Alick Mjuma Nyasulu

Vacational QUOTA

2010-02-12T08:28:00.000-08:00

Not the pieces that you scribe after a heavy meal. Contending with the reality of life, one is tempted to think what it really means. I have no habit of confusing anyone, no matter how youthful the minds, lest I have a dose of modern day “hemlock”. Socrates had a fair share of it and its consequences no different from the fatal “mzakaka” in Du Chisiza’s Kabuha tragedy. If ever, science was rocket enough or vice versa, I wonder what would happen, as I lay in my casket, or anything that assumes a similar task would do. No cremation. I am made of aluminium.

Would science invent the theory of death, let alone infinitely promote life? Not the matter of this piece, but I mean to say, we are all Malawians, and our traditions and culture far exceed religion and atheism. That we respect the dead, fear their bodies, feast over funerals and dumped dead bodies at uncomprimising employers, who at their own peril, and sometimes under profiteering mentalities, ignore their unchallengeable non-existent obligations at least from employee contracts . Ironically, their exist some close resemblance to totalitarianism no matter how individual contempt is held for the dead.
Imagine the eulogies, praises and many good things that we say about the dead. But this is where I hold funeral directors and their accomplices in huge democratic contempt. And that is where, we need some rocket science to answer certain questions. I am not looking for a preacher.

It is in the same vein that I believe death is not democratic or to say it better, the rights of the dead are not respected at all. To what extent do constitutions protect the dead? Were the rights, for instance of SS Ng’oma at Mzokoto ever respected? What about Kamuzu Banda? It is not within Hobbes’s or Locke’s social contract of a passionate man that counts, but the Napoleon politics play part as well. It is within my right as a dead person to be given a chance to challenge the hypocrisy of the living world. I don’t want some dude calling me irreplaceable at my office or something similar or akin to some “goody boy” when infact, I had so many warnings, habitual absenteeism, office sex maniac, internet addict plus facebook during working hours, and let alone denied an opportunity for promotion on account of a “wrong district” of origin. That is why I feel the whole funeral process needs the attention of the Anti Corruption Bureau...I can see an abuse of the “funeral office process” or something similar depending on which version of the Corrupt Practices Act. I can share mine but the key is “abuse”, and giving false testimony? Probably close to our traditional version of perjury. You would rather keep the Mkhito sedition far from it. Be careful, sedition is possible even in death depending on how penal code amendments are made these days.

It is probably why, I think,we need science to preserve the rights of all the concerned in the process of death. But more important, the rights of the dead, “the key stakeholder after all.” Would there be a funeral without anyone dying after all? Who would want someone to bear testimony on their behalf? This is tantamount to involuntary breaking of many laws including those that appear under Exodus Chapter 14 in the BIBLE including the famous 20th verse. My comprehension of the Koran is minimal but nonetheless the vices are similar, except the contentious drink. If science cannot solve the obvious rights of the dead, then what should we do? Unfortunately, its only science that can do it. This is a pathological case, which calls for no jokes synonymous with many professions and trades like mine, but rather the precision of a B-52 bomber.

If it is not possible to give the dead their rights, at least I have mine while alive. I may append some of such rights in my will. I care what you will say but you will not gonna take this from me. You risk a lawsuit right from my grave. The consequences are inter-generational. While it may depend on the day I breathe the last, I still stand for some principles that guide my life. I hate tribalism as entrenched in the UNIMA Quota plus its various variants such a EQUITABLE access to HIGHER education, the notion that some people are more equal than others including many forms of systematic social injustice. And of course, I still cherish the fact that no individual is greater than the other, and that ascription is illusionary since God created all us equal. Believer or atheist, we all enjoy the same rights and should be accorded the same rights. This is what the funeral director should say and not how many degrees I have got, or moneys I have left to be plundered.

It was just a dream. Good on you mates. MERIT IS THE WAY..SAY NO TO THE EVIL QUOTA SYSTEM.

Quota fluid vacation

2010-02-09T23:55:00.001-08:00

The last leg of my hour long flight to Lilongwe seemed the longest segment. I wanted to get out of the Congolese airspace as quickly as I could. It gets worse when you see lots of military related equipment at Lubumbashi Airport. The whole feeling of meeting my family and hoards of friends was quite thrilling. Nothing mind boggling honestly, though some questions lingered my mind like cakes, cocooned and baked in some unknown oven. We landed perfectly, and soon I swung into action. How do you measure excitement? I can bet with a qualitative measure, getting behind the wheel instantly after thirty plus hours of flying. My first ugly experience were the mile plus fuel queues that could make the giant anaconda gapping in confusion. It had good face though, particularly being a meeting place for old folks. I had lost phone contacts of old pals. Fuel stations provided the right environment. Some stories even went like folks cheated on spouses using the fuel shortage as a pretext while on a good note, some marriages have been scheduled later in summer. All courtesy of the fuel shortage. I may have to do a paper on the positive externalities.
Having being branded “Mr Quota” by few online friends, like England based “Kanyoli” ,owing to my persistent disdainful postings in the cyber world about the same, I was keen to talk about my contemporarily likeable issue. But I realised there was another “Mr Quota” in area 49. No qualms about it, though my mate was to the very right extreme just like some folks I met at Safari. I am moderate I think. Of course, I was looking forward to hear different views despite my obvious dislike of the system. But nonetheless, I had to show a scholarly attitude which entails listening and probably smiling at someone whose views I hysterically disagree. Ever heard a pastor preach at a funeral of guy who impregnates his daughter and refuses responsibility? Good to listen.
Whatever, happened there were some lessons learnt about mates view the Quota system. I never missed the usual Malawian humor of crafting a joke out of it. Exhausted quotas over drinks, women, and other notable vices. I need not elaborate. While it has generally been a tool perceived to disfavour the North, I realised that it is not fully accurate as it seems. To be specific, It availed to me that a substantial component of folks condemn quota in its entirety citing various reasons. One of them, being a tool to divert attention from pressing problems that Malawi is currently facing. Need I mention? Someone, after a few beers said the country was not in a crisis though he couldn’t fuel his battered sedan.
The interesting side was to see blind arguments in support of this policy on pure spatial grounds without any recourse to a holistic positivism for Malawi. And of course, finding myself amongst mates who oppose it for similar reasons. To coin it all, I learnt that this policy, has made it difficult for those of us who rose above tribal affiliations soon after the stone age. It nonetheless, has succeeded to divide Malawians, particularly those that have always used short cuts to get things done. Nonetheless, I marvel that the fabric of our society remains progressive since 1994 and come a few years, the average person will continue to pump sense in egocentric individuals that lead often lead us. A generational change is moving in slowly but as they say ‘big men never let things get out easily”
I may probably have to de-clutter this piece, but fall short to admit the fact, it was intented to be. Otherwise quota will not solve the problems as evidenced by the recent blame game. Malawi is beautiful and bigger than any individual.
Adieu my friends. Some I met some I didn’t but they are my friends. I love you all!

The QUOTA fallacy and access to high education in Malawi

2009-10-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

President WA Mutharika has come out in the open and expressed the view that a quota system is necessary for selecting students into the University including other public training institutions. He argues that the current system favours the Northern region and it is causing discontent in the other regions. Bingu argues further that statistics show that civil service is dominated by people from the North particularly the so called super scale positions. This has caused a serious debate in various fora. I disagree with the president and I reckon his thoughts are simply matters of opinion and not fact because there are lots of factual errors. The key issue, again in my opinion is that there is a structural problem with education policy and the quota solution is no different from the “ARVs” that deal with opportunistic infections! We need a remedy not something that is nothing but dealing with a symptom.

For example, if the president was economic with the truth, he could have gone to look at the number of principal secretaries in the civil service, or chief executives in parastatals or even our senior diplomats. He could also have shown how the so called discontent is being expressed. Who is expressing the discontent? In what manner has it been shown? I feel this is illusionary and does not reflect the mind of an average Malawian. The quota has rekindled the tribal instincts and hatred associated with the Kamuzu era that Malawians gallantly fought against. Following this debate, unfortunately, it come to be a North against the rest of the country, is a sad development for Malawi in the 21 st Century. The May 2009 elections gave us a big opportunity to demystify the regional pattern of voting and it’s an opportunity that the President should help unify our country. Some scholarly articles by the World Bank Economist like Easterly and Levine show ample evidence that countries within Africa with huge ethnic fragmentation often experience low levels of economic development. Ethnic fragmentation often leads to development choices that do not reflect the general public good but unjustified expensive policy decisions that cater a favoured constituency.

