PETER QEKO JERE

HIS EXCELLENCY THE SUPREME COMMANDER, KIM JONG-UN-NEW LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLES’ REPUBLIC OF KOREA (DPRK)

2011-12-31T04:26:00.000-08:00

By Qeko

It is finally official that Kim Jong-Un has been appointed the Supreme Commander of the North Korea Military force and the successor to his father Kim Jong-il who died on 17th December of a long illness. Just like his son has done, the late Kim Jong-il over from his Father Kim il-Sung after his death in 1994.The late Kim Jong-il was popularly known in North Korea as the preserver of the Revolution.

North Korea which maintains strong link with China, has just announced that there will not no policy change in the Korean peninsula and that the Kim Jong-Un government will continue with the hard-line stand maintained by the late Kim Jong-il. In addition to being the supreme commander of the Korean armed forces, the younger Kim is soon to assume the following; Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, General Secretary of the North Korean Workers Party and the Chairman of the National Defence Commission.

However the ascension to the throne by Kim Jong-Un is putting to rest speculations regarding the leadership succession in North Korea. Signs of Kim Jong-Un ascension to the hot seat were seen last year when he was named a Four-Star General after which he was appointed the Vice-Chairman of the ruling party’s Central Military Commission by his father Kim Jong-il.
In as much as some have argued that the young Kim is not experienced to take charge of this closed state, some have the young Kim is surrounded by royalist many of whom have close family links with the Kim dynasty and they have the task to make sure that the power transition is peaceful done.

We are yet to see what will this wind blowing in Pyongyang means to the western nations and the entire Korean peninsula. I however congratulate comrade Kim Jong-Un for becoming the next Supreme leaders of the North Korea people and the Workers party.

MALAWI ICC WITHDRAWAL COULD BE A GOOD IDEA

2011-12-18T05:09:00.000-08:00

By: Qeko

The Malawi Minister of Information's respond over the ICC threat and intimidation is welcoming and a perfect reaction at this hour. The ICC has continued to issue threats and intimidation to the Malawi people over the Al Bashir issue. The Minister of Information Hon. Kaliati is right to tell the ICC that Malawi as a sovereign state has the right to withdraw from any Treaty that threatens the Sovereignty and peace of the nation. As a nation Malawi is free to decide what she wants to do and how to live in this world. Of what use will it be for the nation to be part and parcel of the international legal framework that undermines the sovereignty legality of the nation. The ICC is just a court and not an elected institution hence it has no mandate and legal authority to dictate terms of reference for any nation. The USA did not sign this treaty because among other things, the USA didnt want to be in such situations where the sovereignty of the state is undermined.

The Government of Malawi is governed by the laws and the constitution of the nation and not the ICC and the ICC as such has got no legal jurisdication to question who visit Malawi or not and how they visit and where they stay when they are in Malawi. If the ICC want Al Bashir so much then they should just get to Khartum and pick him up from there than to rely on nations. If this court was set with such intentions then its unfortunate. To ask Malawi to arrest a sitting head of state as was the case with the Al Bashir issue has shown that ICC is an instrument of conflict and confusion. Dont this Court not know that arresting a sitting heat of state is an invitation for more conflict and war? Do they think Sudanese would just sit and watch their president being arrested? Dont they think this could bring conflict in Africa? The ICC's continual threats has shown that they care less about peace in Africa because it is better for them when the world is ungovernable and in conflict so that they find something to do.

Having said this, the reader need to be reminded that the USA in not party to this Treaty and an American citizen can not appear before it.

PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA ADDRESSES THE ANC EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GENERAL COUNCIL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE TODAY.

2011-12-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

By: Qeko- 15TH DEC, 2011
“No matter how you feel, don’t fight the ANC”. These were the words of the South African President, Jacob Zuma who was the main Guest Speaker today at the Eastern Cape Provincial General Council which is currently underway here on Alice Campus of the University of Fort Hare. The Presidential motorcade arrived on campus around 4.30pm this afternoon and the President went straight to Sport Complex where the ANC Provincial General Council is being held. Inside the Sport Complex, delegates welcomed the President as they shouted for joy and song liberation songs.

