Monday, September 21, 2009
Nigeria bans movie ‘District 9′ featuring Malawian actor | NyasaTimes: Malawi breaking news
Nigeria bans movie ‘District 9′ featuring Malawian actor NyasaTimes: Malawi breaking news: "“Nigerians Offended by ‘District 9.”"
Thursday, February 5, 2009
NOBODY IS INDISPENSABLE
I first posted this article on Nyasatimes and it appeared on 20 November,2008. However, I felt compelled to also post it here on my blog so that it reaches to a wide range of people. Read on.
NOBODY IS INDISPENSABLE
By Jolly Josiah Kenan[1]
One funny thing about most african leaders is that once they have assumed power, they feel and think they are indispensable. They perceive themselves as the ‘BEST ever’ there shall be, the ‘untouchables’ and the “know it alls” to the extent that they have no time to critically look at decisions and policies that affect the masses hence no regard for the governed who gave them mandate. In fact, there is usually lack of rationality and it leaves a lot to be desired as regards whether they think with their heads, heart or mouth. Worse still they may even ignore sound professional advice. And if they (the professionals) maintain their stand; they may be fired, (often times perceived as political foes that culminate into witch hunting them) and transferred to another Governmental department or parastatal; most often than not to a position that is not all that influential. You may give as many examples as they are stars in a galaxy to substantiate the same. One tends to wonder what make them behave thus. A number of factors underlie this prototype behaviour in African leadership.
Firstly, African leaders receive a lot of PRAISE than necessary from their followers and subordinates as such a spirit of pomposity builds up in them. Unfortunately much of this praise is just a fraterly- there is indeed no genuiness as these praisers aim at buying cheap favours through such a cheap propaganda. No wonder phrases like ‘Bwana’, yori-yori; ndiyemweyo; palibenso wina; adzaimanso; ayimanso, padakapanda…bwenzi ndi tamfa; to list but some are rampant and popular in political rallies and meetings. You need not to be reminded of ‘wamuyaya’, khoswe number one; mlimi number one; and possibly mwamuna number one! - Waawooh! Everything number one. It has however to be stated that when a leader does good, they must be applauded appropriately; otherwise it may jealousy.
Out of these fraterly praises, emanate politics of castigation and elimination within and outside a political party that those (few) who are honest and decent enough may fall out of the president’s grace. Eventually the president is surrounded by ‘these praisers’ who most often than not are not brainy enough to genuinely help pursuance of the development agenda. In the final analysis vision is blurred, focus on pertinent issues is impaired and finally lost. And if the leader is not clever enough, this eventually leads to his own downfall as citizens evaluate him on what he would have accomplished as opposed to what he says and compares himself to his predecessor.
It is these elements that breed dictatorship; eventually most African leaders as party or national leaders are made to be dictators and with lust for power which is innate in mankind; they really become dictators as if they were born to be such. Essentially there are three things that bring about dictatorship; firstly is the issue of putting too much trust in an individual; secondly is having too little trust and finally comes the issue of neurotic ambition. Of particularly interest in our line of thought is the last one.
Here in Malawi before political dispensation, we had the Ngwazi- Our beloved late life President (may His Soul Rest In Peace) who used to confess that if he was a dictator, it was by the will of Malawians- a blue lie indeed! To further justify his being a life president and simultaneously a dictator, Dr Banda based his objection to any political opponents on theocratic grounds (possibly after being a church elder for quite sometime in the Queen’s land)- “ God does not want opposition that’s why He chased away Satan from Heaven”. Why then should he the Ngwazi of Malawi want opposition? This again is a lie because the absolute truth is that God does want opposition; if anything, He would have killed Satan and all his agents out right because He is all-powerful to create and or destroy for He is awesome and sovereign!
Any way, one thing that Dr Band forgot was that he was a human being and hence mortal. The fact of being Malawi’s life president of which indeed he was; obsessed him to the extent that he thought he would live on/forever as can be observed from this response when he was asked by a foreign journalist on who would be his successor when he dies; “ I am too busy to die” was the answer. Such an answer is typical of dictators and most African leaders in the so-called ‘democratic nations.’
