Remarks by Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara in Blantyre have been censured for carrying xenophobic remarks against Asians in Malawi.
At a political rally in Blantyre ahead of polls slated for June, speaker of Parliament made remarks targeting Asian business people in Malawi.
“You should indigenise businesses when when you get into power,” said Gotani Hara at the rally before making a remark that has been understood to be an attack on Asians.
“We are tired of being told the dziko ndi wanu ndalama ndi wathu,” said Gotani Hara.
The Asian community in Malawi has been accused of claiming that they own the money in Malawi even if Malawians can claim ownership of the country.
In the past when MCP ruled Malawi with an iron fist, they removed all Asians from rural trading centres and ordered them to be concentrated in cities. This development was described by some as being the reasons for the failure of many rural centres to take off and later led to uncontrolled urbanisation in Malawi.
Ironically, in the 2019 election MCP had a Malawian of Asian origin Sidik Mia as a runningmate.
Ofcourse they own the money that’s a fact and it’s on merit. Anyone whom on a daily basis focuses on making money will make money, plenty of it. Those who focus on politics will eat and earn politics too. You politicians spend your time making people get too involved in political affairs instead of their source of daily bread. The rule is simple. This is a question of ethics and descipline. The Asians are making and holding the money because they are not on the streets or commenting about politics day in day out on social media. Their wealth isn’t based entirely on who is in power. It’s based on fundamental principals of doing business whether you like it or not. While Asians are strategising on how to make more you politicians are strategising locals on how to make less and less unwittingly by involving them in your political madness on a daily basis making claims that they will only become something if you are the ones in power. Utter rubbish. Asian arrogance by means of using such phrases is positive in every way to every wise Malawian. Its a positive feedback. A wise Malawian will learn a fundamental lesson from them if he or she is to become a significant player in the economy like them or better. Otherwise locals will remain in mediocrity by continuing the path they have been and they are on at the moment.