Bingu has shown his leadership credentials by defying the IMF and World wisdom of fiscal restraint by embarking on massive agriculture subsidy. I don’t care who is responsible for it. I am just being mindful of JZU claiming the same but I look at the results. Favourable weather plus affordable fertilisers have made Malawi food sufficient and exporter. Bingu argued that Bakili Muluzi’s starter park was not enough. Bingu has put in place such as sound policy that has seen the country enjoy food self sufficiency plus many international accolades on the green revolution. But this story is enough and I think he can use the same logic to apply on education. Which donor would go against him and Malawi per se if we went “green revolution on education’? The quota is just a quick fix whose costs are huge given the ethnic interpretation and the basis that the president, inadvertently exposed in his expression.

What would do if was Bingu to be consistent with agricultural policy? Firstly I would realise that Malawi gave me a mandate to rule overwhelmingly and therefore pursue policies that are in the benefits of the entire nation. I would also realise that it is difficult to ascertain someons' district of origin in 2009 Malawi where intermarriages are rampant. I would take full cognisance of the fact the ministry of education pursued a policy of district of residence given the integrated nature of our society in the modern time. Similarly, I would realise that urban schools are more favoured that the rural ones. Consequently I would embark on a big “green revolution” in education. This would see government build more Universities, if not expand capacity of the existing ones. It would also expand the capacity of technical colleges and allied institutions that can accommodate our youth who cannot make it into the University. This would be complemented by an attractive remuneration regime that is conducive to retaining qualified staff with special privileges to those that work in the rural areas.

Consequently, I would swallow some pride and realise that the “quota” and its variant as in the so called equity access to high learning, is a fire fighting technique in a country whose constitution condemns discrimination of any form (section 20) and guarantees the right to education by all citizens as in section 21. The framers went on board to craft our supreme law to ensure fairness and justice and the “quota” theory stands in sharp contrast to what citizens of this country decided long time ago. It’s not too late to rethink

Malawi Economic Growth. Who benefits?

2009-07-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

When Bakili Muluzi started going around the country with match boxes, iron sheets and bars of maluwa soap to argue against high economic growth pundits condemned him. Their argument being that he had little understanding of inflation. Others argued Muluzi could have also gone to the rallies showcasing 50kg bags of fertiliser given “cheaper prices” apparently due to the fertiliser subsidy. True but cheap reasoning all together. Its all at tax payers expense. Better call it voodoo economics. However, a certain level of sense is apparent particularly if one clearly articulates the limits of economic growth.
Malawi’s economic growth has been touted as a success story by the international community. That such a hungry and least developed country is a second fastest growing economy in the world is thrilling. Not only does it make most of us think great of our country and its future but possibly with anticipation of an environment awash with opportunities.
Is it real? Probably yes but with some heavy headed doubting Thomases. Questions still abound whether our growth is pro-poor and henceforth barefeet Malawians in Thundubike (Mzimba), Mwalasi (Machinga) or Makiyoni (Salima) can collaborate this much touted high growth rates. This is where politicians like Muluzi often come in and display merchandise using chicken economics to gain political mileage. But behind such reasoning, there is a genuine and hidden story that puts in question whether economic growth as measured by change in GDP results in improved quality of life.
Amid this high level of growth, generated by maize production our vulnerabilities have been exposed. Maize has not generated any revenue as most of it is just consumed by households and not traded across the border in a manner that boosts the foreign reserves of the country. Why is our import cover perpetually under 2 months? Reports of hunger last year were rife and government had to swallow its pride and ban maize exports. Such decisions were made in a fast growing economy putting in doubt the efficacy of growth generated through a what i term a maize subsidy. Would a high growth economy ban exports? I have my founded doubts.
Turn to the obituary pages of daily papers and see the many young faces that have prematurely gone. Their ages average under 35. And then get into a car or a bus and drive on the main roads linking the cities and the likelihood of bumping into a truck fishing hazards carrying a dead body are high. Apparently, this is if you live in the cities but in the rural areas the trend is the same except that they carry the dead bodies in an ox-cart. Does this story link up well with a fast growing economy? Its a health crisis? An emergency case in Ntchenachena, Chididi and Mposa are a death sentence though the economy is growing.
Their is a health and education crisis in this country. Rich folks go to those elite facilities to access health services and education for their families. I am not being jealousy wish for the riches. Over 80 per cent of Malawi’s population lives in rural areas whose health centres are often manned by an enrolled nurse without adequate medication. Distances to such facilities plus the state of rural roads complicate the situation. I am not being sadistic but to say that health services are equally bad as education especially in the rural areas. Unfortunately, this is where the majority of our people live and resigned to a life that offers no hope and future.
Global poverty according to the World Bank is due to China’s reducing hardship through pr0-poor growth. Similar trends have happened in other parts of South East Asia such as Malaysia and South Korea. Setting the pace to development is targeting the majority of the population that is poor. This would perhaps work in Malawi.
Such a story does not end here as my critics will obviously argue that the tergetted inputs subsidy is one such approach. Not sure whether this is correct given the major anomalies. I will not dwell on this one. But to any reader of economic development, human capital is an indispensable source of growth as it offers those with a good education to better opportunities. By human capital I mean a workforce that is well educated.
Malawi’s high growth is coming with unskilled farmers who rely on a fertiliser subsdsiy and the mercy of rains using a wooden hoe since the Iron Age. What else part from farming will a typical peasant do? The education is limited, life is hopeless and we keep on reproducing as evidenced in the ballooning population growth rate of 2.6 percent. Yet despite such warnings, Malawi has four government owned Technical Collegs of Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Soche and Salima plus a few others belong to the churches. Where will all these young people go to? Most of them are getting driving licenses in the hope of becoming minibus drivers via the “touting or callboy” channel. Two public universities with an annual intake of under 2000 for over 15,000 eligible young people. What is the role of education planning?

Somehow, I have a belief that our growth is not pro-poor and the majority of the folks are missing out. There is no need for evidence but I can cite the rise in social ills as a major indicator of the limited benefits of our high economic growth. Go around orphanages and see the number of children with both parents still living dumped there. Recent waves of violent crime in the country are a vivid smoke of unequitable growth. Incidences of rising prostitution and other violent sex offences tell it all. Congestion in prisons due to increasing criminal convicts bares testimony about lack of opportunities that economic growth is supposed to bring. When times increasingly get tough people resort to unorthodox coping mechanisms.
Not sounding very circumstantial in the case I build, there are enough pieces of meat to question the limits that economic growth can achieve. Providing high quality education and health services to the poorest plus a general enabling environment principles of equity thrive makes economic growth meaningful. At the rate we are going, a majority is being left behind. Yes they need fertiliser but they need to have a good education and health including equitable access to public services. Economic growth to me does not guarantee success if the majority of a vulnerable population are left behind. Otherwise we will still various versions of Bakili Muluzi going around with a few merchandise preaching voodoo economics.

Bingus Cabinet

2009-07-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

How big should a cabinet be? A question not properly answered given that cabinets are often presidential prerogatives. Similarly, there is no rule about the number of advisors the presidency should have. Bingu Wa Muntharika after his massive win hired a “lean” 43 sized cabinet that confounded critics in a matter of ways. The size has been considered huge and the faces astounded many given Bingu’s new name “unpredictable”.
I ponder on the question of what a cabinet does. In principle a cabinet formulates policy that line ministries implement under the leadership of the elected president. Before we become overlay critical of the current cabinet it is good to consider the achievements of the previous one.
The Malawi economy has grown tremendously since 2005. Without pointing at the sources of growth, I would speculate that there was a cabinet that “crafted policies” pro-growth. I can draw critics on this one because there are lots of exogenous factors. Malawi committed itself to budgetary reforms evidenced by reduced fiscal deficits, good rains, debt relief and general confidence of the international community. To add it all Malawi had a president who was very much in tune with global politics and a finance minister who was hands on and knew exactly what to do.
Enter phase two of Bingu’s presidency. A massive change in the cabinet composition. Out goes Mussa. Phoya, Katsonga and Lipenga. Folks that stood the storm orchestrated by Bakili Muluzi and JZU with blazing horns of Nga Mtafu, Clement Stambuli and many others. Then another influx of MPs with enviable credentials. Goodall Gondwe shifts to Local government, Chaponda education, Kaliati to Gender etc. Other notable surprises include Ken Kandodo into finance, Mwanza into housing and on a lesser note Billy Kaunda pulls his own surprise.
With all these changes, one has a genuine reason to question the size of a cabinet. While it is a presidential prerogative, cabinet is run on tax payers’ money. Perhaps Bingu is being pragmatic and hiring a team that can help him realise a dream of an export led growth Malawi. We will judge him by 2014. I have always wondered whether cabinet ministers really perform. In the post 1994, Malawi, I reckon that a cabinet minister can only perform if there is a lot of political will and support from the president. Remember the 10 point Chikaonda? What about freeze sometime in Muluzi’s regime amid serious governance issues? The late night threatening calls to Chikaonda wisdom thinking about not hosting a SADC summit? I think the same applies to Goodall Gondwe. He has performed simply because Bingu gave him the support. The same Goodall Gondwe was Chief Economic advisor to Bakili Muluzi.
To coin it all we perhaps do not lots of ministers because the President basically does most of the things. Most ministers are all over familiarising themselves on those costly tours. Nonetheless, I believe Bingu will render support to the folks hired into his cabinet otherwise there might be just baggage on the tax payer. Unfortunately, the reality of a political system is that there is need to balance up genuine needs of the country and political interests given a turbulent parliament Bingu experienced. We just need to keep our eyes open to not sleep on the train and ensure that elected public officials are accountable.
When are the local government elections?