Making the welcoming remarks and asking the President to address the delegates was the Eastern Cape ANC Provincial Chairperson Mr. Phumulo Masualle who amongst others thanked the President for coming and gracing the occasion. In his address to the delegates, President Zuma thanked the Comrades for their role in the life of the ANC and how significant the Eastern Cape is in the ANC politics and the life of the nation. He reminded the delegates that the Eastern Cape is the home of the ANC and that therefore the people of South Africa expect more from them. Commenting on the 100 years centenary celebration, the President said that the ANC has survived and lived 100 years where it has seen other parties come and go and that some have died natural political death. The President said that the party has survived this long because ANC is Movement and a national organization.He informed the delegates that the main role of the ANC is to lead South Africa because it was formed by the people. He made mention that People of South Africa expect the ANC to give national leadership and that if ANC was not there, South Africa could not have been where it is now.

The President advised the delegates on three major issues: first he touched on the issue of UNITY. President Zuma said that Unity is critical in the political life of any party and said that no one has the right to bring disunity in the ANC because UNITY is the rock on which ANC was founded. He said that in politics comrades can disagree but this has to be constructive disagreement. He recommended the unity currently existing between the ANC and their Alliances.Secondly the President touched on the issue of Respect for each other in the Party and respect for the Party values. On this one the President caution the people not to do something that will make the ANC uncomfortable. He said that in the party they can be disagreements but still there has to be respect which has to be maintained because this is one of the core values of the ANC.

In closing the President reminded the comrades that they as leaders from the Branches across the Eastern Cape are very crucial and important in the life of the ANC because that is where the people are. He asked the delegates to be active in their branches and play a leading role in community project where they need to give their services to the people. The other min event after the presidential address was made was the MOU signing ceremony between the University of Fort Hare and the South African Heritage Council where from today, some key historical buildings of the University have become historical heritage sites.

A CALL FOR AFRICAN NATIONS TO WITHDRAW FROM THE ICC TREATY

2011-11-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

The continual threat by the International Criminal Court against a sovereign state of Malawi is out of order, misguided, unacceptable, and cannot be tolerated anymore. The ICC is at pain and wonders why Malawi didn’t arrest the Sudan President Al Bashir when he came into the country to attend the COMESA head of states meeting in the capital Lilongwe. Al Bashir came into Malawi as a VIP guest of COMESA and if it was not for COMESA meeting in Lilongwe the Sudan president couldn’t have come into the country. The ICC are accusing Malawi that as a signatory of the ICC Al Bashir was supposed to be arrested in Lilongwe. But unfortunately the ICC demands were not met and al Bashir peacefully attended COMESA meeting and flew back to Sudan. Now looking into the ICC misguided, malicious and baseless accusations, there are the following points that we want to put forward in trying to show the world the main agenda of the ICC and how useless this court is to Africa and the many patriotic African people.

Firstly is that the ICC was formed with a hidden agenda to target leaders of poor countries so that they continue to humiliate them in the name of crime against humanity. This is because when the USA, Britain and other powerful EU states are committing serious crimes of mass killing (ie Iraq, Afganstain, Libya) it does not become crime against humanity. But when similar things is done by a poor head of state in a poor country then it becomes a crime against humanity. This definition is only applied to atrocities committed by poor nations and not Britain, USA or powerful EU states. So its about time that the world should wake up and seriously reconsider whether it is ok to be part of a club that functions with double standards and practices selective application of law. The law is applied when its a crime by African or any poor nation and it doesn’t become a crime when its Britain, USA or EU state committing similar atrocities. So nations in the world today they should revisit and review whether it is necessary to continue being part of such a club or get out and not be obligated with such a misguided venture.

