Born-again politicians hijacked Malawi’s democratic revolution

Mar 10, 2016 Politics 78
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Bingu wa Mutharika, Joyce Banda & Bakili Muluzi
Bingu wa Mutharika, Joyce Banda & Bakili Muluzi
At the recycling vault? Bingu, JB and Bakili

In 1958 Malawians wanted to see Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda in power. After being under the British colonial rule for six decades, and as the wind of Pan-Africanism started blowing across the continent, Malawians wanted a change of their state of affairs. It is beyond argument that the presence of the colonial government was an imposed one. The local people never wanted any kind of foreign rule. When the White man was coming to Africa, Malawi in particular, he faced resistance from chiefs like M’mbelwa of the Mzimba Ngoni and Gomani of the Maseko Ngoni. The resistance resulted into the death of the latter and other countless number of people. Although the British colonial government managed to force itself on the people, Malawians always looked for the opportunity to break free and be determinants of their own destiny. This is seen through the Chilembwe uprising in 1915, the earliest against the White man in Africa, and the formation of the Native Associations in the 1940s by the people, as a way of keeping themselves political by having one channel of presenting their grievances to the government.

But little did the people know that the man they wanted to replace the White man with will be a curse among them and will have to wait for three decades to see him out of power. The Kamuzu Banda regime has gone down as one of the most brutal and oppressive in Africa. People were killed or disappeared when it was in power and there was a ruthless silencing of any dissenting views. His party, the Malawi Congress Party, was the only legal party with others made illegal after the 1964 Cabinet Crisis, when there was an ideological difference between Kamuzu Banda and his first cabinet. They preferred Malawi facing the East, towards the Communist China, while he was for the Capitalist West. This was the moment that defined the long existence of Kamuzu Banda’s rule despite his bad human rights record, of which the Western government knew about. After spending four decades in the Capitalist West, there was no way Kamuzu Banda could have been in favor of the Communist kind of style despite it being preferred by his neighboring leaders like Zambian Kenneth Kaunda, Mozambican Samora Machel, Tanzanian Julius Nyerere. For his anti-communist rhetoric, Kamuzu Banda established himself as the most important figure of the West in Central and East Africa.

But with the end of the Cold War in 1989, symbolized by the downing of the Berlin Wall in Germany, Capitalism had triumphed over communist and Kamuzu Banda lost his political importance in the area. He faced intense pressure from his old allies, the Western governments, to make some radical political, social and economic reforms. This exposure paved the way for what is known as the Third-wave democracy. The African continent faced the changes with the old Western-backed regimes on the collapse. That was the Malawi case as well. The political arena had opened up and the once strong man, Kamuzu Banda, met his first criticism from a letter by the Catholic bishops who on March 8, 1992 published a pastoral letter, ‘Living Our Faith’, which pointed out a number of failures by the government. It exposed Kamuzu Banda’s regime and it resulted into national wide calls for change. He had no choice but to give in. He announced a referendum on the future of the one party system of which he lost in June, 1993 before losing to the multiparty general elections a year later.

The moment may have been branded as a ‘change’, with the winning United Democratic Front party under President Bakili Muluzi selling their presence with the slogan “Zinthu zatani?… Zasintha!” (There Is Change!). But in true sense, was it change? It was not. There was a mere change of the political environment and party in power, but the people who were at the helm were still those who had curved their political careers under Kamuzu Banda. People like President Muluzi had worked with the Malawi Congress Party as its Secretary General and a Member of Parliament for Machinga district before his fallout with Kamuzu Banda in the early 1980s. Another prominent person in the United Democratic Front era, Aleke Banda, was a longtime trusted worker for Kamuzu Banda but went on to the pro-multiparty side after he had a fallout with Kamuzu Banda over the management of Press Cooperation, Kamuzu Banda’s company.

The truth is that the early 1990s change to democracy was started by the church, fueled by the Civil Society Organizations before it was taken to Kamuzu Banda’s half by the general population. The political parties merely used the opening to advance their agendas and win the power. There was union on the Church and the Civil Society side. But with the politicians interested in power and authority, there was visible difference among them. With Kamuzu Banda and his party touring all the districts in Malawi, and a divided opposition on the other hand, there was a scare that Kamuzu Banda would use his existing command and structures to cause an upset on the change. But thank God, it never happened that way. The invasion of politicians, especially the same old ones, made the change to be a lie. The old Malawi Congress Party had rebranded itself and although it felt like Malawi was starting a new political chapter, it was never that way. Just a few years on, people started regretting the change as it had brought with them bites they felt the government was not working towards protecting them from. The market based economy exposed the masses and pulled off the hands of government in intervening for the people. It was not easy. Had it been that the change stayed with the church and the people, as it had started, the possibility was that a people-centered government could have been conceived. But the politicians hijacked the democracy promise and took it to their own wrong direction, the one we are now.

*The term ‘Born-Again Politicians’ and the sense of the article has been inspired by Stephen Brown’s  2004 article titled “‘Born-Again Politicians Hijacked Our Revolution’: Reassessing Malawi’s Transition to Democracy”.

*Wonderful Mkhutche is an author, a political scientist and a manuscript editor and developer.