May 2009, More of the Same

2009-02-06T22:36:00.000-08:00

All presidential aspirants are now known with one them of spending sleepless nights. The madness of section 83(3) will be known in a matter of days. While to some, this section is vague, I for one beg to differ. With limited comprehension of the queens language, my judgement is simple. Let the experts make the judgement anayway. I am an avid disciple of David Ricardo after all. Anyway this is not the subject but I thought it would a nice prelude to the campaign as events unfold. Nothing is going to change in MAY, 2009. The rich will continue milking the poor....you can read Carl Marx’s Des Capitol if you like.

For the first time in Malawi politics, presidential candidates have found it so difficult to choose their running mates as they try to come up with winning formulae. In 1999, Gwanda felt this need and opted for Chihana to get a Northern vote. He was main contender to the throne but failed. In 2004, it was not a big issue but come now, a major issue indeed. JZU had to choose a running mate at the 11th hour after his preferred candidate, so it is said, was not supported by the Nkhoma Synod. I am not sure of the veracity of the claims as reported by The Nation though. BJ kept telling different stories. Bingu reminded the media that the constitution empowers a candidate to choose their running mate. Very true, but one could also sense how tough it became for him. Bakili, at BCA and his team, were not immune to the syndrome and had been cracking their brains so much despite the unfriendly cumulonimbus cloud that s83(3) has become. Nyondo and Loveness Gondwe had no problems but the jokes that the other independent candidates gave the process some Malawian humor, often apparent in such events. From not having mobile phone airtime to lack ok MK500,000, Chawawa , Mayuni and Kumwenda gave the race the attention it deserves anyway.

But why has the running mate issue been so hot? I for one do not believe that the political landscape in this country has changed. It still remains a polarised society beset by regionalism and tribalism. I still believe that we need a big revolution and change of the mindset to move this country forward. Unfortunately, come May 19, we will be trying to choose a better devil. The solutions that running mates have come up with are symbolic of complex tribal games as they try to outplay each other. Even chess greats like Casparav would marvel at how the guys are playing the game. Some pundits think, that JZU/BJ is UDF plan B. If this is true, my interpretation is that UDF is trying to get into the Lomwe belt and punish Bingu. Bingu comes up with a counter strategy in my opinion. Knowing that the Eastern Yao belt is predominantly UDF and DPP has made it difficult to penetrate, he picks Joyce Banda to capture the Yao vote probably in what I would call moderate Zomba. On the other hand, the religion game is fun too. Bakili makes sure he partners a Christian, not be seen favouring moslems . However, I see that Bakili is being naive as this is playing to the advantage of JZU while JZU is also playing the loosing political blindness associated with most people quenching for public office. It is so complicated game to simple solutions. Me thinks is not an election in the word of democracy but a fight that pits three main tribes of this country in a dirty political game. Malawi is the ultimate looser unfortunately.

The dilemma that the presidential candidates have faced in choosing their running mates plus the strategies beneath them, are no solution to women who die while giving birth. They don’t bring children from poor households to go to a secondary school or be able to pay fees as a parallel student at the University. I does not build tech schools where our youth can learn a trade and contribute to economic development. Clever and crafty as the presidential candidates have been in proving wrong the tabloids, it does not solve the perennial problem of electricity black outs that keep away the much needed foreign direct investment to create jobs for thousands of jobless youth. Whichever mate they come up and the reasons for doing so, it does not answer the perennial problem of poverty diseases like cholera, malnutrition and does not make more doctors and nurses to people who cannot afford Mwaiwathu and the politicians popular clinic, Garden City. It surely does not stop a middle class Malawian to hire a guard just to protect their battered second hand Toyota Collora while asleep in the night. Yes, I mean, the running mate game does not solve the water crisis and does not stop us from sharing water with goats, cows, dogs and chickens.

Come May 2009, its more of the same. We can keep hoping until the entire crop goes and maybe a new cadre of leaders with the heart of the country comes up. I could have liked any of the presidential candidate come up and say, from May 19, 2009..no power cuts or something like that. Something upon which they can be factually judged. But alas!! its nothing of this sort. The folks are just playing some crazy games of nepotism to get political power while we work our asses out to the benefit of their pockets.

Come May 2009, expect more of the same. Whether one devil is better than the other, the fact is, the devil rebelled from God. The one who said you should not commit adultery also commanded not to steal.

Should we retain Bingu or elect another guy?

2009-02-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

The election fever is fast sweeping the country. This promises to be a tough election but nonetheless, the real winner will be democracy as we face this strenous test.

I have not made up my mind on who i will cast my vote for. But I ask one question!!Should Malawians retain Bingu or opt for a new leader? What are the stark diffrences that have prevailed in the three different regimes? Are there any ideoloigical diffrences in how the leaders tackle the issues that affect us most or we are still blinded in the agrarian brain of tribes?

For me, I think for me, I would opt for a leader that takes Malawi to greater heights and nurtures the hardworking spirit that is often stifled by politicians who often are afraid to see an average Malawina rise for fear of being challenged. I dont want to see a leader in office whose version of development is having food on the table, a good house and clothes....this is all crap because this is just the bottom of a niche....these to me are just basic needs all i should say reuirements for a body or a living thing to function!!!

Come May 19, I would cast a vote for a folk that empowers the middle class, who often drive an economy..someone who will put in policies that encourage us to invest and participate in economic activities,,,,not a giving us a loan to buy a Dubai mini.bus, but real stuff..joint ventires with global businesses, someone who can put in measures to expand access to tertially education and let young people leran diffrent trades and skills....not someone who thinks life means growing maize or tobacco...no country has ever developed by growing crops....its crap i say!!!!or i repeat. That we need to have well to do Malawians not because one store from the other but equitable distribution to economic opportunity enhanced through all avenues that allow people to be empowered..education is key though.....someone who can put in deliberate initiatives to make Malawi a vibrant business destination...modern financial system....not those crazy ques you see at ATMs, diverse telecommunication and transport infrastructre.....business friendly laws, a parliment well committed to legislative functions instead of kindergattern cheap brothel like politiking!!!

Back to my question!!!Should we retain Bingu? Or perhaps opt for others? Who is best placed to deal with these tough issues that remain critical to improving the welfare of our people, our country...The Land of Mudfish as some crazy mate wants ne to belive. We dont have such fish in Mzimba Hora but somewhere in Lake Kazuni and Kaulimi on Nyika Plateau....

I dont have have answers but help me decide who to vote for. Ur help will be apprecaited so much but no rewards!!Remember the Corrupt Practices Act pounces on weak fish like me.

The May 2009 Election!!!Key Issues for the patriot

2009-01-25T16:58:00.001-08:00

Its gonna be the fourth multiparty election since we first elected Bakili Muluzi in 1994. The outcome from this election has a strong bearing on the direction of Malawi and its future. We go into this election still faced with many challenges despite colourful promises that politicians dangle into minds.
Our state of poverty needs no reminding but often politicians ignore the approaches that we need to take to address. Come May 2009, most Malawians do not have access to safe, portable water. Access to basic health services with most rural health centres without basic drugs for the most common infections. A proportionate number of women still deliver babies in dangerous circumstances without the help of a medical practitioner. Drugs and medical supplies, despite a lot of funds allocated in the national budget are not accessible to the people that need them. The funds allocated to training of nurses has not been adequate amid a massive brain drain.
Education, so say they say is key to success. A productive and well trained workforce is fundamental to achieving development, progress and economic development. Our recent wave of growth, in earnest, has come from “subsistence farming” that does not create value often done by peasant farmers. Skills continue to lack for sectors that are associated with a country making progress like technology based industries. The base of education is skewed against the rural children that have one or two teachers catering for eight classes yet their counterparts in the city have so many teachers. The Universities, despite cries of funding, have, since 1994 or perhaps even since the establishment lacked the creativity and move with the times to contribute to national development. What are the philosophies and approaches various political competitors in the forthcoming elections have on education. I have not heard much so far. Lots of our young, are not making it to the University and there is a corresponding lack of investment in apprentices. How do you expect the CCAP and Catholic churches to provide this service. The question is why has governments since 1994 not invested much in technical colleges so that our young people can acquire trade skills and contribute alot to national development.
Well, in my opinion, I think government since 1994 have not been doing enough to provide an enabling environment for national progress and development. An enabling environment is investing in education, health, infrastructure and crafting laws that are friendly to business instead of wasting time on cheap politicking of the Section 65 mania. Perhaps, I would without hesitation say the current regime has made some strides on infrastructure development particularly roads amid a very hostile political environment. The Mozambique power interconnection Bill however, is an example of how politicians can go far to flex their muscles and power their egos at the expense of national development and progress!!! Its been an example of a major setback in infrastructure development.
And finally, I still see an opposition whose core objective is to remove a ruling party from government...that done, its mission accomplished!!!That diverging political organisations exist, should not entail plundering national resources and repositioning our country towards poverty reduction and improving the standards of living for our people who again will be used as pawns in the political mafia game in May 2009.

