POLITIKING IN MALAWI: DO MALAWIANS WANT MULUZI TO RULE AGAIN?

As Million Malawians have food in their homes!

By: Peter Qeko Jere

On the 11th of March 2007, Dr. Bakili Muluzi during the rally at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre expressed his interest to stand again as the UDF Presidential candidates during the 2009 Presidential General election in Malawi. This is despite the fact that Muluzi rule Malawi for ten years from 1994-2004.

As of late he has assembled a team of 24 lawyers to research on his eligibility to stand again and to fight any obstacle in court. Weekend Nation of 13-14th October, 2007, states that lawyers from Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa have already doe their homework and have established that there is nothing illegal stopping Bakili Muluzi from contesting the 2009 Presidential elections. However the Weekend Nation of 10-11 November 2007 (P. 3), reveals that Muluzi through his lawyers has filed in his affidavit where he has raised 14 major reasons why he believes he is eligible to contest the 2009 Presidential elections. In this affidavit, his political survival depends on the interpretation of what is contained in Points Number 6, 7 and 8. Therefore, as citizens, we are compelled to say some things on this issue because it’s about someone who is campaigning to become the first citizen of the land.

To begin with, on point NO. 6, Muluzi’s Lawyer argues that both the Malawi Constitution and the UDF one clearly states that he is eligible to stand as Presidential Candidates during the 2009 elections as he had a five years break from holding the office of the State Presidency. Regarding this statement, we argue that it is wrong and misleading to talk of the five years break now in 2007. Its irrelevant to begin talking of this when in a real sense, only three years have passed since Muluzi handed over power to Muthalika. Its wrong to put this argument forward as if this is 2009 because realistically, Muluzi handed over power to Muthalika in 2004 and this is 2007 and we are talking of three (3) years that Muluzi has rested. Its simple: 2007-2004= 3 and not 5. Why should these lawyers argue this case using the 5 years today while we have the full 2008 to cross before we get to 2009? We strongly feel that we need to be realistic and not hide behind 2009. It could be proper if these lawyers argue their case based on the 3 years he has rested and not 5 year. It’s interesting that after resting for only 3 years, he still want the presidency. Muluzi’s lawyers should avoid talking of the 5 years leave as if its automatic or mandatory that after resting for 5 years someone can stand again. Also they should know that the Presidency is not like a small office where people go for leave and come back anytime they want. As far as the Malawi constitution is concern the main argument is that you don’t come back when your two presidential terms expires but go out there and join Chissano, Kaunda, Masire, Mandela and others in solving world conflicts

At the same time, it is also wrong to argue that the Malawi Constitution is clear that Muluzi is eligible to stand again as a presidential Candidate during the 2009 elections. This is because of the following: Firstly, section 83 (3) says that.. “ the President, the first president and the second vice president may serve in their respective capacities a maximum of two consecutive terms….”. No particular name is mentioned here and all we have are just people’s legal opinions on the matter. At the same time, we share the notion that it dangerous to speculate that Muluzi is eligible to stand again because Malawians knows that Muluzi did his job for ten years and he cannot rule Malawi again as if he is the only presidential material in the country.

Secondly is that the constitution is silent on all matters relating to the position of retired or former president who would want to bounce back into politics. Now why this silence? Did the framers of our constitution not see possibility of former or retired presidents wanting to come back to politics?

Thirdly is that its constitutionally dangerous to say that Muluzi can stand again after serving his maximum of ten consecutive years as State President because doing so would contradict the very heart and of our constitution. The word “Maximum of two consecutive terms” was put into our constitution to prevent such ill thinking or mentality of wanting to rule forever. The key words are “maximum of two consecutive terms” meaning that after this, no-one should come back wanting to rule again. The flamers of our constitution didn’t mind to include issues of retired or former presidents because to them the wording, “ maximum of two consecutive terms was enough to stop them making a political come back. In another words, every Malawian is allocated a maximum of two consecutive terms to rule as State President and not more than this. Now whatever word we duel on, “ Maximum or consecutive”, the essence remain the same, that for as long as one is a Malawian, he or she has one chance to rule within the given specific maximum of two consecutive terms.

As regard Point NO. 7, they argue that the rational of Section 83 (3) of the Malawi constitution is to do away with the culture or syndrome of life Presidency. While it is true, we also should ask ourselves how does one become a Life President? Fortunately in Malawi we have a history of life presidency and can easily relate to this situation today. For one to become life president, series of event has to happen. For Dr. Banda, some things happened in the life of the MCP, which latter created a fertile ground, which ended making him a life president. Such events included, the post-1964 cabinet crisis after which, many “Yes Bwanas” politicians emerged and surrounded Dr. Banda. It was these yes bwanas politicians who later made Dr. Banda life president of the country to safeguard and protect their interests. Likewise, a critical analysis of the UDF and Dr. Muluzi’s behavior before and after the 2004 General elections shows that there is a 100% potential for Muluzi to become another life president of the country under UDF given a chance. This is because the UDF party and Bakili Muluzi are one and cannot be separated. He is the financial engine of the party hence it is clear that all heavy weights in the party cannot stand on his way. They do things they Muluzi way and are the “yes bwana politicians”, who are the very fertile ground for the creation of life presidency.

