Malawians on Chilima’s season of parables

Earlier this month, Vice President Saulos Chilima promised to tell Malawians about his plans after leaving the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). But he is yet to do so and only broke his silence on Sunday when he used a proverb to drive home a point. Now Malawians are following suit.

On Sunday, while encouraging Malawians to go and register in order to vote in the 2019 elections, Chilima said “Kusintha mtundu wa nkhuku sikusosola nthenga koma kusintha tambala.”

The remarks were interpreted in various ways by Malawians, mostly depending on their political party affiliations.

DPP sympathisers said Chilima was telling Malawians not to vote for opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) while the opposition party’s supporters claimed Chilima was encouraging Malawians to boot out the DPP and vote for MCP.

Both sets of supporters and other Malawians however agree on the ambiguity of Chilima’s remarks and are now trolling the vice president on social media by posting proverbs which they imagine Chilima would use in response to some questions.

Wrote one Malawian on Facebook:

“Mtolankhani; Mr Vice President, mwapangapo chani ndi movement yanu kuchokera pomwe munalengeza zoti siinunso a DPP?
SKC; Ali dere nkulinga utayenda naye, Mchiuno mwa mwana simufa nkhuku, Mbalame sasosolera pachisa.
Mtolankhani; A Malawi ayembekezere zotani kuchoka kwanu chipani cha DPP?
SKC; Zungulira uku tikumane apo, mbalame zoulukira limodzi zimaziwana mthenga.Zikomo
Mtolamkhani; Kodi muimila u president pa 2019?
SKC : Posintha mtundu wankhuku sasosola nthenga koma kusintha tambala.
Mtolankhani: Ndichifukwa chiyani munatuluka DPP?
SKC: Njoka saweta,”

While SamJimmy Kwangwani wrote what he imagined would be Chilima’s  response to Nigeria’s loss at the World Cup.

“Tsoka likalimba ngakhale nkhunda yososola sosola imatha kuwuluka.”

In a similar post, MCP legislator Ezekiel Ching’oma mimicked Chilima’s  use of proverbs in his response to claims he had dumped the opposition party.

“Journalist: Kodi aChing’oma, tikuva kuti mwalowa movement, ndizoona?

Ching’oma: Madzi yavula, yopaza mnjira, somangira nyumba.

Journalist: Tsiku lonse lalero taona list ikuzungulira, dzina lanu talionatu Ife.

Ching’oma: Zawana sofula.

Journalist: Ngakhaletu mukuyankha choncho, munthuyutu wavuta inu.

Ching’oma: Chati mbeeeeee sichinapsye.

Journalist: Mau anu omaliza ndioti chaani?

Ching’oma: Kadapota nyanga, kankadya ndi mbvumbi. Mwana wanfuko akadwala pamadziwa mpansi. Zikomo!!!!!!”