Memoirs of 2008!!!MALAWI

2008-12-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Folks I must admit that I have been inactive in the blog world since July 2008. My job is just too involving and has had barely time to blog except for routine face book chats. Besides, making a transition from being a student to a fully fledged professional is not a simple thing either. Nonetheless I thank God for wonderful achievements and a rich professional life that I have enjoyed in 2008. If there is any cynic, bring them on, and will testify gracefully about the wonder and power of our Lord Jesus. Happy New year to you all. God first.
Despite the many great things that have happened in my life in 2008, it is important to reflect on the great challenges that our country, MALAWI still faces. Malawi and its underpriviledged people means much to me than my individuality. In 2008, lots of our women have lost lives giving birth...lots of babies have been dumped in latrines, young girls have been defiled...many lives have been lost from illnesses otherwise treatable but medication has not been available in the very remote parts of our country. Our young people continue to be used as instruments of violence amongst selfish politicians who will do anything to get elected. We still have children that have to walk long distances to school simply because certain fraudster contractors never built schools despite getting paid from the public purse. So slow moves the wheels of justice to the benefit of corrupt moguls...I would even call them our version of oligarchs!!!Most of our rural people are still going hungry and a teacher has a responsibility of 200 children. Our nurses frustratingly work over night to save lives in conditions that have no respect for their own health...Remember the slogan Health for all by 2000!!! A wonderful chorus...a vision 2020 that seems more of a titanic portrait!!!
Yet the acclaimed economic growth seems not to be trickling down. Food prices have hit us to the extent that even the so called middle class...who often take a huge burden to acre for our extended families barely seem middle class enough. Poverty continues to worsen and livelihoods keep fast sliding into the valley of death...Come 2009, we will never learn lessons as country men. Our reason will be put to test but as usual the political masters will come and sing lies and convince the unsuspecting poor voter with heaps of slogans that promise heaven just like former US President Hoover with his “chicken in every pot and car in every garage” slogan.It never worked and the Great Depression happened. We gnash our teeth later. They will use and dump us as usual...they will divide us..they will let us fight each other while they dine and wine together..smoke designer cigars as we bury our own mothers dying giving birth,...as we weep they celebrate, as our blossoming hopes get plucked away by their vicious bees to make them more honey...we walk down tailed like a thieving dog towards a valley of premature death!!!
Let 2009 be a year of reckoning and seeking of divine intervention in a way that enlightens forces that determine our livelihoods, put aside their egos and spare us more suffering. Putting the faith in our Lord Jesus should reign over any lip, mind and soul in our MALAWI of 2009….that we jealously fought for. We need a better deal for our children, women and generations to come!!!Why are we still the least developed country in the world after years of many crazy political slogans and biblical quotes in the NATIONAL BUDGETS?

A Tribute to a Mother

2008-07-14T04:36:00.000-07:00

Its been a month that I published an article. Pressures of being an "adult" student and work have been so taxing on me. I feel relieved now and look forward to other things. The Lord has been wonderful to me. The end of my study coincides with the 17th anniversally of my late mother who was called into the glory of the Lord on 17th July 1991. I was away to a boarding schooling and never saw the last moments of her life and what she could have said to me.

Its a painful experience to loose a parent, a mother for that matter. It is even worse when it happens when you only clock 15, young, immature and in dire need of parental care. The last day that I saw my ill mother was on 14 May 1991, in the company of my friend Martin..It was Kamuzu day..I have one photo with Martin..we were the small boys of our class then...interms of looks. It was the day that I cried for my mother while she was still alive. I thought she was loosing her battle with life. She consoled me as a brave woman with authority over her son. It was an emotional moment but she assured me she will be fine. My own father, who was taking care of her put on the face of a brave man and both them told me not to worry and concetrate on my studies. Both were teachers..and teachers want the best of their children.

It was taxing moment for me. Very emotional one. I went into prayer for my mother on a number of occassions with prayer mates, Haxwell and other friends in our SCOM group. It was such a beautiful Wednsday, July, 17, 1991..that i was so much into my books and had been preparing for my form 1 History exam. Evenets began to unfold. After class..I was asked to see the headmaster and they put me in Government White Landrover to see my late uncle Chipundwe in Rumphi town...we never found him...end of story i thought until in the middle of the night when the unexpectec happened. All my roommates were awakened except me..my bags packed while I was asleep. It looked like I was a mad person on pills and my tenders not sure how to handle me. When I woke up..the face of my uncle and my mums boss in the middle of night was evidence that my dear Jerine was no more...I have a few recollection...I know what has happened...Life was not be the same. Getting into that MG 347K lorry in the middle of the night, next to the coffin of my mother, in the cold of the night, as we meandered through the dusty roads of Kazuni, Mpherembe, Kafukule up to Hannock Ngwira Village has never escaped my memory. Jerine was no more. It was real. No jokes. The sight of my siblings, much younger that me at 15, added more pain. The thought of an elder brother who had to kept out of the know to finish a Junior exam..put much burden on me. I couldnot handle the situation. So we laid her to rest in the afternnoon of July 18, 1991 at our Hannock Ngwira home. Death is painful.

As I recall the events surrounding my mothers passing away, today I celebrate what a great person she had been. From a humble upbringing, being raised by brothers, after my maternal grandparents early death, my mother had been a symbol of resielence. The spirit that i borrowed and I live with it. It is now to celebrate her beautiful life and the never gave up spirit that I feel i got from her in the fifteen years that she had for me. The only thing, that sometimes exerts pain, is that she has not been able to see the fruits of her labour. Dear mother, I will live your dream...and become a son a mother can be proud of.

If you have a mother,celebrate with her. I miss such a thing. I wish she was still here to celebrate my successes. What the Lord gives, he takes away as well. Lets cherish every second of life with family, friends and loved one.

Rest in Peace Jerine Lonely Kundabene!

The Harare Basket

2008-06-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

African politicians are so adept in ignoring human rights abuses perpetrated against their own citizens. Having skillfully mastered terms like sovereignity and neocolonialism, often they shoot their eyes with a bun...and ignore the plight of the suffering masses. Zimbabwe is such a situation..African leaders have not been keen to publicly rebuke a regime that will not stop at nothing to stay in power.

Some few excerpts from Robert..." anyone advocating for a devaluation of the Zim dollar is a saboteur and an enemy of state"...a simple economic fundamental that Simba Makoni, Minister of Finance was trying to do in a bid to fix th woes that had bieseged ZIM...."Zimbawe was won through a war..we wont let this country go by a stroke of a pen".... this he says to drive home a point that no matter what happens during the elections, he wont allow MDC rule Zim. He goes on to issue threats of war against his own people. Offence..voting for a different party..a basic democratic right. Now I agree with Morgan "winning elections in Zim is one thing just like getting power is another"

These threats and the actual butchering and battering of innocent Zimbabwenas are not noticed by African leaders. There is no information available to them. After all we live in a world that ties good governance to evidence based policy making. So they say, Zimbabweans must take control of the situation themselves. Yes they have to..the mechanism is a ballot..it does exist. But wait a minute. I deplore such blindness. One Robert is threatening war if he looses and I quote "We are prepared to go to war if we loose the way it happened this other bllody night". Zimbabwe does not operate in a vacuum....its a country reduced to a basket but still a major economy in the region...I dont know whether our leaders have considered this. Businesss in our various countries with links to Zimbabwe are facing in tough. Malawi is not spared.

Why is it taking so long for Africa to act as Zimbabwe ceass to be a basket case but fast turning into a banana republic? Where is the moral voice of Madiba? Now if the guys goes in the bush..what does it mean for the region? Maybe until they shoot someone in our countries. I dont know.

Its funny how memories of our leaders get short. I guess Mugabe can learn some experiences from other leaders like Charles Taylor. He will be haunted one day like late Slobodan Milosevic....dictatorship is not fashionable..not even in my village...Mr Hannock Ngwira, my village headman, exercises some civility in how he runs the village. I am honored to sit in the governing council responsible for teenag affairs. Village teenagers are more notorious than their twon folks..atleast in my native Kabondwe...they carry axes on their shoulders...its part of a ngoni fashion.

