Cry the beloved country

I am one of the believers in Bingu wa Mutharika's vision.I have an orignal copy of his speech on his inuaguration. I loved more the part of National Youth Development Service- I continously reminded him of it until someone thought I should be a director at the Youth Council. Unfortunately someone removed me verbally before I completed my term of office because I was going on a study leave. I am glad I was out in time before they showed their true colours. They squandered the funding from National Aids Commission. Thank God, the man-charge- is now the Senior official in the Ministry of Youth, courtesy of our foresightdness.

I was removed from Namisa because I want to run for Chairmanship and anything else anyone will convince me that is a good reason that I could be removed.

On Thursday, 9th May 2009, I made news myself after Information Minister Patricia Kaliati went to town over what someone attributed to me in a parliamentary press gallerly. The Minister of Information actually said she hears whatever goes on among Journalists- meaning she has spies all over the country.

I was with Kaliati on Wednesday in Mangochi and we spoke of Nurses and other issues, my passion is public health and not politics. If I had the way of working in a health sector, I would happily just do that. It is more satsfying to learn that student doctors got Hepatitis B vaccine after I did a story on the risks they face. There is nothing more than that.

After working for MBC during Bakili Muluzi and Bingu wa Mutharika regime, I got tired of politics, and hear me out, am very tired of politics to the extent that I have agreed with several of my freinds that next elections I will vote for a mickey mouse and the MP.

I was shocked therefore by Kaliati outbrusts, she should have known better on which ground I stand. In response to her intelligence network, I rarely read Nyasatimes and in whole of my life, I have only written once- a comment on HIV and Aids statistics which they had featured erronously. It was a comment on a story and I was doing Aids research then.

Apart from that, I have never had interest in China for a number of reasons. I have good freinds from Tibet, the ones I went to school with at Cardiff, he told me the story of China and Tibet. I agree with Dr. Banda and I asked Mutharika a number of press conference his position over China that economically we can cooperate and agree without agreeing on other principals.

That is why I do not make fuss over our going to China or stregnthening Iran ties. These are natural choices as Aid with conditions have only led us to be more poor than before.

I have no reason to believe that our aid package includes military assistance. Malawi has no use for arms, we are a peaceful nation unless someone wants to change that.

I cannot wake up and and dream such allegations and make them. Someone did not simply understand my comments which I said and I repeat on Zimbabwe and China, "ntchito za china zimawoneka pa chisankho- they gave Mugabe planes, farm tractors and mini buses to ferry people and half the commercial price" Does this sound anything closer to arms. Please stoogies and informers, do a proper job and find out from us in what context we make these remarks. I was referring to Zimbabwe and not at all Malawi.

Malawi's benefits from China are yet to be realised and I will there to write them when the do happen. I dont cover pledges, Libya did that before and we all learnt a lesson.

However, i stand with the majority of right thinking people that we could push for more openess in China and better human rights environment. It is not a secret that Sars epedemic in China was almost a state secret which led to many cases due to economic and other considerations. On my blog here, one would find my positions that strongly I do not believe that Bakili Muluzi should come back as a President. Muluzi has a way of developing natural chemistry and that he used it to develop historical achievements which include bringing together President Hassan Al Bashir of Sudan with his Ugandan Colleague Yoweri Museveni. The other are include bringing together Congolese Kabila and Rwandan Paul Kagame.

Muluzi as I spoke with a professor at Boston University should have been a peace maker in Africa. Even parties in Burundi respected him.

Now that is my conviction. On John Tembo, I feel his last luck is 2009 but lack of democracy in MCP will weaken the party further as most voters are young and would want somewhere where there is resemblence of democracy. He needs a powerful number two and not puppets to make it.

For Mutharika, I have so many senior people in the party I speak to and we have shared notes-that the party needs an honest team, free primaries and a strong grassroot base which can only be achieved by conducting elections at all levels from branches to the National Executive.

I worked in a cabinet office almost a year and I was impressed by the President's knowledge and insight and his vision. He even had time to comment on my own initiative like a newsletter.

As a Journalist, I would recall jokes that white people have longer audiences with Mutharika than Muluzi as he can comprehend the issues.

But now, some one thinks I have a particular political liking or I would waste my time following a politician.

I dont know where some of these "cheap and very cheap" statements that I would just open my mouth and start making serious allegations as the ones someone attributed to me.

It is very interesting that while someone is attacking me in the same administration, I have been asked to move to the same system for the last three weeks.

Today senior officials in UDF have been arrested, and even some in the military over some charges. Should I as a Journalists not give my mind for fear of Kaliati and company.

If some people think intimidation works with some of us, they should think twice really. At one time, I was told I work for Cassim Chilumpha, then UDF, then MCP, the DPP.

Unfortunately for mongers, my family has never been involved in politics nor worked for anyone.

I will not be cowed by empty threats and information gathered from gossipers paid by the Minister. She should understand that some of us, have worked hard to develop our professional reputations.

Finally arresting people like Retired General Joseph Chimbayo, Joseph Aironi, John Chikakwiya, Humphrey's Mvula and Kennedy Makwangwala will not solve the current political impasse. I am hesistant to add the military officials also in the cooler for Treason.

Some of us saw the signs of times, long time ago, but we chose to ignore it.

Political temperatures have reached boiling point, but it is the man in Karonga who has no food. I was in Lilongwe Kumachenga, when the MCP legislator was screaming that he cannot go to Parliament.

I was happy when Bingu called for the talks only to be dejected later when he went on a political rally to reveal what was going on secretly.

I dont know where Malawi is going to as of today, arrests and intimidation seem to be much more like Kamuzu era not a democratic regime people opted for 15 years ago.

I hope my country will wake up to realisation that leadership is more of a gift from God. Restraint and patience develop good leaders and not tempers.

I hope in the next few years, posterity will prove many of us right in our decisions and be remembered as "great leaders" who brought impact on our people than sheer politicking.

As I continusouly pray and cry for my beloved country-

O' God Bless our Land of Malawi

Keep it a land of peace

Put down each and every enemy

Hunger, Disease, Envy

That we should be free from fear

Bless Our Leader, each and everyone

And Mother Malawi.

This has been the Nations prayer for ages. May God lok after this nation today and forever more as our Leaders leave their selfish reasons of disturbing peace, parliament and the future of 12 million Malawians.

I hope I speak for the majority and for the poor who look up to us to change their lives.

I speak for the nurses working for 16 hours workshift only to be paid what our Members of Parliament are getting for doing nothing per day.

I cry for my beloved country!!!!!