The adverse negative repercussions of the fore stated answer has visibly been seen in the popular power struggle that rocked the MCP- the once strong and mighty party.
The former MCP boss and founder of our nation was possibly thinking that if he was to have his successor revealed, there would be power struggle that would have led to the split, weakening and possibly even collapsing of his party as such the only way out of it was to cling on to party leadership as he was too busy to die. This in itself was a great blunder by this undisputably great African leader and scholar. Dr Banda indeed though a genius, palpably failed in forward planning of party leadership by glooming his would be successor. It can therefore not be considered a haphazard recapitulation to say that the perpetual power struggle that roped the MCP prior to the 2004 presidential and parliamentary elections, which refuses to die even now, is a resultant of Dr Banda’s failure to demystify leadership and lack of foresight. Nonetheless, Dr Banda’s action can be given a benefit of doubt. It seems there was nobody trustworthy as he had to wait for one Gwandanguluwe to be his vice and eventually a running mate. Definitely, this did not go on well with many people who thought they deserved the post by virtue of their long stay in the party and close proximity to Banda. But worthy exploring is why did the Ngwazi not choose them? The scuffles and mayhem that followed in MCP’s conventions explains it all.
All having been said, such type of behaviour is common among African leaders despite political pluralism. Chiluba, the ex-Zambian president reluctantly relinquished power to late Mwanawasa after his efforts to stand for a third term of office vehemently goofed. Mugabe- the Zimbabwean president triumphed a third term of office in which reports said there was heavy rigging and harassment of opposition political leaders and supporters. His likely successor in spite of his being too old is not known to date and when asked he often responds” I am still the same old young man… every morning I woke up, I feel much younger than before”
Back here in Malawi, history kept and still keeps repeating itself. Prior to the 2004 Parliamentary and Presidential elections, electorates were kept at bay as to who they were to cast their votes for, as almost all what used to be known as stable and established parties of the time were tumbling down for one reason or the other of which internal power wrangles and greedy were the universal reasons. Surprisingly, most political parties in a bid to conceal the cracks and spots in their parties resorted to amend their party constitutions with some roping in “foreigners” to lead . Others even took a mile by lobbying and pushing for change of country’s supreme law to firstly allow for an open and third presidential terms which both goofed. Much as these looked appealing and immediate solutions to the power struggle pandemic, ironically the power struggles were exacerbated in a worst form. This is a clear indication that a problem is never solved by creating another, pending it or running away from it; which can be likened to a vain effort of hiding a pregnancy as it can’t be achieved unless it is aborted which off course is illegal and suicidal; in the long run threatening the very life of the custodian. Though Malawians are slow learners and fast forgetters, by now they must have learnt lessons if not bitter lessons from these precedents and the current political players who most of them are recycled ought to be in better position to know the negative repercussions to arise out of this. Again being quick forgetters and slow learners doesn’t translate to poor memory at all. In fact, one can grossly be mistaken with their silence and humbleness but their actions speak louder as they did during referendum and third/open term bids.
In a few months time, we will be voting but I do not know whom I shall cast my vote for as I take all what I hear regarding presidential hopefuls and their running mates if at all they exist as a hoax. Knowing what democracy is, my expectation is no less than seeing all competing parties conducting their conventions to democratically elect their torch bearers in the forth coming polls ( off course those that have never been a President twice before). Falling short of the above requisite entails loosing my vote! In all fairness democracy must start within the party-Yes; there is need to lead by example. For God’s sake how can you convince me that you will govern us democratically when you’re failing to demonstrate? I may equally ask those that want to bounce back if at all they will-what assurance are you going to give the nation that you will not be another wamuyaya? Mind you I am also eyeing the sit in the near future and I don’t want any unnecessary encumbrances.
I have at least found solace in some parties who have announced of conducting their party conventions- I mean democratic and ethical conventions not the ones that require manipulation of my party constitution and seeking litigation on the supreme law or going to conventions with bandits armed with pangas. I still have word on the former; no droozing and bulldozing please! For those of you being used and abused; you better resist and refrain for you won’t get anything out of it apart from risking your precious lives.
