THE LATE ETHEL MUTHALIKA UNITES MALAWI

AS MUDIMA COVERS THE LAND.

BY: PETER QEKO JERE.

The demise of Mama Ethel Muthalika on the 28th of May, is creating sense of national unity in Malawi. This is evidenced in the understanding that almost all opposition party’s leaders are now comforting President Bingu Wamthalika on the loss of his wife Madam Ethel Muthalika who was our beloved first lady of the land. As a nation, we were so much blessed to have such a loving mother whose love cross cut ethnic and religious lines. She was full of love as evidenced in the many people and organizations nation wide that she assisted.

We firstly share this notion (that there is a sense of unity prevailing in the country) because Malawian politicians’many times practice politics of confrontation where they pull each other down. What we see this time is that all political party leaders have come together in total unity as we are mourning the demise of our first lady. Infact at the new state house, MCP President John Tempo, Aford’s Loveless Gondwe , PPM’s Alike Banda, MPP’ Uladi Mussa and UDF’s George Nga Ntafu were all present. Missing were Gwanda Chakuamba, Muluzi. We are told of course that Muluzi is coming back from his holiday in London to be with the nation on this great loss. I think Muluzi is now coming to his senses as a Malawian! Let’s hope this continues. As for Gwanda, I don’t really know how he feels after all the negative remarks he made in the media about our First lady’s illness. Many are saying that it was bad that Gwanda said all that nonsense politicizing somebody’s illness because in Malawi, we don’t do that. What about him attending the funeral? What do you do if someone who spoke ill against your wife comes at her funeral? Tradition says that such a man need to be disciplined even before his face appears at the funeral so that the should learn to edit and control his tongue. Gentlemen, it is good sometimes kukhala chete than show that umatha kulankhula because zimavuta zinthu zikatere. I mean umasowa chonena zedi.

Secondly is that for the first time in our histoy, all Sons of the land (north, center, south) have been accorded an opportunity to pay their last respect. Those from the Central region are now done and the remains of our first lady will be in Mzuzu in the northern region of the country where equally northerners will pay their last respect. From Mzuzu the remains of our first will be in Blantyre where those from the south will also do likewise before she is laid to rest in Thyolo. This is a fantastic arrangement and God bless whoever came up with this superb thought because we all have managed to pay our last respect to our beloved mother, the late Mama Ethel Muthalika. In one way or the other, this arrangement has brought that long missed Malawianism, that unity. This is because body viewing has been opened to all Malawians.

Thirdly is that there has been a sense of maturity in the way the whole funeral is been handled. We are told that Dr. Kassim Chilumpha will lead mourners in Blantyre and Thyolo which is fantastic and a huge sign of love and unity. I think there is something in the demise of Mama Muthalika that we need to see. This death is so much geared to unity and mend all brokendness in the land. We just pray that this wind of national unity and patriotism will continue even after the burial.

There is need for politicians to come together when the nation is going through dark and troubled time. During such times politicians need to rise above their party lines and identify themselves with what every son of the land is going through. As they have done, Party politics need to be suspended all the time when we have a national even taking place. Politics in Malawi will come to maturity only when our politician realises that party politics comes second all the time when we have a nation crisis or even. What I mean is that national events are paramount all the time and it is good when politicians identify themselves with what the nation goes through during such trying times. For instance, the demise of our FIRST LADY OF THE LAND is a national event where we all as a nation are in this undescribable and uncomprehendable pain.

Therefore it is encouraging that people of various kind including those in opposition leaders are comforting the President. They all have sent their message of condolences to His Excellency the President Bingu Wamthalika on this trying time. They have realized that as Malawians we always come together when such things happen in our society. They have realized that Malawianism is about coming together in total unity during such trying times. Malawianism is about abandoning all hatred, and anger and getting focused in issues that are vital for national building. It’s about majoring in the major and not minors as regard national issues.

Some have suggested that this whole unity prevailing in our country now is temporal (God forbid!). They are saying that these politicians are behaving like this now because they too are married men and know that it’s not a game or zamasewera when mkazi dies pakhomo. They know that mawa it may be themselves going through the same painful experience hence a need for them to behave now. They probably have realized that maliro sees no tribe, colour, status, richness but just invade your home and leaves you heart broken.

Having said this, I just want to caution our honourable politicians that they should not wait for such situations to bring them together. We in Malawi are sick and tired seeing politicians uniting only when we have Maliro and other crisis. They did come together when Hourable Rodwell Mnyenyembe(RIP) and Chakufwa Chihana (RIP) died. It is our prayer that our politicians will put the nation first and party politics second.