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78 Comments

  2. Nkhani si population kuti inali yochepa anthu amene amatenga ulamulirowo ameyenera kudziwa kuti population ikukwera vuto ndikusaganizila kuti kodi y ndikutenga udindou ndepano ndizimenezo mukuti mulibe pulobulemu or anthu atamafa ndinjala. Anzanu kunjaku akawona kuti zawakanika amasiyira ena ayese kma kuno kukakamila hevy

  3. [READ MY STORY. ON HOW I GOT MY HIV CURED].
    Truthfully, i was tested HIV + positive for the past 8 years. I keep on managing the drugs i usually purchase from the health care agency to keep me healthy and strengthen, i tried all i can to make this disease leave me alone, but unfortunately, it keep on eating up my life. So last Two Months i came in contact with a lively article on the internet on how this Powerful Herb Healer get her well and healed. So as a patient i knew this will took my life one day, and i need to live with other friends and relatives too. So i copied out the Dr Collins the herbal healer’s contact and I contacted him immediately, in a little while he mail me back that i was welcome to his Herbal Home whereby all what i seek for are granted. I was please at that time. And i continue with him, he took some few details from me and told me that he shall get back to me as soon as he is through with my work. I was very happy as heard that from him, as i was just coming from my friends house, Dr Collins called me to go for checkup in the hospital and see his marvelous work that it is now HIV negative, i was very glad to hear that from him, so quickly rush down to the nearest hospital to found out, only to hear from my hospital doctor called Browning Lewis that i am now HIV NEGATIVE. I jump up at him with the a test note, he ask me how does it happen and i reside to him all i went through with Dr Collins. I am now glad, so i am a gentle type of person that need to share this testimonies to everyone who seek for healing, because once you get calm and quiet, so the disease get to finish your life off. So i will advice you contact him today for your healing at the above details: Email ID: [email protected] or you can also add him up on whataspp +2349036950737. CONTACT HIM NOW TO SAVE YOUR LIFE AND DOCTOR ALSO CURE ALL KIND OF DISEASE AND SICKNESS: [email protected] AS HE IS SO POWERFUL AND HELPFUL TO ALL THAT HAVE THIS SICKNESS..

  4. Nkhani si ma resources but big problems are in political governance and sustainable policy management. In malawi there is high political influence in resource distribution as well as implimentation of pro-poor government projects

  6. Kamuzuyo monga kuona kwanga ndi amene alakwitsa zinthu posatsegula mafakitale, ma Indasitale ndi migodi kulimbikitsa nzika zonse kuti zikalime.
    Ulimi ndiwabwino mdziko lililonse, koma siudalilika malingana ndi nthawi yake.
    Migodi maindasitale ndi ma mine ngatinso analiko mnthawiyo, pano bola a Malawi tikusimba lokoma.

  7. Learn to write facts not opinions, in 1992, there was only one church worth being mentioned and that church is Roman Catholics, PAC came after the pressure groups were formed.

  8. Learn to write facts not opinions, in 1992, there was only one church worth being mentioned and that church is Roman Catholics, PAC came after the pressure groups were formed.

  11. Learn to write facts not opinions, in 1992, there was only one church worth being mentioned and that church is Roman Catholics, PAC came after the pressure groups were formed.

  12. Learn to write facts not opinions, in 1992, there was only one church worth being mentioned and that church is Roman Catholics, PAC came after the pressure groups were formed.

  17. Kamudzu atcheya kumbaliyawo anakoka malawi bwino kwambiri kusiyana ndiawa akuti adapita ku school kwambiri ongochita dzadzi dzopanda mtchele.

  18. Kamudzu atcheya kumbaliyawo anakoka malawi bwino kwambiri kusiyana ndiawa akuti adapita ku school kwambiri ongochita dzadzi dzopanda mtchele.

  19. Nthawi ya Kamuzu population inali yochepa , Boma limatha atleast kudyetsa anthu malingana ndi nthawi imeneyo. Panopa tangochulukana yet ma resource ndi omwe aja a nthawi ya Kamuzu, no any mineral rsource yet discovered. Olo Kamuzu atadzuka Lero Sangakwanitsenso kutilamulira pano. Dziko laling’ono anthu ambiri yet mozambique Zambia , Namibia alimo ochepa and ali ndidzowabweretsera cash!!!! Tingodikira ambuye alipange Retore factory Dzikoli.

  20. Nthawi ya Kamuzu population inali yochepa , Boma limatha atleast kudyetsa anthu malingana ndi nthawi imeneyo. Panopa tangochulukana yet ma resource ndi omwe aja a nthawi ya Kamuzu, no any mineral rsource yet discovered. Olo Kamuzu atadzuka Lero Sangakwanitsenso kutilamulira pano. Dziko laling’ono anthu ambiri yet mozambique Zambia , Namibia alimo ochepa and ali ndidzowabweretsera cash!!!! Tingodikira ambuye alipange Retore factory Dzikoli.