On point NO. 8, Muluzi argues that in line with the rational against life presidency, he only served his two consecutive terms and was immediately thereafter succeeded by the incumbent State President. Thus there is no possibility of life Presidency. Against this argument that there is a 100% possibility that Muluzi want to one-day rule Malawi for life. This is demonstrated and revealed in his idea of wanting to contest the 2009 elections even after ruling this country for ten years. Imagine, he handed power in 2004 and today 2007 he says he want to contest the coming elections! As of today, three (3years) have gone since he handed over power and what does all this means if not wanting to rule Malawi for life. The former President is using everything under his power to make sure that he rules again! Why this hurry? Why the panic? Is there anything he is avoiding? Is his density and security only in him being the State President? Are we missing something here?

It is also that Muluzi served his maximum of two consecutive terms of office. However it will be making a huge mistake to separate Muluzi’s open and third terms ambitions that failed to materialize in parliament from this argument at hand. Also we need to include his many effort to come back to rule again, which explains that the two terms that he had was no enough and that the main intentions are to rule the country for life. We share this thought because this is how people end up being president for life since to them, the only job is to rule, rule and rule even if it means breaking the laws of the land.

Though Muluzi served his two terms, what we question most is his behavior toward the end of his rule which demonstrated that he wanted to continue ruling Malawi and he did everything under his power to have his dreams come to pass but he failed. He came up with both the third and open term bid and it is alleged that Millions were paid for MPs to give him a chance but it all failed. As if this was not enough, he has currently put in place a team of 24 lawyers to help him become the first citizen in 2009. These Lawyers have interpreted section 83 (3) in line with what Muluzi need right now and are not telling him the truth constitutionally something which is unfortunate.

With this therefore, we want to share the views of Millions in Malawi who say that we don’t want UDF and Muluzi to rule Malawi again. We had their ten years and this time, we want to see and enjoy what the Muthalika administrations continue to offer the country. We don’t have to remind you that this government through the fertilizer subsidy has managed to help Malawians get rid ot the hunger situation. We now have food in our homes and can go to bed after titadya and titakhuta something we thank God for. So we want this good live to continue in our country now and forever more.

OF MIZWANYA AND POLITICAL EDUCATION IN MALAWI

As they educate Malawians in real issues

By: Peter Qeko Jere

One of the most popular programs on the local Television Malawi today is the program called, Mizwanya where Che Ning’anga, Sawerengera and Nawena inform Malawians on the many things that happened in the social, political and economic history of Malawi during the reign of both Dr. Banda and Dr. Muluzi. They many times tell the nation of some very sensitive issues concerning how some people died, disappeared, and on how both of these leaders administered the country. As they analyze the performance of these former leaders, they at the same time try to compare with what our current President has done during the three years he has ruled Malawi.

The main objective of this program is to inform the Malawi youth and those who possibly have no idea on what took place in Malawi when both Banda and Muluzi ruled Malawi. It is a known factor that as of today, about half of the Malawi population is composed of the youth who never saw Dr. Banda and have no idea of what he did when he was in power because not much of what he did is written down. Also these young people have no idea on who helped Dr. Banda to rule the country and who did what and why? Also our education system do not offer enough room regarding the social, political and economic history for our youth hence majority of our young people who will be voting in 2008, live in a dark as far as their own history is concern. Our young people live in very dangerous time historically as they have no idea of what took place in their own country and they also do not know as to who did what during both Dr. Banda and Dr. Muluzi’s reign.

Therefore, it is vital for the youth to know where the nation is coming from and what it went through socially and politically so that they better understand why they are witnessing what is currently happening in our country politics today and at the same time our young people shall be able to know where we are going as a nation politically. So we think these Mizwanya guys are doing a mighty job and filling in the gap that our education system could have done long time ago to education and inform our youth and others on who did what in our political history. This helps in decision making in case some of those who committed various serious crimes would want to stand as leaders. The electorate needs to be given enough information on all the leaders regarding what they are and what they have done in our history so that the best achiever could be chosen otherwise we will end up choosing someone who is not the right person to rule the country.

While these three Miswanya guys try to do this noble job for the nation, some people feel offended and think this program should be stopped. They allege that it is not good to expose and speak about the evils committed in our history. Others hate the program just because it’s in their nature to hate anything that is good for the nation.