Africa lets wake up and save Zim. Its time he left the scene. If you read this, no matter your briefs, say a brief prayer for our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe that face a ruthless government that is killing its own. Why get a whole Biti in leg irons?

Unsung heroines: Malawian grandmothers and rural women

2008-04-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

We are a very ungrateful society at all levels. In our homes, communities, social gatherings, workplace and even at the political playing field. Notwithstanding 52% of Malawian population, our service to the suffering of grandmothers and the rural women is awful to say the least.

The rural woman deserves a very big pat on which ever part you can think of. She has come of age and maintained our existence as a nation that continues to struggle with corrupt male chauvinism. Not forgetting the ageing grand mother who is now burdened with costly decisions of their children in the light of AIDS. A 2005 poverty study shows that some households in rural Malawi are as big as 27 and its the women that are taking care of such households. No one seems to care and most often we think this normal

Despite all these burdens the rural woman moves on. I imagine the ever increasing number of orphans that rock our country. As we go enmasse to the graves, the rural woman seems to bear the most burden. She still has to walk long distances to fetch water. She has to give birth in dangerous circumstances often without the help of a trained medical practitioner. She has to walk long distances to access a poorly stuffed clinic to vaccinate her baby. No one seems to care. She has to farm while the males are drinking kachasu and expecting to be fed as if its their right to do so. She has to endure abusive husbands who for some reason have been programmed to think beating a powerless woman is cultural. The women suffer in silence and they dont faulter. They still lead us.

Come election time. They are ferried in lorries all over the country to sing for ungrateful corrupt politicians with their big bellies. Politicians who pride themselves in riches aquired through unorthodox means. The rural woman is then told to vote..they are the ones that put politicians in power.

Rural women are the biggest voting block in Malawi. They make people Presidents and MPs....and they are the ones least served by them. Whither Malawi! I cry for the rural woman and the grandmother! What a nation! Very ungrateful.

Encounter with Bingu and his Cotton Economics

2008-04-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

I must admit. I have meant Bingu once as Minister of Economic Planning in a Mangochi resort as a team of taskforce economists on the Malawi Growth Strategy in 2003. Something that i remember is his belief in cotton as a wonder crop to fix some of the problems Malawi is facing. Mining also featured highly and if i recollect myself, he said "I dont want a strategy that says we should be exprting sand" but some thing of value.

In today's discussion I look at cotton and revisit some of the beliefs Bingu had. For me it was an opportunity I cherish to talk directly with a person who i thOught was likely to be president in few months.I WAS CORRECT..it was so informal..no cops and all those folks that put on those dreaded helmets brandishing various military hardware that i have seen on TV. This is not the point. Some humour? Maybe. After all we are on cotton while on top of the Kabondwe Table mountain in my home village. No vipers and mambas..winter is fast approaching..so cool unscary chat.

Cotton prices slumped in the mid 1990's and our production has never peaked or atleast reached the highest record we had in 1986. Yet it offers the best opportunity for our farmers who for some reason have been cornered to believe that no maize no life. The rise of the textile industry in Asia has given hope. The African growth opportunity Act (AGOA) is offering more incentives for us to exploit the market in the US.

Yet, somehow I belive that authorities have somehow faultered. I am not competent to talk about the privatisation of Mapeto...i still belive it was the right thing to do except for the controversy. However, I have read in recent media reports that Mapeto is finding it hard to get the amount of cotton that it requires. I think there is something fundamentally wrong but very easy to address. Action from the Malawi government has not been strong enough to revive fortunes from this cash crop.

My synthesis is that there are lot of opportunities in this crop. The action that I have seen from governement is price regulation. There have been contracted battles about prices yet easy solutions are available and yet we are still in our slumbers. We have been slow in adopting biotechnology...call it genetically modified varieties. If you have problems with GMOs on cotton, perhaps this is the time to rethink. GMO cotton varieties have been proved to be high yielding, resistant to diseases and weeds....and no known environmental and health effects....its not food after all......and therefore requires no chemicals. Our current cotton varieties require heavy use of chemicals that often pollute the environement. Remember RIPCORD? Very deadly chemical used in cotton! Professor Kym Anderson, an eminent trade Economist, has shown that countries in Africa are likely to gain if they adopt GMO cotton varieties currently in use in China and the US.

Given the pace at which trade negotiations are going under the Doha Development Agenda, it will take many years for the US and the EU to remove subsidies to cotton. This means that our farmers will find it hard to compete fairly. Adoption of Cotton GMOs would lessen the costs farmers incur particulary on chemicals. GMO varieties on cotton are the sole domain of biotechnology firm, Mossanto, which is opertaing in Malawi. Why are we still in the slumber? It is time to move as quickly as possible and give those farmers in Nsanje, Chikwawa, Balaka, Salima, Rumphi and Karonga a new lease of life while giving the cotton user industry a locally sourced material and save some forex for drugs?

Lets get out the mountain. Its cold but pick any bush fruit as you descend save for a cobra bite.

Bingu and Bakili on Economic Philosophy

2008-04-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

I try to see the resemblance in the minds of Bingu and Bakili on economic philosophy and draw contrasts.

Bingu and Bakili in the first instance are subjected to common external economic forces like need for structural and stabilisation thinking of World Bank and its cousin, the IMF. How they have reacted to these forces and reformed our economic system reflects their differing philosophies.

Bakili has hard a tough ride with the IMF and World Bank. On paper, though he did what any politician could do for diplomacy sake. However, Bakili is a left wing politician and it is very difficult to implement IMF ideals. You know Chavez? He too is a left wing politician. I would classify Bingu as a centre right politician and so are his economic credentials.

The fundamentals are that Bakili yielded to what was privatisation, a belief that the world bank will defend to the last line. Some success stories have been cited like Dairy board as well as questionable privatisation of Railways. Bakili is a left wing politician who through the poverty reduction strategy, championed welfare of the underpriviledged by direct provision of services to them. Give them money, give them free fertiliser. In other words Bakili's economic philosophy is not really pro-growth economic growth. I reckon his thinking is that growth does not reduce or put it simple, rarely improves the welfare of the marginalised. His current speeches do point to this philosophy in how an economic system should operate. Populits left wing ideas....displaying commodities and massive public shopiing at Metro! Some have argued that Bakili being a business person his ideas are pro-business, I disagree. He is a workers' and marginalised mass grouping folk.

Bingu, is in sharp contrast and i call him an economic liberal. If you follow Asutralian politics, I would call Bingu, John Howard and Goodall Gondwe Peter Costello. The striking difference between the two is that Bingu is more pro-business than Bakili . His belief in the Zambezi Shire water way and committent to cutting budget deficits are ideals of a liberal economic philosopher. Bakili and Bingu differ on how they engage the poorest person in the economic process. By clinging to a starter pack, Bakili is an economic conservative. On the other hand, Bingu and his subsdies stand in the grouping of liberal economists that belive in engaging households in the economic sytem through some effort. Getting them to work to afford a subsidised bag of fertliser. Thats the story.

Well it is difficult to discern which philosophy has an urge over the other. I reckon the ecology in which an economic system operats is crucial. The efficiency of the judicial system, property rights and non-discretionary policies in management remain crucial to successful outcomes. These, to my knowledge, have remained the same and Malawi is still stagnant.

What is the best way? Well, lets reserve it for the "thoughts of the native son" as he goes to the table mountain in a moment.

Thoughts of a native

2008-04-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

Some folks have commented on my blog and its always interesting to hear them. I get encouraged to come up with pieces that are insightful to rock the mind and offer some hope. Today I go on top of Kabondwe table mountain as I pass the Kaphikhulas in my native Mzalangwe village in rural Mzimba-Malawi. I did not know that my village is home to the only table mountain in Malawi. I learnt about such mountains in high school geography. My own uncle Japhet t he used to call it "Table Monkey". I never figured out what he meant until high school days. Its a table mountain...if you have been to Cape Town then you know what I am talking about.

Lets cut this story short. I am on top of the mountain and thinking aloud about Malawi--or -a country that I call home. On the mountain we think and brainstorm while enjoying bush fruits in matwatwa, matunduluka, mahuhu, etc. But what baffles my mind is that since we got the British out in 1964 things have not changed..perhaps they continue to worsen. I simply dont understand and I am looking for solutions on the mountain amid malauding puff adders and other dangerous snakes that feel their habitat encroached. They are charging hard like a gorgeous but angry robin displaying that marvelous virgin breast.

We hav been cheated in this country for long. The political rhetoric has corrupted our minds since 1964 and the mind of a typical us remains static. A culture of silence has been systematically cultivated. Political and social vultures have taken control right from the workplace, to the family home and even in our prayer houses. Somehow our self belief has been compromised by forces that be and cancerous ideas cultivated in our brains. That now we think about today and nothing else. So sad.