Secondly is that as of today this court has allegedly issued 25 warrant of arrest to people from Africa and their eyes is focused on what is happening in Africa as if the world ends with Africa. Serious atrocities are being committed in various part of the world but the ICC is doing nothing but when its about Africa then its gets to work. This is because the ICC has a negative agenda against the African people and the African leaders. The first head of state to be taken to the ICC is an African (Charles Taylor) and the first warrant of arrest on a sitting head of state was issued to an African and in Kenya the ICC had a nerve to try to bring disunity in the government by issuing warrant of arrest to some key leaders in both the ruling and opposition parties. We are not condoning the crimes that these men committed but our problem is the manner in which the ICC is carrying out it mandate against the African people.

Thirdly is that the ICC crossed the line by demanding explanation as to why the Sudan President was not arrested in Malawi. The ICC should know that they are not a government but JUST A SMALL COURT and they should respect and not cross the line. A whole government cannot report to a court that has not mandate. The ICC should know that the Government of Malawi reports to the people of Malawi who voted them into office and not the ICC. The ICC should know that the Government of Malawi is accountable to the electorates and not the them and there is no way the ICC can be dictating terms of reference for our government. If the ICC has got an issue them they should ask the voters because we the voters are the ones who gave the government the mandate to govern us. In as much as the ICC conventions were signed, this does not mean that that signatory is more binding than our own laws that governs the daily administration of our country. The ICC charter is not above the laws of any sovereign state in fact the ICC charter is regulated by the laws that govern nations and states. So its up to sovereign states to decide how to handle and act in situations like the one Malawi had with Al Bashir.

Fourthly is that if the ICC wants the Sudan President arrested, they should simply go to Khartum and have him arrested there than to depend on nations to effect the arrest for them. The ICC should know that they need to be real and do the right thing. Asking nations to arrest a sitting head of state is asking for more conflict and more bloodshed and that cannot be condoned in Africa. We are sick and tired of conflicts and the best thing is to let African people live in peace and harmony and promote African brotherhood. Any nation that arrest Al Bashir will have its politics turned upside down instantly because Sudan is not an island nation but they have many friends across the globe. So anything happening to Sudan becomes a business of the other nations that support the Sudanese. In other words, the ICC is promoting more conflict in Africa because they know that such things are likely to cause more conflicts. If the ICC were true enough they were suppose to be at the forefront of promoting peace and not forcing nations into conflict with each other. What the ICC want is to use an African nation to arrest an African President so as to bring and create more chaos in African and bring more divisions amongst nations.

Fifthly is that the ICC should know that their CV in Africa has been tarnished and doesn’t look good at all and many look at them as a court whose main mandate is to punish Africa leaders. That it was created with a mandate behind to target African leaders. This is because many of those who have been taken the ICC court have been leaders from Africa which is unfortunate. We all are aware and have seen how George Bush and Tony Blair lead their armies to shed blood in Iraq, torturing and killing innocent Iraqs and I don’t have to even tell you how many innocent Afgans have died in the hands of the USA and the British forces there. But despite all this, these two men who belong to the ICC are walking free on this planet. But if these two were from Africa, they could have been at the ICC court long time back. So that is how bias and double standards this court can be. The USA misled the world that Iraq had Weapon of Mass Destruction and they bulldozed the UNO over the issue. Up the now the world is still waiting to see the Weapon of Mass Destruction they once claim Iraq had. They destroyed Iraq and masterminded the hanging of Sadam just as this time around the British and France NATO led forces masterminded the killing of Gadaffi which is unfortunate. If anything, the ICC if it has to return its credibility then it has to review its operation and make sure that they treat all nations the same and not to make other human being super humans and immuned to the law. Why should George Bush and Tony Blair be immuned to the ICC laws? If the ICC agreed that these two are immuned to their law then let every human being be immuned to the same law so as to maintain the standards because double standards in the application of law is illegal and not acceptable at all in the 21st century.