  26. Agama timakunyadilani ngakhale zithu zimavuta koma pano zawonjeza munatisakhila banja lolakwika anafe timakufila hvy and timakunyadilani agama mumakwana mukamati anyamata pa town mukutipasa ma k50

  27. Agama timakunyadilani ngakhale zithu zimavuta koma pano zawonjeza munatisakhila banja lolakwika anafe timakufila hvy and timakunyadilani agama mumakwana mukamati anyamata pa town mukutipasa ma k50

  45. kuyendesa bola its serious bussiness!!…..you remember?

    3. Ndalama imagwa kma sizimadziwika coz ndalama zimapezeka kma pano ndalama kugwa doraxowera2 umphawiri dziko lonse aaaa awa anali adolo mn….

    4. Ndalama imagwa kma sizimadziwika coz ndalama zimapezeka kma pano ndalama kugwa doraxowera2 umphawiri dziko lonse aaaa awa anali adolo mn….

  47. [READ MY STORY. ON HOW I GOT MY HIV CURED].
    Truthfully, i was tested HIV + positive for the past 8 years. I keep on managing the drugs i usually purchase from the health care agency to keep me healthy and strengthen, i tried all i can to make this disease leave me alone, but unfortunately, it keep on eating up my life. So last Two Months i came in contact with a lively article on the internet on how this Powerful Herb Healer get her well and healed. So as a patient i knew this will took my life one day, and i need to live with other friends and relatives too. So i copied out the Dr Collins the herbal healer’s contact and I contacted him immediately, in a little while he mail me back that i was welcome to his Herbal Home whereby all what i seek for are granted. I was please at that time. And i continue with him, he took some few details from me and told me that he shall get back to me as soon as he is through with my work. I was very happy as heard that from him, as i was just coming from my friends house, Dr Collins called me to go for checkup in the hospital and see his marvelous work that it is now HIV negative, i was very glad to hear that from him, so quickly rush down to the nearest hospital to found out, only to hear from my hospital doctor called Browning Lewis that i am now HIV NEGATIVE. I jump up at him with the a test note, he ask me how does it happen and i reside to him all i went through with Dr Collins. I am now glad, so i am a gentle type of person that need to share this testimonies to everyone who seek for healing, because once you get calm and quiet, so the disease get to finish your life off. So i will advice you contact him today for your healing at the above details: Email ID: [email protected] or you can also add him up on whataspp +2349036950737. CONTACT HIM NOW TO SAVE YOUR LIFE AND DOCTOR ALSO CURE ALL KIND OF DISEASE AND SICKNESS: [email protected] AS HE IS SO POWERFUL AND HELPFUL TO ALL THAT HAVE THIS SICKNESS.

  48. Unangotibweletsera mavuto dziko lija kutibweletsera anthu opanda pake Ndi awa tikuvutina nawo mpaka lero ,one bola koma nkhawa yanga ili pa ana akubwera kutsogolo Ku.

  59. Kodi anthuni simunaziwebe kuti dziko lamalawi ndilosakitsisa muafrica muno?mapresidentwa akulilephela ndipo silizathekabe mpaka yesu kubwela muzingodana ndimapresident mpaka kale

  60. Kodi anthuni simunaziwebe kuti dziko lamalawi ndilosakitsisa muafrica muno?mapresidentwa akulilephela ndipo silizathekabe mpaka yesu kubwela muzingodana ndimapresident mpaka kale

    2. Kusauka kwa dziko la Malawi si tchimo ayi. Pazolengedwa zonse Mulungu anasankha munthu kumpatsa nzelu ndikuganiza kwapadela mosiyana ndi chilichonse. Vuto limene ndimaliona pandale ndi kukokela kwako. Ndikachoka sindidzazionanso.

    3. Kusauka kwa dziko la Malawi si tchimo ayi. Pazolengedwa zonse Mulungu anasankha munthu kumpatsa nzelu ndikuganiza kwapadela mosiyana ndi chilichonse. Vuto limene ndimaliona pandale ndi kukokela kwako. Ndikachoka sindidzazionanso.

  61. Nthawi Ya Anthu Awiriwa Timasanja Ndipo Katundu Anali Ontchipa Komatu Ndalama Imagwa Zinthu Nkumayenda Koma Sienawa Pano Kukhala Ndi 100,000 Ngati K10 Ngakhale Mumati Anali Mbava Aliyese Zimakhala Mthumba Osati Agalu Akungozikundikila Okhawa. Mmmmmm Munawatola Kuti Amenewa?

  62. Nthawi Ya Anthu Awiriwa Timasanja Ndipo Katundu Anali Ontchipa Komatu Ndalama Imagwa Zinthu Nkumayenda Koma Sienawa Pano Kukhala Ndi 100,000 Ngati K10 Ngakhale Mumati Anali Mbava Aliyese Zimakhala Mthumba Osati Agalu Akungozikundikila Okhawa. Mmmmmm Munawatola Kuti Amenewa?

  63. yaah koma ndiye kodi madala munachokelanji muthawi yanu zinalibwino hvy ulemu wanu ndimakupatsani nanga atupele alikuti bola akanalowa iyeyo dziko likanasitha ili udf ndimaipatsa ulemu sindingayelekeze kutukwana UDF ayi zilimagazi izi

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