Another interesting pattern of behaviour in African leadership is the relationship between the presidents and their vice presidents which is characterized by antagonism and suppression both at country and part levels. I may not have adequate space and phraseology to describe the same, instead I have just listed the pairs and the onus is on you my readers to deduce. BAKILI MULUZI AND JUSTIN MALEWEZI; BINGU WA MUNTHALIKA AND CASSIM CHILUMPHA; FRENDRICK CHILUBA AND LEVI MWANAWASA (late); LEVI MWANAWASA (late) AND RUPIA BANDA [rumours have it that the late Mwanawasa’s preference was Finance minister…]; THABO MBEKI AND JACOB ZUMA; BINGU WA MUNTHARIKA AND ULADI MUSSA; etc.
I don’t know what’s wrong with vice country and party presidents. Are they incapable or incompetent and intolerant people? Or are they threats? One plausible conclusion is the want to cling on to power by the incumbent presidents themselves. The notable ruling president who relinquished power and successfully gloomed his successor is NELSON MANDELA- a true reflection of a real democrat who after being imprisoned for 27 years and there after elected as president; ruled only one term and surrendered power to his deputy-Thabo Mbeki. If it were some of us; we would have wanted to rule on and on even upon our demise.
The fact of the matter is that nobody is indispensable. No matter what good thing you may have done, that does not warrant you to own Malawi nation and Malawians as your own neither should you think that you are the only one nor the best. The fact is that you were just privileged a lot to rule us otherwise you may not be an intelligentsia or even a material worth the sort. There are others more worth than you whom God has lined up for new challenges. You may have done your role as a freedom fighter. We no longer need freedom fighters as we now have freedom spanning 44 years. Somebody may have been a warrior for pluralism. Now that we have democracy your services are no longer relevant; they are actually obslete! I guess we need sustainable development, justice and equity, food sovereignty and infrastructure development not in rhetoric but practically.
Finally we also need empowerment of the indigenous (and I wonder if the same can be attained if we continue privatizing national companies) as a means of achieving economic independence for what’s political independence without economic vitality?
[1] Land Activist with an Eagles eye on Malawian and African politics-writing in his individual capacity
NOBODY IS INDISPENSABLE
By Jolly Josiah Kenan[1]
One funny thing about most african leaders is that once they have assumed power, they feel and think they are indispensable. They perceive themselves as the ‘BEST ever’ there shall be, the ‘untouchables’ and the “know it alls” to the extent that they have no time to critically look at decisions and policies that affect the masses hence no regard for the governed who gave them mandate. In fact, there is usually lack of rationality and it leaves a lot to be desired as regards whether they think with their heads, heart or mouth. Worse still they may even ignore sound professional advice. And if they (the professionals) maintain their stand; they may be fired, (often times perceived as political foes that culminate into witch hunting them) and transferred to another Governmental department or parastatal; most often than not to a position that is not all that influential. You may give as many examples as they are stars in a galaxy to substantiate the same. One tends to wonder what make them behave thus. A number of factors underlie this prototype behaviour in African leadership.
Firstly, African leaders receive a lot of PRAISE than necessary from their followers and subordinates as such a spirit of pomposity builds up in them. Unfortunately much of this praise is just a fraterly- there is indeed no genuiness as these praisers aim at buying cheap favours through such a cheap propaganda. No wonder phrases like ‘Bwana’, yori-yori; ndiyemweyo; palibenso wina; adzaimanso; ayimanso, padakapanda…bwenzi ndi tamfa; to list but some are rampant and popular in political rallies and meetings. You need not to be reminded of ‘wamuyaya’, khoswe number one; mlimi number one; and possibly mwamuna number one! - Waawooh! Everything number one. It has however to be stated that when a leader does good, they must be applauded appropriately; otherwise it may jealousy.
