Moral bankruptcy erodes Malawi

Over the past weeks and months news from Malawi reveals the pathetic loss of morality within the citizenry.

The ongoing reported genocide of people with albinism is so heartbreaking to the once warm heart of Africa.

Malawi is no longer a warm heart for people with albinism.

The recent reported looting in the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of foreign affairs by public officers is a clear testimony of moral bankruptcy.

At 52 years of independence Malawi is increasingly becoming a scary place to visit or do business should this trend continue.

The looting of public coffers shows how lack of political will our leadership is portraying. The figures being mentioned in this new set of cash-gate scandals are skyrocketing bearing in mind that Malawi is still ranked among the poorest nations by the World Bank index.

The local government in town, city and district councils have not been spared. Revenue from local markets, town and city rates has not been properly accounted as per recent reports.

Loss of morality is when you make one segment of the population feel like second generation citizens in their own country. How long shall we condemn the killings of people with albinism in Malawi?  These killings have to be stopped if we are to reposition ourselves as a people who respect human rights. Those being killed and sold are our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, relatives and friends.

The only crime for an albino person to be killed is because they are albino.  The plight of an albino person is very tragic as they cannot trust their own guardians, their own parents or spouse let alone to trust their own government.

Cases have been reported of one selling their own albino wife, niece, nephew or child. Indeed this country is losing its values.

Where is that so called God fearing nation of Malawi? The country is losing moral values ranging from citizenry to its leadership. Looting of public coffers is worth analyzing at a time when the country is facing floods, hunger and droughts yearly.

Imagine those funds looted at Ministry of health and how they could have helped this poor nation.

We entrust public officials in foreign missions, let alone they take advantage of the system and loot public funds.

The Ministry of Agriculture often gets a lion’s share of the national budget as a key Ministry not knowing that it is an outlet of the scarce resources.

The most annoying thing in Malawi’s looting of public coffers is that it happens under someone’s watch.

Indeed all the reported cases of these so called cash-gate scandals are but organized crimes by public officials. The integrity of being in Malawi’s public service is rapidly eroding.

The last sitting of National House of parliament saw the honorable members of the house refusing an amendment of the law to allow independence of the Ant-Corruption Bureau.

In the same vein the much needed Access to information Bill in its original form is not ready. The erosion of moral bankruptcy is when your government is pushing unsustainable economic development agenda without a proper legislation.

The poor oil and gas governance system is a good example. In this sector with an archaic law of 1983 Petroleum Production and Exploration Act and lack of a Petroleum Production Policy the process lacks integrity, transparency and accountability. Indeed the process that would affect the country’s strategic natural resources like the Lake Malawi that benefits the poor does not need to be pushed through the back door after 22 years of multiparty democracy.

So far Malawi as a country is leading in corruption scandals, killings of people with albinism, looting of public funds and let alone lack of transparency in this region.

Our governance structures need to look themselves in the mirror and ask why this is happening under their watch. Yes we need to take responsibility and act now to end this tragic situation that will damage our good history of Malawi.

Leaders must lead by example and ensure protection of the citizens and public coffers. There is law in this country and it must take its course otherwise Malawi becomes a moral bankrupt country.

*Godfrey Mfiti is an environmental Rights Activist. He likes commenting on social issues.