 classes and work more than 10 hours a day for about US$50 per month.

I thought I have seen enough, but when I went to hospital, despite a beautful and smiling nurse, I was shocked to hear that Lifuwu Clinic did not have any drug and the supply for July had not arrived by July 25th when I visited the clinic.

Two nurses and one medical officer serves a community of 12,000 people and when I travelled to Chipoka I found one medical officer (people call him doctor there) and three nurses serving 25,000 people. My foot. They work 24 hours seven days a week, the whole year round.

When I tried to find out from the Minstry of Health, the response was usual we are working on it!

My thinking of how sick some Health officials are because amid all the pain and anguish from a por mother who told me that she was given a prescription to buy medicine, 80 kilometres from town in a pharmacy and she did not have the money.

My fellow Journalist Isaac Kambwiri gave her money for medication, but I am sure other priorities were considered that I wasnt sure if the coughing kid will be considered looking at the poverty of the mother.

Back to a sick Government.

I am sorry, while President Bingu wa Mutharika seems to make the right noise, there are things he need to pay close attention to among them the usless allocation of K50 million to honour some scottsman who died long time ago and brought on lake Malawi MV Chance Maples.

This vessle is old and rusty but in the wisodm of some scottish people they want it to turn it into a Mobile Hospital on Lake Malaw. I have no qualms about this, my problem is that they the whites now want poor Malawians to pay for their idea of a cruise hospital.

As much as I have respect for the Ministry officials K50 million can do a lot. Train at least 10 doctors, 200 medical assistance and 100 Nurses. Or better still can equip Lifuwu Hospital with drugs for five months.

How we lay our priorities should reflect the poverty and needs of Malawians. I find it very sick to spend over US$300,000 to conduct a feasibility study of a ship and may be another US1 million to rehabilitate and equip a vessel when there many urgent needs including a need for a cancer machine.

This sickness mr. president should be stopped. Save the lives of the poor first and let the Scots pay for their own pet projects without invloving the poor. How many people will the mobile hospital on the lake serve, how much will it cost to operate and how will it generate sustainance income. In the end we will spend more on maintaining this odl vessle over peoples lives.

Finally to BAT Malawi, they are a sick company and their 4oth day will come. How do you explain your recent advertisments for PALL MALL cigarrettes in newspapers. The same does not happen in UK and you pulled out of Malawi sports sponsorship since you claimed you respected world ban. What is the difference between the life of a Malawian and a British National.

BAT Malawi should desist from trying to provoke or display arrogance, there is a growing anti-smoking lobby and an angry president against tobacco buyers. You will soon find your self out. Be on the look out!!

Madona and Malawi adoption: Malawians are not fools!! For British Media

We are not a foolish people and niether do we spend time hero worship a human being. Malawi is a God fearinf country, ranked number two in Africa as the most peaceful country and by the Economic Intelligence Unit as the fastest growing economy in Africa and number two in the World. British Media should be told this in clear terms.

I have respect for some British newspapers and the BBC- though at times the BBC behaves like we do not have success stories in Africa, but I am tired and sick, very sick of the type of reporting found in the British media related to pop singer Madonnas recent adoption of Chifundo James from my motherland.

There is a report in Gurdian by one Jacques Peretti , which mocks Malawi and another in the Mirror which claims Madonna bribed Malawians with US$19 million to get the child. Sick and very sick reports.

Mr. Peretti when he comes back to Malawi we will take him back to our schools of Journalism that he can learn to report "facts" and not his own creations as he has done. He claims there is a mass grave in Malawi which we bury three babies everyday, my foot.

Malawians respect death and even a day old child is accorded its own space and grave. This is very sick reporting.

By the way we have achieved a lot than most people would want to believe, we conducted peaceful elections and peoples choice was heard, we have a growing economy, we have enough food for our people's, reduced Aids prevalence and we are heading towards more prosperous society, why should we be labelled as poverty improvished or whatever accord used when our proverty levels are down.

Coming back to Chifundo, the Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo that the Mirror thinks could be bribed worked as a Deputy Registrar for the International Criminal Tribunal at the Hague. He was the Registrar for Rwanda Tribunal in Arusha in Tanzania.

Malawi's legal system is very accomplished and full of professions that even the President can loose a case (Section 65). The British press should not belittle us with a colonialist eye and believe we cannot make decisions unless money is involved.

For the Guardian and the Mirror, apart from Munlo. some legal minds of Malawi today are in the International service including the Rwanda Tribunal (Justice Dustain Mwaungulu), Chief Justice of Swaziland, Justice Richard Banda, Head of Anti-Corruption Commission in Swaziland Justice Mtegha and many others.

We are a nation of achievers, peace makers and we are proud we have a record.

Next time the British media want to sale papers they should avoid creating stories that do not happen in Malawi and some of us will not rest to respond to useless articles that are full of their writers figment of imagination.