Who is going to save this country from systems that poison our self belief. The journey has never taken off since 1964. The mind of everyone continues to rot while colleagues in and around our borders match ahead and Nyasaland continues to struggle with a booming coffin making industry. Cry beloved Malawi. Are we a banana or a coffin society? We continue bickering and busy calling each other wakumwera or mpoto forgetting that in each of the regions north or south do exist. We are all in the middle of the North and South Poles. What is all this fuss about? Culture of poverty or what? Give me a break!!! We continue to derive hapinness in the suffering of others. Our leaders in whatever organisations have not been spared this malaise and we revolve in the same mediocrity of a caged chicken unaware of a butchers knife.

Malawi has to move forward or else it will soon perish! I am no sadist but at the top of the mountain i can feel the pain of native sons. Dreams of a country that are fast cementing their positions in cemetries. Thoughts of native. Really?

Individual Decisions Exploding into HIV Crisis: Malawi on cliff

2008-04-11T02:55:00.000-07:00

I dont want to bore anyone of you with my economics though that is what life means to me. Whatever people say about the economics profession I agree with them because everything is right and wrong at the same time. Economists rarely agree with one other and think their view is the best solution. Its normal. Similarly if you dont agree with what I want to say, no problem just like i have no problem with you agreeing with me. Take time though to appreciate my thoughts . I am not thinking aloud but desiring so.

But I want to state that in quest to satisfy wants, societal decisons are collective individual decisions . This can be said about the HIV crisis in Malawi that we have failed to contain since the first case in 1985. Perhaps I am not sure how the first person contracted HIV but its been known that over 90 percent of the cases have been through sexual intercourse. My reasoning therefore premises that sexual decions are key to HIV containment.

That is why I say we must look at decisions that each one of us has made since 1985 regarding sexual behaviour. I was not yet 10 though and I am not asking for anything. Firstly, some politician in those days of Nyakula, thought talking about sex is a taboo, decided that HIV/AIDS be called magawagawa without elaborating the mode of transimmission. Another one called it a disease of " matenda awa ni apa Mphasa". Some folks called it Kanyela and that sing'anga Yakobe could cure it (Some HIV Video that i watched while in Secondary school...short at Chanco).

Then someone thinker or call him an expert decided that the best way to solve the problem was a piece of latex/rubber called a condom be the solution. These actions are not sequential by the way. Then the church, government,chiefs, uncles, sibwenis, malumes, elders, ngo's agreed and disagreed. These are all individual decisions that have been made. So from a 0% HIV rate we now have 11.4% if use th official statatics. But we are not doomed nation. There is hope.

So how have these individual decisions worked? Well one can think about agents as we, in the economics profession call them, just like scientists call them subjects or clients if you belong to the professions that God loves most( I WILL NOT SAY WHICH! ITS A JOKE FROM NYASANET).The point is, after all these actions, as individual persons, either out of ignorance or crazy courage, MAKE decisions that LEND ourselves more vulnerable to this disease. I reckon, that a human being is so rational but somehow we have missed the point in our country to contain the problem.

Behavioural change is paramount but what I see ARE ineffective stratagies, beautifully crafted and in public office shelves. But what I want to advance is that th campaign for behavioural change should happen to an individual in a style of a door to door style. This to me is more effective and would help most of us to make proper wise decisiosn about our sexual lives. Its not to say that the human mind or soul of a Malawian is stubborn but to understand that in a million, it is natural that one thinks this concerns them but not me. Just like some of us think we will never die but them.

The strategies that the National Aids Commission has taken are not workable. But I dont suggest a dissolution of NAC but I believe they have too much money for HIV but do not know how to use it. They can do better than what they are currently condcuting themselves. I have always seen organisations, NGOs that have received NAC funds to fight AIDS calling for expressions of interest in our local media..they want to us part of the proceeds to buy furniture and refurbish their offices. AIDS/HIV is serious business and this nonsense must stop. I would want the fight taken to individual households through villge or community counsellors and encourage the spirit of volunteers. I would want the approach similar to the Measles and Vitamin A campaigns that are undertaken once in a while.

Just to borrow some few tricks from Obama and Clinton campaign style....the guys have been knocking on the doors of voters delivering the message that they have.Similarly, I have been meant to believe that to sucessfully campaign for an MP must under the cover of darkness go door to door and convince voters in this country. It works. A politicina friend confided in me. If this is the approach we can take then we will help our society through proper decisions making regarding sexual choices. I am not putting a blame on NAC but suggest that all organisations need to incorporate such approaches. The messege that a Church pastor carries in the church on HIV is different if he/she visits one of their folks at talks about social issues in the home of their belivers. When did your pastor visit you? We also have to accept that we have a problem and we are all part of the solution.

All I can say, is that, a messege delivered to an individual person is more effective that a Chishango Billboard along Zalewa Road or a Radio play or TV soap by Winiko and Manganya. Its the individual that makes the decision about sex and collective decisions add to what we end having as a problem. So if the individual is equiped, we are building a better Malawi. Statisticians have primary sampling units to get data about issues.........these units are the individual persons.

This is how I see it. What do you reckon?

Public Health on Alcohol and Smoking

2008-04-06T03:24:00.000-07:00

There is an interesting story that happened in 2001. The Minister of Finance (Mathews Chikaonda)in his budget speech just announced that surtax on beer was reduced and this resulted in ereduced beer prices. Amongst gazzlers, Chikaonda was the best minister. Well his decision was a sucessful lobby by Carlsberg Brewery who said that they were to fire 700 people because of a poor economic climate. The only way to protect those jobs was through reduced taxes on beer.

The issue I raise now is the role of public health in sensitising our society about the dangers of alcohol and smoking. I think those mandated to lead us in public health have always given us a raw deal. The dangers of alchol and smoking are many but somehow we have turned a blind eye.

Most public health officials believe that their job is to tell people to wash hands before they eat something, wash hands after going to the toilet, or to encourage vaccinations. This is a good thing to do but I believe much has to be done to sensitise communities especially our young people on the dangers of alcohol.

I would want public health officials talk about complications to the liver and the brain that arise due to use of alcohol. I would want them to talk about how families break down due to alchol. I would want a public campaign about deaths from accident induced by alcohol. I would want them to talk about starving children in families due to alcohol expenses by the head of the family. I would want public health consider how people have lost their jobs due to alcohol. I would want public health highlight the dangers of alchol use to the mental ability to unborn children. That they talk something that a child born to alcholic mother is mentally challenged and may have lots of health problems than children born to non-drinking mothers. I would want our public health go falt out and highlight the dangers of smoking and how it leads into lung cancer. I would them talk about implications smoking and alchol has on people with conditions such as diabates and high blood pressure. These need be part of the menu besides the seasonal cholera song.

Similary, faith groups need to highlight the social consquences of alchol use in preaching. The practice with our religious leaders has been to threaten people with hell but this need be the point. Much as they are various doctrines and religions have different views, I would want faith leaders incorporate the social costs that alchol brings to the family. The love that is usually lost as children rarely see the father, inability to take care of the family as a result of money bing spent on entertaining beer friends. The chucrh should move in thos this one. Given techonlogioes like radio and telvision, it allows them to reach out to many a people that are not necessarily members of their flock.

So, all I can say is that we have a social and health problem in alcohol and smoking that is not being addressed as a public health issue. We must act as soon as we can and fight this!

Nepotism, croynism and Malawi job market

2008-04-06T02:38:00.000-07:00

The Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) has moved so swiftly to invalidate results of interviews for Accounts Assistants to work in the Accountant General's Department. It has also dissolved the Appointments and Disciplinary Committee in the Department. This is a very bold step that governmnet has taken and I wish they could move even further to various departments that draw resources from tax payer funds.

This thing of recruiting your children, girlfriends, relatives, comrades and home boys has become so rampant in our public services. It appears to be the first qualification to get a public job followed by one's papers. I would rather let OPC take even more punitive steps and the rules of public service apply to curtail such a malpractice. The same applies applies to how people are promoted in the civil service. One can simmply attest to the high staff turnovers in the public service due to unfairness in the way staff are rewarded. All these cancers must be put to a stop if this country is going to move an inch forward. Such practices belong to the uncivilised and mediaval candevers and have no place in 21st Century Malawi.

The main cost of nepotism in its various forms, is that it rewards mediocrity and condemns ability. It smacks unfairness because eligible Malawians are denied a job opportunity or a promotion because they dont have a relative or some other rousy connection in the system. The civil service is not a family business but for all of us as Malawians and no pig headed fool must think they own it. Rewarding mediocrity by recruting or giving favours to cronies affects productivity through staff morale, unquestioned absenteesim and more important depriving the public service of more qualified and technically sharp brains.