In opposition to these views, we strongly recommend the Mizwanya guys to keep the fire burning and not give up on their noble task because they have stood on the gab providing knowledge and information to the nation and this is what we need. Malawi needs people who are constructive and innovative, the kind of people who can change things for the better. We need such creative minds so that we make Malawi a better place to live. As of now, millions of well qualified citizens of the land in Diaspora because they were once upon a time forced to leave their motherland due to the politics of the day. Now its time that such evils be exposed and let our young people know who did what in our history.

The bible says that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Now those who hate and don’t like this program do that because they are still in bondage and still affiliated to the evils of the past and feel offended once anybody reminds them of the past. They feel bad hearing somebody beginning to mention what they did in the past. Now we need to understand that the evils done in our history need to be exposed and put to the open for everybody to see and know so that lessons can be learned from. In this regard, the Mizwanya guys have taken up this challenge to stand between the gap informing the nation on every little thing so that we become aware of all the stuff that took place in our country.

Someone may think that is just politics. Now if politics can force citizens of the land to take up such a huge challenge to inform the nation on who did what in our country’s history then this kind of politics is good because it is educative. Also if this is what politics can do then its good because by the end of the day, all our young men in the country will have known our country’s history as regard to who did what hence able to make proper decisions when choosing our leaders. We have NGOs in Malawi but they don’t teach our young men the country history and they have never done that. They think this is the work of the Ministry of Education to teach our young people the history of the nation. Infact even some of those who work in the various NGOs do not know what took place in our country’s history from 1960 to1990 hence they can not take up this challenge. May be some are afraid because these are very sensitive issues that need big brains and courageous mind!.

However we need to remind those who hate this program that what Mizwanya guys are doing on TVM is not Ndale but Education. They are teachers whose classroom is the entire nation youth and those who would want to know what took place in our country’s history. So they are doing what I call educative program and not Ndale and in fact they are supposed to be paid for this huge task of informing our people those very sensitive issues on the evils that took place in our country.

In this regard, countrymen should know that a lot took place in Malawi something, which we need detailed account, written and published so that those who directly suffered can have their history preserved. Also that our young people could know who did what in our country’s history so that they know where we are going as a nation politically. We should not deny our young people information on the country history. For instance, people should be clearly told what happened during the 1964 cabinet crisis and why the likes of Kanyama Chiume, Orton Chirwa, Chipembere, Rose Chibambo and others didn’t like what had become of Dr. Banda. They should also know who suffered during this time and why they suffered this way.

Our young people also need to know that Malawi had prominent politicians who if were still alive today, the political platform could have a different story. We had people like Dunduzu Chisiza, the father of the famous Du Chisiza Junior the Drama King, Yatuta Chisiza, Augustine Bwanausi, Kanyama Chiume, Aaron Gadama, Dick Matenje, Twaibu Sangala, David Chiwanga, John Msonthi to mention but a few. Many Malawians are suffering today because some of their relatives died mysteriously during the MCP regime and this is what people need to know.

Also Malawian needs to be informed on how some of these events took place in the history of the country. For instance, why in the 1975-77, many University of Malawi lectures and some prominent students were detained and some went to exile? Who was behind this academic terrorism at the University and how do we bring to book such people to avoid repetition of such brutal events in our history. Whoever was behind this brutal academic terrorism at the University had a very evil plan because he or she robed the nation of the best crop of lecturers who are now performing well overseas and in many African countries. Malawi’s University education was regarded the best because of that crop of lecturers but the situation drastically changed because somebody messed up things at the University something the entire nation is currently paying dearly.

Also the young people who are finishing University College this time around plus all those who are in Secondary Schools in Malawi need to be told and schooled on what happened to our chiefs at the MCP convention in Mzuzu where they were brutally bitten and forced to walk long distances on foot back home just because they argued that Manowa Chirwa should be accepted to come back home. The only crime our Chiefs committed was to agree that the son of the land Manowa Chirwa be accepted to come back home. Manowa Chirwa was in exile and this time he was getting old and asked wanted to come back home and die in his motherland. Now its vital for our countrymen not to forget this history because its part of our heritage. This is because some of those who did this are still key political players in our country and since our young men do not know anything about them, it is important that they be told everything on how these politicians brutally tortured our Chiefs and why was it a crime for Manowa Chirwa to come back to his motherland?

At the same time, in 1989 some thing uncomprehendable took place. The MCP government announced that all Tumbuka secondary school teachers working in the central and the southern region be deported to the northern region where they come from. That statement meant that it was illegal for a northerner to teach in either the central or the southern region. Ironically, this only affected teachers who came from the northern region. Some of us heard this announcement on the radio and saw how teachers suffered. It was the most stressful time for the northern region teachers and this is registered in the memories of all northern region people. It’s due to such evil practice that MCP has died a natural death in the region because almost every family that year was affected. So young people in our country need to be told exactly what happened that year so that they know who was behind this tribalistic move and how much northern region teachers suffered. This is also important because some of those who played a key role to have all this wicked program done are still alive and are in politics today. Now if we don’t inform our young people about what such people did in our history, such men will take advantage of this silent and one day come back to power if we are not very careful.