If the British media wants respect of the Malawi media, let the hire Malawian Journalists to train them and tell them that factual reporting is the core and basic principle of Journalism not creations that we have seen this week.

This reminds me when for the last seven years the British media has claimed over five million Zimbabweans facing starvation yet we still are yet to hear how these near-to-death people have survived. It is time you left African reporting to people who know Africa.

Africa is changing and it is the same neo-colonial mind that makes British Journalists fail to see that there is no difference between rebels in Eastern DRC and those in Ireland. They both kill innocent people.

There is no difference to huge racist points in Europe and Russia with Aparthied, but very few media outlets report such news. What is the difference between George Bush and Tony Blair who killed innocent Iraqs compared with Robert Mugabe.

Perhaps, that is why American media which has relative authority have remained the epitome of press. Look at Washington Post, LA Times, Chicago Tribune and New York Times, these are authorities.

They dont spend time chasing half naked celebrities. Wake up British media, the world is changing and your sales are plummeting, people want reality.

Once again the article in the Guardian is very trash and usless piece of imagination. I invite the writer to take me to the grave or dusty court room he saw and I will give him a Pulizter!

Africa is no longer a play ground!!

Expectations, rumours and happy hour

After elections, I have been quite involved in development of a service charter for Salima district. The charter will basically allow people to demand services and complain about poor services from Government departments. This raised the expectations of many. Of course among the critical issues will be, will Government supply enough teachers, nurses and agricultural extension officers among others to meet the raised expectations of the people. This is one of those issues that the Salima District Executive committee will have to look at seriously.

Still on the same, there are high expectations from the administration of President Bingu wa Mutharika, from the health sector through to basic empowerment. I personally look forward to the K3 billion Youth Entreprise Fund to be instituted soon. I know Mutharika personally has an interest in it too, this is the basis of engineering small scale businessess with potential to grow into national entreprises. The youth have enthusiasm, the energy and innovation ideas. You Tube, Face Book and many others were started by young people. I hope to have a say in the programme to include many yong people in the initiative.

The expectations of the women too will need to be checked, as with the ascendancy of Joyce Banda to be the country's second citizen, the women are looking forward to a more glorious days and opportunities beyond the rhetoric.

The elderly still have expectations of what has been promised to them for the last five years. Hopefully this time there will be no cases of a Minister swindling the poor.

As usual we are in a season of rumours, of course apart from Henry Chimunthu Banda and others being confirmed as Speaker, Jones Chingola first deputy and Julian Mphande as second deputy, the choice of Goodall Gondwe as Leader of the House should raise a lot of speculations. Is he or not he returning to Finance.

Dr. George Chaponda is a cool man and though many of those that have commented on my last posting on cabinet, I still prefer him as a cool face of the country. We dont want hot shots to hold our diplomacy. Joyce Banda held the Ministry with honour and we hope for continuity.

Of course other rumours are ridiculous such as Atcheya Bakili Muluzi getting a Hummer vehicle, or JZU Tembo going outside the country, but some rumours are good to follow up.

There are two characters I am told will likely miss out from the cabinet, these two have been behaving as clever junks in the past cabinets and fanning every little gossip into reality. I wont miss them these two double faced characters and let them be back benchers for a while to learn that they are indespensable.

Finally my happy hour this weekend was when I travelled to Lupembe in the troubled Karonga Central constituency, I was touched by a sign post near Lupembe Agricultural Training Centre which read: Ethel Mutharika gardern.

The voice of the late First Lady in empowering still rings in Karonga. May God Rest soul in eternal peace!!!

Malawians have spoken- The New cabinet, my prediction

I believe in my country and my people. Their choice of leaders is endorsed by God and that hand annointed President Bingu wa Mutharika to continue for the next five years. What does the margin of 2.7 milli0n say. Check my last blog, 1.5 million are new voters and Bingu and his DPP excited them, both in style and content. In big screens. moving coaches, hummer and a riot of blue DPP vehicles. Enough baseball caps, t shirts as Wakuda Kamanga would say, it will be too blue for all to see. But Bingu had issues for the youth: K2 billion youth fund, which young voter would vote for an alliance whose primary agenda was to remove the President. I look forward to his cabinet of merit. He has six professors and a hordes of PHD holders. This was an election of merit. My thoughts today wonder around who could make it into cabinet:

looking what Bingu has, I would have restricted my cabinet to around 30 and this would have been my choice. Lets debate this, improve it and those who know those better qualified please make substitutions, it will be nice to check on merit. Note some two professors are missing Chirambo ndi Donton! pa ma dokotala nawonso siwonse. What are the implications of having two Mutharikas as head of Governments- executive and legislature. Prof. is a high distingushed legal man, should we punish him coz he is a Mutharika. Let us go into merits and demerits:

President Bingu wa Mutharika (and Minister of Defence)(Thyolo)
Vice President and Minister of Women Affairs: Rt. Hon Joyce Banda (Zomba)
Minister of Finance: Goodall Gondwe (Mzimba)
Minister of Agriculture and Livestock: Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza (Thyolo)
Minister Foreign Affairs: Dr. George Chaponda (Mulanje)
Minister of Health: Dr. Jean Kalilani (Dowa)
Minister of Education: Professor Peter Mwanza (Mzuzu)
Minister of Justice: Prof. Peter Mutharika (Or Next Speaker of Parliament)
Minister of Lands and Housing: Vuwa Kaunda (Nkhatabay)
Minister of Transport: Henry Chimunthu Banda (Nkhota kota)
Minister of Trade: Dr. Cornelius Mwalwanda (Karonga)
Minister of Information: Dr. Ken Lipenga(Phalombe)
Minister of Water Development: Grain Malunga (Chikwawa)
Minister of Economic Planning: Ted Salule Masangwi (Zomba)
Minister of Tourism and Culture: Eunice Kazembe (Chiradzulu)
Minister of Local Government: Henry Phoya (OR next speaker of parliament) (Blantyre)
Minister of Energy and Mining: Daniel Liwimbi (Nkhotakota)
Minister of Home Affairs:Benjamini Mmangira (Salima)
Ministry of Children, Social and Community Affairs: Agness Penemulungu (Lilongwe)
Minister of Youth: Lucius Kanyumba (Ntcheu)
Minister of State (special duties): Sidik Mia (Chikwawa)
Minister of State (statutory corporations): Khumbo Kachali (Mzimba)

Deputies:

Information: Nicholas Dausi (Mwanza)
Women Affairs: Catherine Gotani Hara (Mzimba)
Finance: Vera Faremenga (Nsanje)
Health: Professor Eta Banda (Nkhatabay)
Agriculture: Narsin Pillane (Balaka)
Transport: Austin Mkandawire (Rumphi)
Trade: Hyacinta Chikaonda (Dedza)
Education: Jermoth Chilapondwa (Ntchisi)
Lands and Housing: Ken Kandodo (Kasungu)
Water Development: Ralph Jooma (Mangochi)

Attonery General: Justice Dr. Jane Ansah

Speaker of Parliament: Professor Peter Mutharika/ Henry Phoya
Deputy Speaker: Delia Kankhwani (Salima)
Second Deputy Speaker( opposition or independent MP)

Pang'ono ndi pang'ono ndi pang'ono eya. tiyendeeeee!!

Let GOD be supreme in the next five years of our political life. I will be contesting in 2014 as member of parliament.

Let the Hand of God be with you all Malawians as we vote!!

Finally the hour has come. Malawi is full of anticipation. The country is about to blast into anxiety. The two long days are ahead of the Nations voting day. May 19, 2009. It is and has always been a Tuesday.
But they are issues in this election that might never equal another elections in years to come. A bruised presidential candidate who has just been denied a return to offices. An opposition leader who still cries of what he calls a rigged election and a President who left a party which sponsored him to form another.
Thats what brings the drama, anxiety, hope and fear in the mind of the electorate.
Then there are young minds that are voting for the first time. I would put them between a million or 1.5 million. They are excited to join the club of voters to decide what section 12 of the republican constitution calls authority of the people.
I am happy to have lived to see another election, another great time for Malawi to prove its peace and democratic credentials.
We are one family and whatever happens on May 19, will just testify that we are a tolerant nation of divergent views. We respect and love one another as a nation.
I said I will say who I will vote for. I will vote for stability not turmoil. I will vote for good governance and not dictatorship. I will vote for someone who does NOT practice nepotism or tribalism. I will vote for someone who will remember that the youth of Malawi are its greatest assest. I will vote for someone who will end poverty in rural areas when the poor produce plenty.
I will after elections continue to work as a Journalist, there have been funny suggestions that I will get a certain funny post if A or B wins.
I spoke to a presidential candidate he asked me what do you do after elections, I said, I want to interview you Sir. He was shocked, you mean you dont want anything.
I said I have been offered similar posts in public and private. I wish to remain a Journalist for the next five years.
Therefore as a good Journalist I am happy to have scrutinised all the manifestos. Some did not contain the promises made, I wrote they included them. Some are asking for too much power- I am told they have changed it.
I am very happy that in a little way, through our writings Malawians have been able to see what people are, what candidates look like and more importantly what their thinking is as Malawians vote on Tuesday.
I will be posting results in as much as I can from Tuesday evening.
I will be voting at 5.30pm at New State House school where I registered in Lilongwe City South East.
I will vote for a president of my choice.
I will vote for a Member of Parliament.
It is my brith rights and I will want to all of us Malawians to go out and vote.
Let the hand of God guide all of us as we vote!!!