Malawi in crisis;Bingu should bring back experience

I thought the fuel shortage would be something like a two day thing that would not warrant any comment fro many people. But third week into the problem, nobody seems to have answers and Government is nowhere making timely updates despite promises last week that trucks had started moving from Mozambique and some 2.2 million litres was docked in Dar es Salaam.

Of course the President was on his Kucheza ndi a Malawi programme, something that has become a very interesting programme as after each broadcast, it leaves everyone wondering if my old man has advisers or he is being fed up with lies.

One blue lie that he was fed up with was the quota system and Mzuzu corner which is located in a Cafetaria of Chancellor College of the University of Malawi. Some told my President that the corner which is in an open view is used by professors of Northern region origin to leak exams to Northern Region students something that has created imbalance in upper services as, according to the president the Northern Region is over represented.

Of course people are now being charged with sedition and Kamlepo Kalua and Hophmally Makande are the political prisoners that despite we want to say otherwise are in jail for speaking their mind. Is this the route Malawi's democracy will be undertaking.

I have a strong feeling that things started going wrong after the May 19 general elections, when suddenly most advisers and Ministers who worked hard to sustain administration were fired or shifted.

Thats is where fundementally I find the problem is. If I went today and started working at a gas station, I will need experience or someone with experience to specifically train me. I have noted that experience in politics matters.

We should admit there was a mistake to hire a 70 percent new cabinet who in turn have overloaded the presidency in many issues they can handle. Experienced hands like Henry Phoya, Henry Mussa and Ken Lipenga were required during the first year to stabilise excitment that comes with a new administration.

Critical positions such as Finance could have been warmed by Goodall Gondwe while other sectors have proven that professional experience matters. Health is not in much crisis, just like Education.

Agriculture needs a full Minister, while Transport, Gender and Tourism look like they are in able hands alongside National Defence, Home Affairs and Justice.

The current crisis is something that should be declared a national emergency, donor support mobilised and for the sake of the many suffering from the effects of the forex, fuel, water, electricity and whatever crisis we can pretend we are able to listen.

When you have experienced people they know how to react and assure the public that solutions are in sight. Take ESCOM for example after keepign Patterson Zembani finally he is fired as if he was the cause of blackouts.

In Blantyre people have scheduled the toilet vists and I will not be surpised to see cholera return in full throttle.

My Goverment admitted loaning Zimbabwe USD100 million when ourselves cannot even get a grant above that, on what basis or wisdom, I am baffled except to say that our decision to release suh forex spelled our journey to creating another Zimbabwe.

Unless we have a cabinet that is fully in charge of their Ministries and that the president takes quick decisions to solve our crisis, the journery to a new Zimbabwe in Malawi has started.

On how Zimbabwe looked in crisis, I wrote plenty and as people start stoc piling fuel, food and everything just like our cousins in Zimbabwe, let us remember that we do not have electricity so may be we stock kapenta!