When we talk of people mysteriously and brutally killed, we don’t only mean during Dr. Banda’s reign but also during the UDF’s reign. It was during the UDF’s time when the following, Evison Matafale, Kalonga Stambuli and others were brutally killed. Many things have been said about how they died but the one thing that remains is that they were mysteriously killed when the UDF was in power something, which again needs to be properly documented for our history. Also during the same reign, many were tortured and bitten by the UDF’s young democrats. Many stories are told of how many suffered during the third and open term war. All this brutality need to be properly documented because this is part of our nation history and our young people need to know all this because they are part of the country. Now the only way to do this is to make sure that we communicate to them and properly tell them who did what during their respective time when they were in power. This is important because unless such evils are exposed and those responsible brought to book, political evils will continue to occur in our political history. At the same time, when we properly communicate such assessments of what took place in every political dispensation in our country, those planning to become our political leaders will then be judged based on what they once did and not on what they think they will do or how much money they have in their respective bank account inside or outside the country. Their history and action will be the automatic judge something, which will only come if we effectively communicate such information to those who need it in our country.

With this therefore, what the Mizwanya guys are doing is a noble task to inform, educate and properly prepare our young men so that they know what took place in our history. This will guide them as they make decision today and tomorrow. So keep the fire burning guys because this is being patriotic and a clear sign that you love your country.

THE BIBLE, LAND AND AFRICAN HERITAGE

No land, no existence, no prosperity

By: Peter Qeko Jere


Land is the one vital treasure that identifies African people and brings meaning to their existence. In everything we do, it becomes meaningless if we don’t have land. Infact as African people, we get united to our land as someone once said that you don’t separate African people from their land because these two (land and its people) are tightly bounded together like that unbroken cord. In this paper, we shall show the relationship between land and African people and its heritage in relation to the bible.

To begin with, before, European colonialist came, various chiefs and kings rule in the many parts of Africa. These were well-established tribes and kingdoms some of which still exist today. In southern Africa such great kings and African leaders included Shaka the great, Mzilikazi, Soshangaane, Zwangendaba, Changamire, Lewanika, Chitimkulu, Kazembe and Kalonga to mention but a few. However by 1884-85’s Berlin conference, the African people had established themselves in the various parts of the continent. Now the main reason behind the 1884-85 Berlin conference was land, the very heart of African people. Thus this conference was the illegal grabbing of African land the legacy of which is still felt in the many parts of Africa today. Europeans illegally grabbed and took the African land, which didn’t belong to them. The same Europeans who advocated for rights and freedoms, forgot that African people had the right to land ownership and that their actions were illegal as far as both natural and their own laws were concern. Thus many African people lost their lives in trying to defend their only resource, very identity and rich heritage. Now someone may ask as to why European had interest in African land and what was their problem? Colonialist scrambled for land full of gold, copper, coal, diamond, zinc and its fertile soil like the garden of God.

While Europeans took over African land by force, in the late 1940 and 950s, the wind of African nationalism broke loose where Africans resented white people illegal grabbing and occupation of African land. This was led by the so-called African nationalists. Strategically African nationalist were fighting for independence, freedom and land. Land was a major issue because independence without land was regarded as meaningless and useless. It was from land where African had their riches hence the grabbing of land meant snatching the very heart of African people.

Having looked into land in African context, we also need to note that this issue was a very critical, crucial and serious one during the bible times. To begin with, it was from the soil (land) where God formed man. The same God called Abraham from UR to go and stay in the Promised Land of Canaan. God prepared inheritance for his children, which was the land of the promise. The many Old Testament wars and battles were about land and in another words, God’s children did everything under their power to go and possess their God given inheritance. In this regard, the Promised Land could not be separated from God’s children because this was their identify and the heart of their existence. Even today, there is the Israeli-Palestine conflict over land. In the same line of thought, all over the world, the wars that we hear about are about land and nothing else because all world riches are in land. The wars in Congo, Dafour, Somalia and others are all about land because each group would want to control the land from where riches are.