Finally is that the world should know that in as much as the USA calls upon nations behind the back door to sign this ICC charter, they themselves are not signatory to this document. This means that an American citizen can not appear before this court to answer any chargers. A critical analysis of the list of nations that signed this ICC charter shows that they were all forced into this and many of them didn’t even know why there were being bulldozed to signing it. The USA and powerful nations from the North were being putting pressure that poor nations sign this document if they were to receive economic support. So poor nations signed this ICC charter not because they wanted to but they were afraid of losing out on economic support. This is how far rich nations can abuse their power that they can go extra mile to force and abuse poor nations in any way they want for as long as their agendas are met. That is why we are calling on African parliaments to review all the international conventions including the ICC charters and do some review to determine whether it is necessary to still be part of such a club.

DONT FORCE POOR AFRICAN NATIONS TO LEGALISM HOMOSEXALISM

2011-10-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

The news that the British Government will not give aid to nations that do not support homosexual and gays is a shock of the 21st Century. Never did some of us think that there would be a time when the British government would sink so low and use this unbiblical and blasphemous way of life as a scapegoat to punish nations in Africa. What the British government is saying is that we in Africa should legalise homosexual and lesbianism and then we get their financial aid. Also this means that we should exchange our very soul with the money of homosexualism and lesbianism which for many in Africa is nonstarter. If African people can be given opportunity to argue their case, there would be no single space for talking about this homosexualism and lesbianism because this is a strange way of life something which has no space whatsoever in Africa.

Now the question is : Will rich nations continue abuse poor nations even to the point of forcing them to legalism evil? Will rich nations come so low to the point of forcing poor nations to abondon the core values of their culture? Many African people come from homes where there are values and many time such values defines and shape the way they live and do things in society. We can be educated even having degrees from overseas whatsover but this does not mean that we forget our histories which defines us. To tell African people that a man has to marry a fellow man is a taboo and something that is worse than the word itself. To ask African girls to marry fellow girls when young men are available is sick and something which has no space in many African homes. And that is why this is called a strange way of life, something which has no space in Africa.

Now the western nations need to understand and respect what African people have. They should not force their way of life on African people because in the first place, we in Africa can not go to Europe and force them to adopt our way of life. Infact if we can do that we can face resistance because as Europeans they have their own way of life which has to be respected. Therefore just as Europeans have their own way of life which has to be respected, Africans also need to be given the same respect and that noone should force a strange way of life on the other

Many who advocate for this strange way of life may not like what I am writing here but the truth is that a family is composed of a man and a woman and not a man and a man. If a man marries a man what do they become and produce? If a woman marries a fellow woman again what do they become and produce? This set up of life is not normal and not even sustainable because there is no means of how this life can be sustained. It is against creation itself and against the very existence of humanity that a man can begin to have feelings for a fellow man and that is why this is not welcome in many places in Africa.

Now western nations are using human rights as a tool to argue against the positions that many African nations maintain. African nations are accused of violating the rights of such people to be whatever they feel like becoming even if it means to one day wake up and say they are gay? When God was creating man and woman, he neveer created them gay but created them to multiply and maintain a family and that is only done when a man marries a woman. Anything less than that is wrong and not acceptable.

Having said this, people need to understand that there is a spirit behind any way of life that people practice and in this regard, there is a spirit of homosexualism and gayism which causes many mainly those from broken homes to decide otherwise. Those who say that they only realise that they were gay do that because there is a spirit behind their action and until that spirit is broken down and destroyed, they continue to practice this evil until they go to the grave. So what we need to do is to stand between the gap and intecede and break down this move and wind of evil spirit blowing from the western nations unto AFrica to force African nations legalise evil. African Church and people need to take their position and say no to the propagation of this evil practice.

PROBE INTO THE DEATH OF GADAFFI A MOCKERY BY THE WEST

2011-10-23T07:14:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

Western nations politiking never stop to amaze me. It was the west with their UNO backing who agreed to have NATO into Libya and help rebels fight Gadaffi. Led by Britain and France, NATO have allegedly killed many Libyans in the course of helping the rebels fight Gadaffi. As the war progressed, many people kept on questioning the mandate that NATO had in Libya but the west led by the Britain and France with the US backing, kept on ignoring the writing on the wall that NATOs main unwritten agenda was not only to get rid of Gadaffi but even to make sure that he is killed. This is exactly what has happened and it is amazing that the same people who sat on the table of the UNO over Libya can have the nerve to call for a probe when in the first place they wanted the man dead. Western governments led by France and Britain and the USA should not be calling for any probe because because this is exactly the results and outcome of their decisions and actions.