Out of these fraterly praises, emanate politics of castigation and elimination within and outside a political party that those (few) who are honest and decent enough may fall out of the president’s grace. Eventually the president is surrounded by ‘these praisers’ who most often than not are not brainy enough to genuinely help pursuance of the development agenda. In the final analysis vision is blurred, focus on pertinent issues is impaired and finally lost. And if the leader is not clever enough, this eventually leads to his own downfall as citizens evaluate him on what he would have accomplished as opposed to what he says and compares himself to his predecessor.
It is these elements that breed dictatorship; eventually most African leaders as party or national leaders are made to be dictators and with lust for power which is innate in mankind; they really become dictators as if they were born to be such. Essentially there are three things that bring about dictatorship; firstly is the issue of putting too much trust in an individual; secondly is having too little trust and finally comes the issue of neurotic ambition. Of particularly interest in our line of thought is the last one.
Here in Malawi before political dispensation, we had the Ngwazi- Our beloved late life President (may His Soul Rest In Peace) who used to confess that if he was a dictator, it was by the will of Malawians- a blue lie indeed! To further justify his being a life president and simultaneously a dictator, Dr Banda based his objection to any political opponents on theocratic grounds (possibly after being a church elder for quite sometime in the Queen’s land)- “ God does not want opposition that’s why He chased away Satan from Heaven”. Why then should he the Ngwazi of Malawi want opposition? This again is a lie because the absolute truth is that God does want opposition; if anything, He would have killed Satan and all his agents out right because He is all-powerful to create and or destroy for He is awesome and sovereign!
Any way, one thing that Dr Band forgot was that he was a human being and hence mortal. The fact of being Malawi’s life president of which indeed he was; obsessed him to the extent that he thought he would live on/forever as can be observed from this response when he was asked by a foreign journalist on who would be his successor when he dies; “ I am too busy to die” was the answer. Such an answer is typical of dictators and most African leaders in the so-called ‘democratic nations.’
The adverse negative repercussions of the fore stated answer has visibly been seen in the popular power struggle that rocked the MCP- the once strong and mighty party.
The former MCP boss and founder of our nation was possibly thinking that if he was to have his successor revealed, there would be power struggle that would have led to the split, weakening and possibly even collapsing of his party as such the only way out of it was to cling on to party leadership as he was too busy to die. This in itself was a great blunder by this undisputably great African leader and scholar. Dr Banda indeed though a genius, palpably failed in forward planning of party leadership by glooming his would be successor. It can therefore not be considered a haphazard recapitulation to say that the perpetual power struggle that roped the MCP prior to the 2004 presidential and parliamentary elections, which refuses to die even now, is a resultant of Dr Banda’s failure to demystify leadership and lack of foresight. Nonetheless, Dr Banda’s action can be given a benefit of doubt. It seems there was nobody trustworthy as he had to wait for one Gwandanguluwe to be his vice and eventually a running mate. Definitely, this did not go on well with many people who thought they deserved the post by virtue of their long stay in the party and close proximity to Banda. But worthy exploring is why did the Ngwazi not choose them? The scuffles and mayhem that followed in MCP’s conventions explains it all.
All having been said, such type of behaviour is common among African leaders despite political pluralism. Chiluba, the ex-Zambian president reluctantly relinquished power to late Mwanawasa after his efforts to stand for a third term of office vehemently goofed. Mugabe- the Zimbabwean president triumphed a third term of office in which reports said there was heavy rigging and harassment of opposition political leaders and supporters. His likely successor in spite of his being too old is not known to date and when asked he often responds” I am still the same old young man… every morning I woke up, I feel much younger than before”
Back here in Malawi, history kept and still keeps repeating itself. Prior to the 2004 Parliamentary and Presidential elections, electorates were kept at bay as to who they were to cast their votes for, as almost all what used to be known as stable and established parties of the time were tumbling down for one reason or the other of which internal power wrangles and greedy were the universal reasons. Surprisingly, most political parties in a bid to conceal the cracks and spots in their parties resorted to amend their party constitutions with some roping in “foreigners” to lead . Others even took a mile by lobbying and pushing for change of country’s supreme law to firstly allow for an open and third presidential terms which both goofed. Much as these looked appealing and immediate solutions to the power struggle pandemic, ironically the power struggles were exacerbated in a worst form. This is a clear indication that a problem is never solved by creating another, pending it or running away from it; which can be likened to a vain effort of hiding a pregnancy as it can’t be achieved unless it is aborted which off course is illegal and suicidal; in the long run threatening the very life of the custodian. Though Malawians are slow learners and fast forgetters, by now they must have learnt lessons if not bitter lessons from these precedents and the current political players who most of them are recycled ought to be in better position to know the negative repercussions to arise out of this. Again being quick forgetters and slow learners doesn’t translate to poor memory at all. In fact, one can grossly be mistaken with their silence and humbleness but their actions speak louder as they did during referendum and third/open term bids.