Just like the Daiy Times notes in its comment, organisations like the Police, Army and Prisons are family organisations. You would rarely get into these insitutions if a family member has never worked in them. This is what we must stop and it is happening in almost all civil service organisations. People manadated to do the recruitment have never declared interests. This must apply just as it does in the Public Finance Management Act and Procurement Laws. It must be halted.

As a country we need to move forward and become so open to talk about these malpractices. We need to blow whistles where ever we can. The main winner if such practices are put to a stop is a prosperous Malawi for our children and grand children as they will have the incentive to work hard in class.

This practice is also very rampant in the privatr sector and civil society organisations. The costs to our country are too great to be ignored.

Who is failing the HIV Fight?

2008-04-04T03:43:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of HIV? Kachirombo? Kachibundu? Magawagawa? Well if you dont undrstand any of Malawian langauges dont worry. Its the virus called HIV and leads into full blown AIDS. It has killed lots of our people and its scale can only be linked to the 1912 flu pandemic. Simple facts, in Malawi official estimates show 14.4% of our pouplation is infected. In the whole of Sub Saharan Africa, according to UNAIDS, 25.6 million of the people are infected......we in Sub Saharan Africa account for 10% of the world population but we have the highest HIV prevalance at 65%.

Now let me present my own crude statistics manufactured in my kitchen. Prove me wrong if you can but I have no doubt that I am correct. In Malawi we are all affected by HIV. If you are not HIV positive for sure you have lost a relation, friend due an HIV related complication. Is this not correct? Well effectively, I am just trying to expose how acute the problem has become and see who is failing the fight.

Now I start my story. The first case was diagnosed in 1985. I remmber as an 9 year old boy listening on my father's Mitsushita radio at Ngerenge in Karonga that there is new disease called magawagawa...and I said what the heck this was all about. Just like many kids I used to be so inquisitive but parents just brush off.

Well, this is how io heard about disease and came to know more about it as i grew. Twenty three years gone and one has become a million plus..what a trigeomtric explosion of a killer disease. Very sad as we loose oiur lives. But who is failing us in the fight against HIV? What should we do?

These are very questions with simple answers to a yet killer disease. We know that over 90% of the cases are through sexual transmission..with other cases of blood transfusion, needles as well as mother to child transimission.....but the culprit is sexual transimission. We all know it.

There has been what i call the "condom solutio". The rationale has been that if you cannot resist a sexual encounter then trust a piece of rubber...for which you have no idea of who manufatured it..let alone the quality standards. Still the cases have risen just showing that the condom solution is another fail. It is time it was abandoned. Men of God hav had their ideas often conflicting and have not helped. Use of ARVs, well good idea but this after the virus has been contracted. Nevirapine therapy, well it works tp protect th unborn child from an infected mother.

I am just trying to see who should we blame. Not the Malawi government of course. Not churches of course. Civil organisations not. Even consipirators who think HIV was manufactured in lab to wipe balck people. Not even the Congo chimp.

In Malawi behavioural change is key to fighting HIV. If we are not changing our sexual behaviour, we is true of course, then we bare the blame as individuals. This is because the decision to engage in a sexual encounter is conceived by an individual mind and it leads into those acts that lead to HIV contraction. Why have we failed to remain faithful to our partners? Ask yourself, how many times have i cheated on my wife,husband or partner? Maybe we have not valued our lives and those that love us like children and family. The core values of family life is disintrigating by our engagement in illicit sex......with a our corrupt minds that a piece of rubber called a condom is a shield? Maybe it is time to think twice. Is it worthy to cheat and expect a recyled plastic can protect us?

All I can say is that sexual fantasy courrupts the mind and it dangerous. Its time to get serious with life by avoinding risky behaviours. We all bare the blame in our indiividual decisions.

Our water environment

2008-03-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

Today I have been pondering what to write. Something kept piercing my mind like a pointed dagger like Macbeths solution to Duncans solution. I love Macbeth but hate the way we Malawians are running down our rivers.

Now consider what will happen to North Rukulu when Kayelekera swings into full swing. Consider what is happening to the lower states with the perennial . I hate the site of Mudi river. Convince my dead body to love Lilongwe river. Polluted. Why have we let the so called liberalisation/freedoms to pollute rivers/cutting trees go unpunished. Its not laughing matter but I tend to think that our seriousness is not only questionable but I doubt its own very existence.

The rate at which we are destroying our rivers lives alot to be desired. Is there any policy at all to protect biodivrsity?

I was brain storming about rivers. Check the next post as I think aloud about water management systems and biodiversity. Was earth hour today but i nevr switched off my lights for an hour! I forgot but I love the environment

Rural-Urban Migration and Malawi Poverty

2008-03-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

It is not strange to see many people living their rural folks in search of the twon dream. I wonder what dream Blantyre, Mzuzu, Lilongwe and the new city of Zomba offers. It is also happening around districts as everyone is heading towards a district headquaters. Others are living very remote areas and coming close to booming trading centres.

Its all about trying to a get a high and perhaps a better quality of life. Othrs are heading abroad...call it RSA, the UK...Zimbabwe????I wonder. For how long will this continue and perhaps stop? Our rural areas have become burying grounds for the town dead.

We have been let down somehow in this country since 1964. I think the British should colonise us again and maybe we can take it from there. I suspect we became independent too early. Infrastructre in the villag has crumbled even though it was well beyond average standard. No buses, no clinics and if ever they are, very far without public transport. Poorly staffed or not staffed at all. No medication, no syringes, no panadol/paracetamol, protective gloves for nurses. How come in the 21 century that our women still give birth aided by a traditional birth attendant? Will she be capable to tell that a ceasarian operation is required? Maternal deaths contniue to haunt us. Consider little John, hungry as he is, walking five kilometres to a school that has three teachers for 320 students! What is the purpose and what do we want to achieve? Perhaps our biggest achievemnt is poverty!

So what happens? Wel why not try city life with the promise of success that never comes. You need a good education first to get a good job. Secondly you need to know somebody or allign yourself with a particular nepostic group whose interests are selfish and corrupt.

Political regimes continue to fail us for so long. Especially thos of us in the village. We need houses with electricity. We need roads. We need banks. We need good roads and public transport. We need hospitals stuffed and staffed. We need good schools and teachers to secure the future of our children. We need clean water.

What are these poverty programmes that politicians often talk about? Why not just tackle issues that I highlight above and povrty will fade us? Personal enrichment and aggrandisement seems to prevail over altruism and reason.

God save Malawi.

I will not vote in 2009

2008-03-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

Politics sucks and I will not waste my precious time rising from my bed to cast a vote. What for? Well i hear its my right but I also have a right to a beautiful sleep on an election morning. No matter what my dreams maybe..sleep is sleep and it is a biological and natural right. The only nice thing about an election is that I will get a day off at work.

Some might be wondering what I am up to. I reckon am up to nothing and sceptics may as well estimate apathy in me. No its not aparthy. I cast my first vote at Bumba Priamry school in 1993 and thought that democracy had come. But gosh I was mistaken. But it was a nice vote. After all walking to Bumba meant we could pass through town without Mr Chilowe and Ngwira punishing us for going out of bounds. It has never been the same and democracy remains a myth to me. I doubt if we have one. Nepotism, croynism and lack of tolerance are still lacking in our country. These are not aspects of democracy that I have seen real democracies!

Why should I vote then? Giving legitimacy to a flawed system masquarading democarcy? Over my dead body. Once beaten twice shy. Now can you hear me? The only real democracy that I have seen in our country is student politics in colleges! No regrets. The Junta was good and there dry cleaner may have been born!

Costs of Alcohol Abuse in Malawi

2008-03-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

I am not alarming anybody but I feel we have a big alcohol problem in this country. No one wants to admit it but we know it is there.Those that drink alcohol have never liked the notion of the alcoholic banner. Such is what has become of the case. How does alcholism manifest itself? Well the starting point is that an alcoholic cannot just imagine life without the mind corrupting drink.

A typical alcholic will take ten beer bottles in a week or call them pints. Yet in our society, perhaps amongst beer consumers, this is not an issue. Unfortunately, in our denial state, we try to justify this. The costs are enormous. The main culprit is perhaps the mddle class and the poor. By middle class I refer to guys with a tertaially education with an averag source of income. It is heartening that such households spend a high proportion of income on alchol (consumed by the hubby) and little spent of welfare of the family..education of children, health and reacreation that strengthens the family bonds. Just log into internet chat forums for middle aged Malawians and see how alcohol promotion activities dominate.

The costs have been huge. Alcohol induced divorces that traumatise our children and reduce their ability to become responsible citizens of Malawi. Alcohol induced road carnages have been on the rise and many prime lives are being lost. Children who had a promisng feature have their dreams shuttered in a matter of seconds because of an irresponsible drunk of a parent. Dangerous sexual encounters induced by alcohol in drinking places leading into contraction of diseases that cost the family lots of resources that could go into child care. Alcohol related complications that are costing lives.

