Kondwani Munthali -Malawi

Malawian political parties have been accused of having no distinguishing identity and philosophy. Actually frankly speaking they are merely, for many opportunistic clubs for earning a living for those that have no occupation, retired or immediately thought would get rich quick. They have been very few politicians, whose first and lost job has been politics. Among them the Late Aleke Banda, Gwanda Chakuamba, Brown James Mpinganjira, Late Edward Bwanali, Dr. Bakili Muluzi, Dr. Joyce Banda, Khumbo Kachali, Edda Chitalo, Beston Majoni, John Tembo, Portipher Chidaya, Mai Dinala, Mayi Hilda Manjankhosi just to remember a few. The rest of politicians are self created people, who think politics as an opportunity to get really rich quickly. Others like Professor Peter Mutharika, after a stint in the 1960s left for a professional career before fate had it sending them an opportunity to do politics. Atupele Muluzi was born in a political family and adapted to his environment. I am giving

Having been on the road for the past 14 days, especially in the Southern and Eastern parts of Malawi. I hae come to appreciate poverty and survival of the poor. While in Nsanje they showed me Nyika, that bitter coconut like plant they eat, behind the beautiful Mulanje Mountain, they survive some of them on cow skin mixed with the almost poisonous kalongonda. Food and economy, especially the cost of living dominates the mind of the many poor whose meals for some, even during this harvest period still remains scarce that they only eat once a day, like prisoners. I wished I had collected party cloth materials for all parties, at least the old women in Machinga, the poor kids at Nkata village in Zomba Lisanjala or the begging children of Ngowe in Marka could have found some decent clothes. I would not mind any party giving me loads of T-shirts and Zitenjes, as long as a decent cloth for the poor, elderly and young is given to them. It is with such a troubled mind, that when I reached