The cry for a probe into the brutal death of Gadaffi by the western nations is a mockery to the African people because NATO can not just come to AFrican to kill many as they have done in Libya in the course of helping the rebels. Now if there is a talk of any probe then this has to be a probe of the NATO mass killings of the many Libyans mainly those who supported Gaddaffi. Any probe has to look into the death of innocent libyans. A probe into Gadaffi is a way of closing up for a proper inquiry into the deaths of many libyans. The west would want to potray an image as if they care while in actual sense they are not. What the world need to do is to ask for a proper investigation and not for Gadaffi only but for a the death of innocent libyans in the hands of NATO bombing. Why rushing to investigate Gadaffi alone and not the many who got killed by NATO? Let the world call for an investigation that will include every citizen that died with NATO bombing in Libya.

In all this, what we see is the evil intensions of the western nation which is that they will do anything to get hold of the riches of African poor nations even if it means bloodshed as has been the case in Libya. History points fingers into many Africans who have died into trying to save their riches from western invasions. What the west wants is to plant in Africa puppet governments, the type of governments that will always say “yes” to them. So African people and African leaders need to watch out and begin to work together as one again because without the African Unity, many African nations will be dismantled by this neo colonialism.

LETS WATCH THE SPACE IN LIBYA

2011-10-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

Now that the Gaddafi regime has been dismantled by NATO led rebels from Benghazi in the eastern region of Libya, the next move by western nations led by Britain and France is the scrambling for OIL. The question of Oil will remain the major agenda in Libyan politics discourse because finally the west will have their hand in the administering of Libyan Oil through their companies. Many western nations led by the World Bank and IMF are reported in Tripoli trying to find out how they could help bring back the dismantled economy of Libya. Of many realises that these two institutions are in Libya not to help but to force the Libyan people implement some of the policies that have failed across Africa. We only wish if there could be somebody out there to civic educate the Libyan people this time around to be careful and not hand over the economy of their country to the IMF and the World Bank because African countries since independent they have lived at the mercies of these two lending institutions but their economies have never improved but instead nations have gone into economic crisis as never before.

Historians should be keen to see the repetition of history. In 1885 at the Berlin Conference the issue was land and today in Libya the question is OIL. While in 1885 it was about dividing African land, the 21st Century and mainly the Libyan neo colonial politics is about the big nations scrambling for the Libyan Oil. It is because of OIL that the western nations are in Libya and the world should watch this because the western nations have no love and regards for the Libyan apart from the OIL. If Libya was a poor country with no OIL, these nations could not have wasted their time and money to help fight war just as the west can not do a thing in many troubled African countries particularly Somalia. Western nations are getting into Libya not that they help the poor but for their own selfish economic gains just as they have done in many part of Africa. Now the question is what will happen to the Libyan people after their oil is taken away by the western companies? These companies will one day sell the Libyan people the very oil at a high price? Now below are the few points on what the Libyan people need to understand and know as they are building their nation.

Firstly is that they need to identify the type of democracy they would want to practice as a nation so that they effectively accommodate all the tribes even those who supported Gaddafi. The fact that Gadaffi tribes supported their son does not mean that they are less Libyans because they still remains Libyans and should be involved in mapping the future of a new Libya for all. The Politics of tribal segregation will lead to more bloodshed and instability.

Secondly is that they need to understand that everywhere the IMF and World Bank have gone, nations have never remained the same because of their harsh conditions. The IMF and World Bank will force the NTC to make sure that they hand over control of some key national Assets to the private sector and in this case, the western nations companies will come to Libya and buy all the key national assets and finally take over the nation economically. This will create a big gap between the rich and the poor just as is the case in many part of Africa due to the imposition of harsh condition by the IMF and the World Bank.