It’s because of their cruel approach in land grabbing that many lives was lost in the process of repossessing the land. Just as lives were lost in the bible, the same thing happened in Africa. In addition to this, it was because of land that Naboth was stoned to death by Jezebel. The bible says that Naboth refused to hand over his land to King Ahab and Jezebel because this was his only inheritance which he was given by his ancestors. Ahab had no regard to the fact that Naboth though poor had the right to own land. Thus after he refused to hand over this inheritance, Jezebel planned to have Naboth stoned to death after which the land was to be illegally grabbed. Like African people, Naboth looked at land as his very heart and identify and it was unthinkable for him to hand over that which he had as his very property. King Ahab and Jezebel in this regard, abused their office as King of the land by misusing their power to grab land from the land something, which reminds us of what Europeans did during the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885.

With this therefore, as African people, we need to realize that anything to do with land automatically affect us. We thus need to realize that land is our very existence because land is all that we are. For instance, when we talk of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu, Kitwe, Bulawayo, Kigali, Maputo, Zanzibar, we at the same time talk of the land, from where we have roads and beautiful buildings. Also when we talk of Malawi we mean the piece of land that stretches from Chitipa to Nsanje and from Mchinji to Nkhota-kota hence you cannot separate the name Malawi from the land because this is the very heart of what Malawi is and without which the nation cannot exist. Also when we talk of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa, we mean the land which we have in the southern part of Africa. What we mean is that nations in African can not exist without land and the two can not be separated. When we talk of Africa we don’t necessarily mean the beautiful infrastructures that we see around but the beautiful land from where our riches are extracted, the land which is our very identify and heritage.

WHEN GOD SAYS YES!

A look at the life of Joseph

By: Peter Qeko Jere

The Old Testament is unique and very special in biblical history because it has situations where God almighty dealt with normal human beings who once lived on this planet. One such account is the history and life of Joseph in the book of Genesis.

To begin with, in Chapter 37, we have an account of a young man Joseph so much loved by his father Jacob. His father demonstrated and displayed his affections and fatherly love by giving him the coat of many colours (Gen 37:3). While his father loved him, his eleven brothers hated and despised him (Gen 37:4). In addition to the coat of many colours his father gave him, Genesis 37:5-11 says that his brothers hated him the more because of the two dreams he had as follows;

In the first dreamt Joseph was reaping in the field and his eleven brothers’ sheaves gathered around and bowed down to his. In the second dream, he saw the sun, the moon and the eleven stars bowing down to him. Now because of these dreams, the hatred grew to the point of death. His brothers were much more dangerous together because they as a team, planned and strategised to kill him. As he was coming to see them near Dothan one day, they plotted to kill him and they said, “ Here comes the dreamer…come now lets kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him then we will see what comes of his dreams (Gen 37:19)”. After further consultations amongst themselves, they however resolved to sell him to the Ishmaelites who were passing by on their way to Egypt. They managed to sell him at the price of twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt where they in turn sold him to Potiphar who was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.

This time Joseph was separated from his father and all kinsmen and the bible says that God extended his favour upon him as he blessed every place and everything he did. Because of him, God blessed Potiphar’s house and the bible says that God blessed and multiplied everything in the house. Also as he was later innocently put in prison due to Portipher’s wife wicked schemes (Gen 39:11-19), the bible says that even in there, the Lord granted him favour and kindness and was made in charge of all prisoners. While in Prison, he interpreted the Baker and the Cupbearer’s dreams.

As if this was not enough, Pharaoh had a very complicated dream, which baffled the mind of men, and no-one could interpret it. However Joseph was available and managed to interpret this huge dream where he told Pharaoh that the dream meant that there was to be seven years of plenty food and seven years of terrible famine in the entire world. Due to this, Pharaoh decided to the make Joseph the next in command, Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in the entire land of Egypt. Regarding this Pharaoh said, “ I hereby put you (Joseph) in charge of the whole land of Egypt (Gen 41:41. As minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Joseph stored up huge quantities of grains like the sand of the sea during the first seven years of plenty. It was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure (Gen 41:49).

After the seven years of plenty, there came the seven years of terrible famine that affected the whole world and Joseph’s stored grain was their only lifeline. This famine didn’t spare the Jacob’s family in Canaan. He ordered his children to go down to Egypt to buy some grain for their survivor. Jacob and his children had no idea that Joseph whom they sold twenty-two years ago was the one now in charge of this food security in Egypt. This was Joseph whom if anything, his brothers hated, despised and wished dead. This was Joseph whom God blessed to the point of becoming the Prime Minster and Minster of Agriculture and Food Security in Egypt something, which his brothers never thought of during that consultation before they sold him to the Ishmaelites.