In a few months time, we will be voting but I do not know whom I shall cast my vote for as I take all what I hear regarding presidential hopefuls and their running mates if at all they exist as a hoax. Knowing what democracy is, my expectation is no less than seeing all competing parties conducting their conventions to democratically elect their torch bearers in the forth coming polls ( off course those that have never been a President twice before). Falling short of the above requisite entails loosing my vote! In all fairness democracy must start within the party-Yes; there is need to lead by example. For God’s sake how can you convince me that you will govern us democratically when you’re failing to demonstrate? I may equally ask those that want to bounce back if at all they will-what assurance are you going to give the nation that you will not be another wamuyaya? Mind you I am also eyeing the sit in the near future and I don’t want any unnecessary encumbrances.
I have at least found solace in some parties who have announced of conducting their party conventions- I mean democratic and ethical conventions not the ones that require manipulation of my party constitution and seeking litigation on the supreme law or going to conventions with bandits armed with pangas. I still have word on the former; no droozing and bulldozing please! For those of you being used and abused; you better resist and refrain for you won’t get anything out of it apart from risking your precious lives.
Another interesting pattern of behaviour in African leadership is the relationship between the presidents and their vice presidents which is characterized by antagonism and suppression both at country and part levels. I may not have adequate space and phraseology to describe the same, instead I have just listed the pairs and the onus is on you my readers to deduce. BAKILI MULUZI AND JUSTIN MALEWEZI; BINGU WA MUNTHALIKA AND CASSIM CHILUMPHA; FRENDRICK CHILUBA AND LEVI MWANAWASA (late); LEVI MWANAWASA (late) AND RUPIA BANDA [rumours have it that the late Mwanawasa’s preference was Finance minister…]; THABO MBEKI AND JACOB ZUMA; BINGU WA MUNTHARIKA AND ULADI MUSSA; etc.
I don’t know what’s wrong with vice country and party presidents. Are they incapable or incompetent and intolerant people? Or are they threats? One plausible conclusion is the want to cling on to power by the incumbent presidents themselves. The notable ruling president who relinquished power and successfully gloomed his successor is NELSON MANDELA- a true reflection of a real democrat who after being imprisoned for 27 years and there after elected as president; ruled only one term and surrendered power to his deputy-Thabo Mbeki. If it were some of us; we would have wanted to rule on and on even upon our demise.
The fact of the matter is that nobody is indispensable. No matter what good thing you may have done, that does not warrant you to own Malawi nation and Malawians as your own neither should you think that you are the only one nor the best. The fact is that you were just privileged a lot to rule us otherwise you may not be an intelligentsia or even a material worth the sort. There are others more worth than you whom God has lined up for new challenges. You may have done your role as a freedom fighter. We no longer need freedom fighters as we now have freedom spanning 44 years. Somebody may have been a warrior for pluralism. Now that we have democracy your services are no longer relevant; they are actually obslete! I guess we need sustainable development, justice and equity, food sovereignty and infrastructure development not in rhetoric but practically.
Finally we also need empowerment of the indigenous (and I wonder if the same can be attained if we continue privatizing national companies) as a means of achieving economic independence for what’s political independence without economic vitality?
[1] Land Activist with an Eagles eye on Malawian and African politics-writing in his individual capacity
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