Thirdly is that the Libyan people should be ready for the western music called, “privatisation” where Libyan national assets will be put in market and those with money will buy them and in this regard, it will be big companies from Europe who will eventually control the market and economy of Libya. This means also that ordinary Poor people in Libya will not have access to the services renders by such facilities.

Fourthly is that some of the key items that privatization will focus on include, electricity, water, medical and education. These services were given free to the people by the Gadafi regime. Now the question is will the IMF allow that electricity, water, education and even medical be given free to the people? So the Libyan people need to get prepared because there are hard and difficult days ahead where in as much as Gadaffi was bad all his good services he provided will begin to be appreciated.

Finally as events unfold in Tripoli, we are watching this space to see what will be the next major thing to happen in Libya after the nation and its wealth get into the hands of the World Bank, IMF and western 21st neo-colonialism. Will the dismantling of the Gadaffi regime benefit the poor people in Libya or will this open a new chapter in the continual suffering for the people. Many analysts have said that the presence of the IMF and World Bank is a terrible signal for the Libyan poor people because these two lending institutions have conditions that don’t fit well with the poor. These two institutions have conditions that make forces nations to get into the 21st century economic slavery where the poor nations are at the mercy of the rich ones.

NOT ALL MALAWIANS JOYFUL AT DEATH EVEN OF GADAFFI

2011-10-22T03:33:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

The Nyasatimes report that Malawians are joyful at the capture and death of Gaddafi is far from the truth and this does not represent the voice of all Malawians. May be the heading of the article could have read, " Some Malawians" and not just " Malawians" because not all Malawians are sharing this notion about the death of Gaddafi mainly looking into the politics that had led to his demise. Also to say that Malawians are rejoicing is crude because we are a people who dont rejoice at death. Death is not something that someone can just talk about it like that as if its a game. We all know and have lost our relatives and we know how heartbroken this can be. It doesnt matter whether someone was a killer or evil but when they die, that situation is a different story because you are talking of a situation where someone is death and we will not see him/her again in this life.

In as much as the nyasatimes reported that many Malawians rejoiced at this death, some of us plus many millions out there are not rejoicing at all because it is in our nature not to rejoice when someone has been killed. We find it hard to celebrate upon hearing that someone has been killed. This article is showing a monstor image of us Malawian tothe world and that is why some of us and the many millions out there are strongly distancing ourselves from this story. As Malawians, we find this article story not potraying a good image because what it says there is not what we do when we hear that someone has died or has been killed. We dont and yes we dont because we value life as an asset freely given by God.

We may not be conversant with the Libyan political situation but some of us knows that: THE FORMULA YOU USE TO GAIN POWER IS THE SAME ONE THAT IS USED TO GET POWER OUT OF YOU. The NTC has used the power of the gun and it is the same gun that shall be used to get them out of power and that is the principle and that is what we should expect whether we like it or not. The Libyan people will neveer see peace again but that the nation shall be unstable for the many decades to come. Like all of us, Gaddafi had his mistakes and weaknesses as has been allegedly said globally but to decide to kill is far way too much.

Now the bible says for we all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God meaning that there is no human being who is an angel waking on this planet. This also means that in as much as some few are celebrating they need to know that just as Gaddafi may have committed the so called crime against humanity, this does not mean that he is the only "big sinner". We all are sinners who shall one day face the judgemen to God.

So for those few Malawians allegedly rejoicing, partying or celebrating that Gaddafi has been killed, you need to know one thing that you shall understand and know what death is all about when it visits your homes and may be that day you will know that it is not cool or good to rejoice when someone had died or been killed. We dont rejoice at Death but we mourn!!

