Bash Peter Mutharika and become a political analyst. The case story of Blessings Chinsinga

Led the onslaught on Peter Mutharika's absence

I love the crop of “Political Scientists” that we have in this country. In mind I have names of people like Blessings Chinsinga, Mustafa Hussein and many others that you know. When they speak they make headlines, they are opinion spinners without doubt. I remember while at MBC we used to interview Noel Mbowela a lecture at Mzuzu University (not sure if he is still at Mzuni though) because we knew he would give us the material that we wanted. By this time in our minds Chinsinga and Hussein were “hands off” because they were perceived “anti government.”

Mbowela was one funny guy once you called him to comment on a particular issue. He is one guy who had a version for MBC, a version for Capital Radio and another version for ZBS on the very same issue. On MBC he would sound pro-government (that’s why they loved to feature him) and on the other radio stations he would be bashing the same government that he applauded on MBC. 

Now this is where I am questioning the objectivity of these people we christened “political commentators, scientists, analysts.” I really don’t understand as to what makes one a political scientist? Is it for bashing the government of the day or any other political development? Does it mean that political scientists cannot make positive comments on a particular issue?  

Imagine one Blessings Chinsinga making these comments as he questioned the absence of the DPP leader Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika as reported by The Nation Newspaper “Maybe because he is not charismatic as he says nothing inspirational. He is riding on the DPP’s success stories on food security. But as a leader, his presence cannot be underestimated.”  

Am I listening to somebody who is chocking with a staccato of contradictions here? Peter Mutharika is DPP, he is the leader of DPP, so you cannot talk about the success story of the DPP minus its leader, besides Peter Mutharika was part of that success story. Remember he served as a presidential advisor to Bingu and he held some portfolios where he was one of the senior ministers.

Now if he is riding on the success story of DPP that’s so inspiring Dr Chinsinga, because he is taking that success story with him everywhere he goes, instilling hope to the people, so I wonder what you meant by saying Peter Mutharika says nothing inspirational. 

Dr Chinsinga, the DPP story is so inspiring, we are talking food security here, unless the word “inspiration” has changed meaning in political science, but my opinion that I proudly hold is that at the moment there isn’t another inspiring story in the area of food security than the DPP story in the history of multiparty democracy in the country. This is what Peter Mutharika stands for Dr Chinsinga. 

Not only food security by the way, we are talking Infrastructure development and many other achievements too many to list here.

Everything that Peter Mutharika speaks is what DPP believes in. He talks about food security which scored Bingu so many marks.  It’s so outrageous for somebody who is a “political analyst” not to see the connection especially when such is shamefully displayed in public.

It’s discreditable for Blessings Chinsinga to say Peter Mutharika’s “presence cannot be underestimated” meaning that Peter Mutharika is needed to inspire his party as he has always done. I thought I heard him say this Peter Mutharika “says nothing inspirational?”

Yes I agree to some extent that Peter Mutharika as a leader of DPP was supposed to be around to ensure a smooth management of the party on the road to the May polls. I also agree that as a leader he is accountable to his supporters because he is not bigger that the party itself. They chose him to simply lead the party not to own it.

However, his trip to the USA shouldn’t be blown out of proportion just because it’s Peter Mutharika. I remember not so long time ago (could be last month) MCP President Lazarous Chakwera travelled to South Africa and it was okey for him to travel with only five months to an election but it becomes an issue when its Peter Mutharika? Am I missing something here? Am I seeing some sectors of the society acting hypocritical here?

I am not here trying to tout the 20 days absence of the DPP leader as necessary but rather trying to make us realise the need for objectivity in our approach to issues ahead of the May polls especially the media and other opinion spinners otherwise people might start questioning our credibility.

Of tumbling in primary elections and youth participation in politics

Are we better off as hand-clappers?

It started as a promising journey. For the first time we saw the buzz and excitement amongst the youths. They refused to be made spectators but most of them wanted to be part of the game. Am talking about the road to May 2014.

A lot of youths declared their interest to challenge their way to the August house. They really wanted to go to parliament and make a difference. We all rallied behind them and touted them big. Regardless of which political party they represented but I would say it was encouraging seeing most of us teaming up to get rid of these political old guards. We believed deep down our hearts that the old team had given us a raw deal. They were not representing the wishes and aspirations of the now generation. This was the year to get read of them and so that the youths take charge of the affairs of the country.

Hey, wait a minute; we are now talking a different story all together. Most of the youths that we know tumbled during primary elections.  The question is what went wrong? Some small answers are being whispered into my mind on this one. My conclusion is that we were far away from deserving even a seat at local assembly level. We are better off as facebook hand-clappers. 