When his brothers arrived in Egypt, Joseph recognized them and became their savour. He provided food for them and never revenged their brutality. During this time, Joseph’s two dreams came to pass because all of them bowed down to him. They had no option this time because they were meeting the highest man of authority in Egypt though they had no idea that this man was their very brother whom they sold twenty-two years ago when he was seventeen years old. Even his father Jacob when he later a companied his children to Egypt as demanded by Joseph, they all bowed to him fulfilling the dream that he had of the Sun, Moon and eleven stars. Thus we need to note the following:

Firstly is that when God says Yes, it remains Yes and no devil in hell can change it. The world may try to block and mess you up to the point of frustrating all your hope but when God says yes, it remains yes and infact people’s actions against you becomes the very magical formula for your exaltation. The more people plan and strategize to bring you down the more they are helping you to be easily lifted up. We need to go through pain, confusion because this is biblical. Even Jesus Christ went through such hard time, which gave birth to joy and victory at the end.

Secondly, is that what Joseph did, to welcome his brothers and give them food, demonstrates a huge amount of forgiveness. We do not know how we could have handled this situation if we were in Joseph’s shoes. Majority of us could make them pay for having done such a wicked thing to us. However it is amazing to note that Joseph forgave them and became their very life- line. Joseph’s action is the very a model which we need to emulate. We simply need to forgive no matter how hard and difficult our situation may be because we have no rights whatever not to forgive

Finally, we need to demonstrate mercy and kindness to all people because we do not know what the Lord has in stored for them in the near future. Since we have no idea of what the Lord has in stored for those near and around us, we therefore need to live in peace and love with all people today for the sake of tomorrow. Those we despise, hate, pull down and plan to destroy today shall be the very people whom the Lord shall lift up high some day hence we need to watch out our actions today. Lets learn from the life style and the sufferings that Joseph went through and how at the same time the Lord lifted him so much high.

TRIBALISM, ETHNIC CLEANSING IN KENYAN 2007 ELECTIONS

As the Luo and karenje tribes kill Kikuyus

By: Peter Qeko Jere.

The results of the 2007 Kenya Presidential and parliamentary election has finally created a very worrisome tribal and ethnic tension that has led to the death of more than 300 people and about 250, 000 going to neighboring countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda for refuge. Majority of those killed are the Kikuyu living in the areas largely populated by the Luo and the Karenjes. In this regard, the Luo and the Karenjes have ganged up to fight the Kikuyu a situation which has been described by many international community as another Rwanda mainly because of the kinds of instruments used in the mass killing. BBC and many international Television networks are showing how Kikuyus are leaving the western and parts of Kenya as well as how the youth belonging to the Luo and Karenje tribes have taken matters in their own hands as they root, kill and terrorize the kikuyu. In Idorret, Kikuyus who seek refuge in one of the churches in town were burned to death a situation which has raised a lot of question as to how could the Luo or Karenje youths burn the church, a house of prayer? Do you have to burn both the church and people inside to show and demonstrate your anger?

The main issue however is that Raila Odinga who is a Luo, accuses Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuya, of rigging the just ended election. Raila Odinga feels that he won the election and he has gone to the point of calling Kibaki a “thief” a very unpresidential language and something, which shows the other part of Raila Odinga. As a statesman and someone who would want to rule Kenya, he needed and still need to calm down and demonstrate that he can take care of things than going about calling names because this does not help anybody.

To our view, while we understand the problem that Odinga has at the moment, he first of all needed to go back to his people and order them to immediately stop the genocide. This is vital because soon or later and when this whole fiasco is over, he will be held responsible for the mass killing, ethnic cleansing and genocide by the international community because whatever took place in Kenya was televised live and the world saw how young Luo boys took up arms killing defenseless Kikuyus. So it’s vital for someone who is a leader to ask his men to stop the killing. Infact, Kenyans is a very big Christian nation in east Africa and from the look of things, what has just happen in the country leaves a lot to be desired because majority of the Luos and Kerenje youth who have taken part in the mass killing probably belong to the Kenyan church. Now the question could be what was and is the Kenyan church doing about this whole thing? Did the church become like the Rwanda one where those who seek refuge in the church got killed and butchered right there? Mass killing can not stop if Odinga and his tribal men don’t stop the killings. Infact those involve in genocide in Kenya need to realize that issues of this nature always follow wherever you will be until justice is done. In this regard, they should know that the blood of those killed during these elections would always speak and seek justice in one way or the other today, tomorrow or in the future.

The latest event however is that Odinga has refused to the formation of the unity government with Kibaki and is calling for his total resignation of Kibaki and new elections within three months. At the same time, Kibaki says that negotiations will only take place when the violence stops. The American envoy and Bishop Desmond Tutu visited the country to help bring peace. They have talked to both Kibaki and Odinga and in few days time, AU current Chairman, Ghanan president Kofour will be in Kenya to help bring peaceful settlement between the two leaders.

Now what do we say in a situation where Kibaki has already been sworn in as the Kenyan president? Will Odinga achieve his dreams of ruling Kenya? What do we say of a leader in a situation where his tribal men and women take arms to kill those of different tribes? Has Odinga demonstrated that he is the rightful presidential material for Kenya this time around or is he just taking advantage of the already hostile situation in the country?