Is this the way people aspiring to be rich spend their money and lives? I would love the Minister of Civic Education extend her militant approach to address this problem. But more important, it must be incumbent upon ourselves as individuals to put th interests of our families first when we make decisions about our lives. Alcohol is a big problem and we must join hands to fight it.

Do you want to know whether an alcholic? I have won an alchol fight atleast.

Vocational Training

2008-03-24T00:59:00.000-07:00

Somehow I fail to understand how we Techinical colleges have been neglected in this country. With limited University places and expensive private colleges, Technical Colleges provide an opportunity to advance their careers in various trades and contribute to the devlopment of our nation.

Our population is young and growing so fast but somehow we have not gotten the messege. This thing that we cannot do it now bcaus it is expensive or its difficult is killing our nation. I would love a massive program to build technical colleges in each district in Malawi. If each district has a secondary school why not a Technical college where our youth can localise their skills and get ready to participate in the economic process. We have never planned for the future and we seem illogically contented with the status quo that somehow continues to harm us. If you build a secondary school you have to think of where the high school graduates will go.

Countries like Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia, th so called East Asian tigers have made progress through massive investment in education includind Trades in the technical schools. If we mess around with education, this country will go nowhere but just stagnate as our neighbours overtake us.

Growth, Development: Malawi at odds

2008-03-23T23:16:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend the IMF projected the Malawi economy to grow at 7%. We have also seen that since the current government took the reigns of power our economy has been growing at over 5% each year. Many factors have been attributed to this growth notably fiscal discipline, the subsidy programme and good weather. Such a wonderful story it sounds. There has been an excitement that now we can make a dent on poverty which requires a an average of 6%. I dont know whether this is true. We are a very poor country that sometimes in self denial and we are so economic with description of our true status. We still refer medical cases to Harare and Tanzania.

I must wish to say something about the origins of the 6% as it has become so popular in Malawi. World Bank Economist Martin Ravallion did a study that linked economic growth to reducing poverty in 2000 and argued that for global poverty to be reduced by 2015, economies need to grow by an average of 6%.

What we have not been told is at what rate Malawi needs to grow to cut th numbers of the poor. However, he did indicate that in Sub Saharan Africa we will need more than 7%. Are we on course? Perhaps Ravallion thinking was just anothr paper. I dont believ his hypothesis either because he just linked poverty and growth. So simple analysis but has become so popular. His study was highly biased by th booming Chinese economy. 6% may apply to China and India but not Malawi. We need 10% continously. Well, this is not to offer cricism to Ravallion but I want to make sense of Malawi's economic growth and the untold truths that have corrupted our minds about this 6%.

Is economic growth translating into improved welfare of our people? By the way, have their been a reduced number of admissions in hospitals? How many employees have been absent in a month because they were attending a funeral of person less than 40 years of age? Do you know of a friend who has not attended a funeral last year? Can we link this growth therefore to improved delivery of the health systems. How long does one now walk to access the nearest health centre? How long have I to wait to see a medic? Has the distance been reduced? What change have health service providers experienced? Are they still strained? Do they have all the basic equipment and essential drugs? Economic growth should be matched with answers to these questions.

These questions point to the fact that much as an economy might be growing, growth itself may not translate into improved welfare of the masses. Is Malawi on th right path of economic development? Why do we still have one Television Station? Has the number of students trained at Universties increased? How many Malawians are living the country every year? Are we really growing or it is some fluke in a couldron? What is the state of our rural people? Is this growth being driven by an educated labour force. There are many questions than answers.

Much as I marvel at the growth figures, I have doubts whether we are addressing equity issues. Why is there a rapid migration into cities? What opportunities are we denying our rural folks that account for 90% of our population? I am not surprised that in my Mzimba Village almost every household has a member who has trekked to South Africa to work.

In our country, despite the sweet growth tune, I dont have to show that urban places are being favoured. Of course we need good cities but the rural needs clean water, schools that are well staffed and at short distances. Lets us not reduce the villages to burial grounds for those of us who are enjoying the city life with its own hassles.

The point is, as long as we dont tackle the health crisis, the education catastrophe, rural road insfrastructure, electricity, water then what is the point of growth? Who is benefiting? Not a majority of old women with small undernourished innocent orphaned babies that have to walk five kilometres to fetch some unsafe drinking water on a well that bush animals also use.

Are we still in the Stone Age? I wonder!

University Office: What for?

2008-03-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

Malawi has two public Universities. Mzuzu and University of Malawi with its five colleges and a central administration in Zomba. I have wondered why we still have the University Office. It is an example of how wasteful our policy makers can be. I can say they are not forward looking, a disease that most Malawians suffer from.

The University Office to my knowledge served its purpose and it is high time we dismantled it. Having two Universties with 12 million people is not healthy. The Constituent colleges must have the autonomy that they deserve. Establishing a new University is difficult. I reckon that Chanco, Poly, Bunda, College of Medicine& School of Nursing become independent Universities. We would have six Universities overnight with Mzuni. What about that? So simple. We can take it from there and let the Universties expand by drawing lessons from Mzuni growth. Somehow someone is making us believe that we still need University Office.An MP can move a private members bill seeking to change the University Act and propose bills establishing new Universities out of current colleges. We can silence the selfish cynics. Just because a few jobs will be on the line should not stop us in making decisions that are in the interest of the nation. University Office is a very big white elephant with a malignant tumor and must go.

I would rather the University Office was transformed into a regulatory and quality assurance organisation with mandate over all forms of tertially education just lik MACRA, Malawi Bureau of Standards etc. It should become an institution that works under the Minsitry of High education. Its current role is not necessary. The colleges have their own accounting systems, adminstrative structures that must be allowed to function independently and effectively.

On another note, I have wondered the role the various Research Centres play in the learaning process. Looks they like they are divorced from UNIMA lecture rooms. Centre for Social Research, Agriculture Policy Research unit, Language, Education Research. I would love to have them engaged in teaching and have research oriented degrees and admit students than is th current practice of just doing some surveys and publish th works. It would be intellectually enhancing to engage students directly in research training and enrich the learning process. This is the essence of modern learning. It values research and would bring that excitement in learning that currently lacks in our University classrooms.

What do you reckon? Take this to capital hill and state house please.

University Quota

2008-01-19T07:48:00.000-08:00

The most interesting story of the week is the decision by the University Council to reintroduce the infamous quota system. Whatever the reasons that led to this decision, I believe that the council got this one wrong. The problems that UNIMA faces cannot be solved through a quota system of entrance. This is ill advised policy decision and it is not surprising that Universities like Mogadishu are now ranked ahead of UNIMA. If the Council has run out of ideas, why not throw the towel and let others do the job.

There are some instances, for eaxmple admission into the Law and Medical programmes where prospective students are interviewed. If students from a particular distric have not applied, the Council will go flat out hunting for such students! Shame on Council

Whats special about Kayelekera

2008-01-19T03:26:00.000-08:00

Uranium mining is about to start at Kayelekera. This project has enjoyed massive publicity in both local and international media for different reasons. Other contentions have focused on economic and social benefits. On the contrary, civil organisations have been critical of the Malawi government and Paladin citing environmental hazards. Both arguments are well founded and these issues need to be treated with utmost care to reap the benefits of the mine as well as safeguarding the environment and human life.

What is so special about Kayelekera mine to the Malawi economy? Well i think governement may gain some revenue through royalties and invest in various social services and infrstructure needed to make Malawi even more attractive. Though, the level of infrasture is not very good but the coming of Paladin to invest in the Kayelekera mine is proof to the mining potential that Mlawi has. Kayelekera is giving Malawi an after thought about our predominantly agro-based economy that often relies on on the mercy of the Almighty giving us enough rains if not too much rains. Prices of agriculture goods have been falling in the world due to improved technologies as well as the massive farm subsdies in Europe and the US. Out tobacco shows no hope as we continue fighting the price wars while at the same mosy countries are putting tough legislation on smoking. So maybe Uranium mining is such an opportunity. I wondered why all countries arpund us had some form of a mineral but why was Malawi deprived!

It takes me again to the issue that as country we have not been ambitious. As a result, we have not undertaken serious efforts to diversify from farming. Much has been cheap senseless talk and wrting strategies and documents and pilinh them at capital hill. The Kayelekera mine will expose a human resource gap that exist in this country. This takes me to the University of Malawi which has rarely reviwed its curriculum let alone i ntroduced new courses that are in touch with a global village. Why should we waste our time teaching our children Greek history and Aristotle. This is an age of science and technology and the mindset of our education planners must change. It goes down again to government to invest alot in education and encourage review of programmes in the