Of course I know a few who are so matured and really deserved to make it but have been frustrated by the system. In some cases the old guards were using dirty tactics just to get rid of the brilliant chaps, I have examples in mind. This was because so and so is a friend to so and so within the hierarchy of the party, or even just because the party didn’t want to loose a particular “party heavyweight” so way to go was to impose their favourite candidates on the people.

Why am I saying all this? Just take time and look at how we conduct ourselves in these facebook groups and pages. I am not afraid to touch on several nerves if I conclude that these people could have been the worst crop of parliamentarians ever. It was a pity seeing an aspiring MP clapping hands almost to nothing as long as he or she is seen to be loyal to the party. Even the words and language being displayed in these groups so pathetic. To think that these were aspiring to be accorded the title “honourable” you would be shaking your head without stopping. 

We we seem to love it like this

Most of them thought they were politicians but in actual fact they were far away from being 1. They thought by being administrators of a particular group or page that automatically made them politicians therefore qualify to make it to parliament. Others thought by uploading pictures of their party leaders was a ticket to parliament. There was a group of them who thought by calling Peter Mutharika “Matchona” Joyce Banda “wa mandasi” Lazarus Chakwera “Yona othawa ntchito ya Ambuye” and Atupele Muluzi “Bebe olira ndi mkodzo wake” that made them better politicians. Just imagine how the situation would be like had it been that these people made it to parliament? Believe you me we were seating on a ticking bomb.

If what has been displayed in these groups by aspiring members of parliament is what we have been calling “political participation” then eish! The facebook generation is really corrupting our system.

This is where I salute some brilliant young men and women that I know who have always been shining examples and really deserve to represent us in parliament from May 2014. They are so smart in their approach to issues. They display substance not arrogance. They have impacted positively on the lives of many in the country and are seen adding essence to their political parties (I have names in mind and am sure you have your names as well)

However, am afraid to say that some of these young men and women that I have discussed who wanted to be called “honourable” deserve to be limited in their political participation to facebook hand clapping. Even some of those that have won made it because people in their area were tired of the seating MPs.

It’s good that they are here now. These are the kind of politicians who could have been voting yes to anything even without securitising the merits and de-merits of their vote. They have already displayed their lack of mental power to discuss issues of national importance on the social network like facebook. All they know is cursing and swearing, making noise, uploading pictures, attacking personalities, operating pseudo accounts and name calling. 

They belong to a bunch that is bundled in pickups painted blue, orange, yellow and green, sucking masacheti while dancing and singing in praise of their leaders.

Happy New Year madam president!!

So we are 5 days into the New Year. I can’t believe it that with 1 year 8 months gone Joyce Banda is still struggling to put in place a clear policy to help spur the country’s development agenda. All she has for us are Zingwe za ng’ombe, posing for facebook, the Obama handshake and most recently the speech at Nelson Mandela’s funeral.

This is where I believe that we have indeed wasted 20 months and by May 2014 it will be 2 years that were characterised by cluelessness, mediocrity, unevenness, poorness, jaggedness and all the adjectives you could have in this world as long they are all referring to the Joyce Banda’s administration.

Yes I agree with what our leader said a couple of days ago that “when I speak the world applauds” but let me add that “when she works Malawians groan”. In fact Joyce Banda loosing in 2014 is for her own good. Let her loose the elections so that the country benefits from some of her initiatives under the JB foundation where she is going to be the patron full time after 2014.

Should I discuss the many lies that she has been carrying with her across the globe as well? Oh my God! She even went to SCOAN. She likes it when you call her a God fearing leader, hahahahahahaha! What a joke. Who doesn’t know that she is the brains behind cashgate? As desperate as she is, I doubt if she is not seeing a sing’anga somewhere.

JB is so confused; Malawi is too big for her brain power. Everything she touches her hands on backfires. The PR and arms deal, the iron sheet scam, the presidential jet scam, the list is endless.

Malawians, I don’t see ourselves surviving 5 years with Joyce Banda as the country’s CEO after May 2014. However what I love about us is the fact that mantha tinapachika mumtengo. We have been patient with her masanje, after all May 2014 was near sight. Now we are all ready to get rid of this JB disaster without mercy. 

Who needs JB at state house anyway? It’s only the hand-clappers who are more concerned with their pockets and tummies than the welfare of the majority Malawians. They clap hands, cheer, whistle and guzzle simply because she is the reason they gobble.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 2014 is here, vote wisely, and vote for a leader osati izi tikuziwona apazi. It’s no to JB but yes to your candidate, mwazidziwa? Whever wins in 2014, as long as it’s not JB the winner will be Malawians.

Happy New Year madam president! 2014 is here mukapume, eish! here is a little joke for you 'akuti inuyo mumagawa ng'ombe' hahahahahaha!