The fact that Kibaki is already sworn in as Kenyan’s president as of now is another hard nut to crack because he has all the government machinery behind him. He is in charge of Kenya. Now whatever Odinga and his violent tribal men say, Kibaki remain the sworn leader of Kenya for the next five years. This means that it is up to him to decide how he wants to rule Kenya. He may decide to have a unity government or just ran the show independently. Now what do you do in this situation? To our view, since Kibaki is already sworn in as Kenyans president, the best way for Odinga and Kenya is to allow dialogue otherwise more innocent civilians will continue to be killed in the country. These leaders need to realize that the more their young men are involved in ethnic cleansing, the more they tarnish the image of their party hence destroying their own opportunity to rule the country in the future. They need to know that even if Odinga become the President today, he will need the support of the Kikuyu because this is a largest tribe in the country and nobody can rule Kenya without them.

A lot is being said as to whether Odinga will achieve his dream of ruling Kenya one day. Previously the situation looked brighter but this ethnic mass killing of the Kikuyu tribe has to our view badly damaged his movement’s image inside and outside Kenya. No-one in the world would like to associated with a politician or a party whose tribe has been involved in mass killing of innocent men. Where Odinga seem to be missing the game is that since he seem not interested to ask his men to stop the killing, many Kikuyus, even those who were supporting him has quickly realized that they were following the wrong man and that the best way for them has been to stay tight and suffer together with their fellow Kikuyus.

As African people, it is always true that blood is thicker than water, meaning that we naturally tend to support our tribes mainly when your people are innocently killed, as is the case in Kenya. As we speak today, thousands of those Kikuyu who were supporting Odinga have made a U-turn and are in solidarity with their Kikuyu tribal people, which has made Kikuyu a tightly bonded tribe. In another word, this situation in Kenya has helped Kibaki and his party to have more of his tribal people supports him and has increased the population of his voters. At the same time, smaller tribes that hate violence will at the end sympathize with the suffering and defenseless Kikuyus something, which will leave the Luo, and Karenje fight the election battle alone. So it is important as leaders to make sure that we should handle issues and control violence so that we protect our tomorrow.

The one some people are asking this question, what do you do as a leader when you loose elections? Do you ask your boys to take up arms and fight? A leader is someone who has authority to control his team and able to give instruction which people can follow and listen. He is someone who demonstrates statesmanship when they loose the elections by accepting defeat. A leader is someone who realizes that Romans 13 says that all leaders comes from God and that you don’t pick up a fight with someone whom God has anointed. Now the situation we have today where Odinga’s Luo and Karenjes have taken up arms killing the Kikuyus, shows that something must be wrong in this party. This is because no leader would love to see his people involved in bloodshed and mass killing of innocent people. In this situation Odinga would have quickly ordered his men to immediately stop the killing for the sake of the party’s legacy. We however feel that this whole thing is wrong because you don’t take up arms against your countrymen. Why should countrymen begin to fight and what can they benefit from this? There is no gain in Killing and shading blood of your countrymen. So what the Luo and Karenjes are doing is terribly wrong and need to repent and make peace with their Kikuyu brothers.

Now has Odinga shown and demonstrated that he is the right presidential material for Kenya? Do Kenyans need Odinga at this particular time? Can Kenya as a nation benefit from a situation where Odinga become the national President? From our view, the way Odinga handled the post-Kenyan elections shows that the man is not yet ready to be ther President. Odinga missed his God given opportunity to show the world that he is a statesman by asking his men to stop the mass killing of innocent Kikuyus. Also Odinga failed to control himself and take care of thing without getting emotional and calling others names.

BLANTYRE SYNOD ACTION QUESTIONABLE

As the Church leadership restrains their clergy

By: Peter Qeko Jere

Blantyre Synod action to restrain the Rev. Mangisa from gracing the second anniversary of the interdenominational Tumbuka services at the Blantyre Baptist Church has shocked the body of Christ in Malawi, Africa and the overseas Christian church. It’s unbelievable, indescribable and difficult for a Christian in Malawi to begin to comprehend. It’s the kind of action that does not belong to the body of Christ yet alone the Church. Such unchristian actions belong to the secular world and not the church and it becomes a problem when Christians hears and see such things taking place inside the church, which represent the body of Christ.

Commenting on the drastic action taken against the Rev. Mangisa, the BT Synod Deputy General Secretary, the Rev. Andrew Maere pointed out the following: firstly that the BT Synod leadership felt like they should not be associated with the interdenominational Tumbuka service in the midst of the Livingstonia – Nkhoma wrangle. Secondly that they were aware of speculation of Tumbuka speaking people members in the Synod expressing desire to worship in Tumbuka just like their Lilongwe counterpart. Thirdly that BT Synod feared that Livingstonia Synod was going to encroach into their territory like they have done with the Nkhoma Synod. Finally that the BT Synod wonder as to why should Tumbuka within the Synod go to Baptist church for service of their choice instead of raising the matter up within the hosting Synod.

To begin with, it is wrong for the BT Synod leadership to associate the interdenominational Tumbuka at the Baptist with the Livingstonia-Nkhoma Synod wrangle. This is inter-denomination gathering and of not only CCAP Tumbukas but also some from Catholics, Anglicans, Assemblies of God, Lutheran, Methodists, SDA, Pentecostal and many from Charismatic church hence it’s dangerous for the Synod to directly associate this Tumbuka gathering with the Livingstonia-Nkhoma Wrangle. In this regard, the Synod leadership should not hide behind the Livingstonia-Nkhoma Synod wrangle because there is more to their action. There are many issues behind the scene that led to this decision and not the wrangle. Without missing words, we see that tribalism is the main problem and an issue at hand. The issue at hand was that the leadership resented the idea that one of their clergy should grace a Tumbuka service. The whole idea was that this was a Tumbuka service, which reveals element of tribalism in the way the decision was made.

At the same time, it is unfortunate for the synod leadership to begin to question and wonder when their faithfuls attend services in other churches. The church should know its history and like other Presbyterian churches in the country, should accept that charismatic and Pentecostal churches have many who were once CCAPs. Even this time around, with the freedom of worship that we have, many continue to temporarily visit these charismatic and Pentecostal churches in the city. However, while many BT Synod faithfuls visit Pentecostal, and charismatic churches in the city, we wonder why should it be an issue and a problem for the entire church leadership when few Tumbukas decide to attend interdenominational fellowship at the Baptist Church? Why should this be an issue when it’s about Tumbukas and not others who spend some weeks visiting Pentecostals and charismatic churches in town? It so amazing really that when some from other ethnic tribes in the city visiting other churches, nobody speaks but when its few Tumbuka then the entire leadership comes up with a public statement. This selective approach and treatment is dangerous because it shows that there is more happening behind the scene. This unchristian way of treating faithfuls, raises huge suspicion if one reads between lines.

Just to put records straight, the statement that Livingstone Synod encroached into Nkhoma Synod area is wrong and not correct. In my contribution to both Sunday Times of 5th march (CCAP Synod’s co-existence to promote regionalism) and Weekend Nation of 30th –1 October 2006 (Answer to synod’s wrangle), I made mention that this wrangle has its own history and its very important for Church leaders and people to study this before making any public statement about it. I come from the very wrangle zone or the church battle zone and exactly know what all this wrangle is all about. The truth of the matter is that Nkhoma Synod were the first ones to encroach into Livingstonia Synod area where they managed to construct 88 churches (I can show you where these churches are since this is my home area). As a result of failing to negotiate on a way forward, Livingstonia Synod crossed into Kasungu, Nkhotakota, and Lilongwe. So it’s important to have a balanced and accurate account of issues before we make them public.

Having said this, we consider BT Synod’s unchristian, theologically wrong, and worrisome to the Malawi church unity because of the following: Firstly is that no true Christian leader or Christian faithful could stop someone from preaching the gospel just because it’s outside our ethnic or tribal boundaries. This is because Christ has called us to go and preach to all nations and not to our areas of origins only. We are called to be the light to the world and not only to our specific boarders. The boarders that we have do not exist in the Lords plan because what God knows is the entire world, which is waiting for us to reach out and save from hell.

At the same time, the decision to restrain their fellow clergy is not biblical and at the same time theologically wrong. There is no proof to show that it is illegal for a preacher to share the word of God to different ethnic groups and background. Infact it is recommended (100%) to go and share the gospel to all nations, which include those of different ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, the Synod leadership needs to realize that they need to make sure that their decisions are theologically and biblically right. This action could be well defined as tribalisitc, barbaric and against God’s word. This is because after all the preparations, advertisements and much effort to make the day beautiful, everything was messed up at the eleventh hour. This could also be regarded as spiritual terrorism inside the church, a situation where someone is stopped from doing something against his or her conviction. A situation where you get terrorized inside because someone has created a deliberate situations to frustrate, stop and demoralize you because of reasons well known to them. This is also the demonstration of the spirit of Jezebel where people plan, strategize to stop someone from doing something without proper consultation.

This is worrisome and sad because for the first time, Malawians have seen what church leadership is capable of doing in the house of God. Never has such thing happen in the history of the Christian church in Malawi where church leadership restrains their clergy from patronizing and attending functions of other churches because of tribal differences. This is strange and very unusual because Malawians knows the great commission and other biblical concepts. This action is a shame because it tarnishes the good image of the Malawi Christian Church something we propose need to change.