THE MMD'S POLITICAL CARELESSNESS IN ZAMBIA’S 2011 GENERAL ELECTION

2011-10-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko
The news that the ruling MMD has lost the Presidential election to an opposition candidate, Michael King Cobra Sata, shows the highest level of political carelessness of the incumbent and ruling party in the history of African politics. Why should ruling MMD allow themselves to be defeated by an opposition party like that? What is it that as a ruling party they were supposed to do in Zambia’s political economy but couldn’t do?

We have bee wondering as to why a ruling party with everything at its disposal can fail to win an election which it organizes and finance. Do political parties conduct elections that they loose? Why should an incumbent President loose an election and be given matching orders to vacate State House by an opposition candidate? Why should the ruling party fail to win an election when they have everything at their disposal to do the right thing and win the political support from the people?

It is a political scandal and carelessness of the highest order for the ruling party with everything at its disposal to be defeated by the opposition party. This is unacceptable and the MMD has just proved how careless they were as a party to fail to win the election when they were the ruling party and the very government of Zambia. For a ruling party to fail to win the election
The main argument here is that ruling parties have all it takes to rule until Jesus Christ come back again. There is no logic whatsoever for the ruling party to loose an election when they are at the center of the ball game. Why should you loose an election that you yourself organizes and finance? Do you organize an election to loose?

This is because in politics the major thing is to give the people what they want and be good to them. It seems the MMD in Zambia did opposite of what they were suppose to do, to give the Zambia people what they were crying for. The party had everything to make sure that their people are given good life. Infact as a ruling party, the MMD had everything at their disposal to create more jobs for the majority unemployed Zambias.

Zambian people have been crying for jobs and an improved life standards through the revamping of their economy something which only the ruling party had the power to do. The major thing and setback was that the MMD leadership concentrated on feeding their stomachs and had little time to think about the ordinary Zambia suffering in the streets of Lusaka and the rural outskirt.

Now a man called Sata who now stays in the country’s state house saw the weakness of the ruling MMD and capitalized on this and score the goal and defeated Banda. What Sata did was just to campaign from a different angle and this was people based campaign where the needs of the people are met. Sata promised the poor and unemployed jobs and an improvement in the living standard in Zambia. This is exactly what they people looked for. The poor and the hungry don’t care the ideology or philosophy you use to win them for as long as their needs are promised to be met.

Now what lessons do we get from the MMD vacating states house and handing power to Sata? The first lesson is that ruling parties in Africa need to do everything under their power to create jobs for the majority of young people who are jobless. This means that nations need to create a good political and economic environment that would enhance economic growth leading to more job creation for the poor. If not job creation then governments in Africa need to come up with programs of action that would empower the jobless young men so that they can begin to venture into some form of economic activities for their survival. In Zambia, these jobless young people are the ones who punished Rupia Banda and his MMD party that they vacated state house and leave it for Sata.

However Sata should not think that he is in that state house forever because the same people is not satisfied, will sack him out and give the presidency to somebody else.

UDF-MCP POLITICAL MADNESS

2011-10-09T05:52:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko
The news that the UDF and MCP have fired the young Muluzi and Chris Daza continue to raise some questions regarding the political madness that has invaded these two parties in Malawi's political economy. While everybody knows that in politics there is a need for a good political transition, the UDF and MCP have decided to fire these two just because they openly declared that they were contesting the coming presidential elections. The crime these two have committed is to openly declare their ambitions to contest the 2014 elections.

However in a twist of events in the UDF, the parties governors seem to be supporting the young Muluzi in his bid to contest the elections and we are yet to see what the UDF gurus shall do after this. However the UDF gurus need to realise that amongst them there is nobody who is a presidential material and all of them are political failures and they have nothing to contribute in the political transformation of the country. They need to realise that they had their time and that their season is over and they need to give space to the upcoming young people to rule the party.The firing of Muluzi has made the UDF internal politiking interesting because there is; The UDF-Nga Ntafu and the UDF Chilumpha.

For the MCP, the major issue sorounds the definiton of the word"people" as they said that it was the people across the country who cried out that Daza be sacked from his position as the party's General secretary. The question for everybody has been that what is it that governs the MCP? Is the party governs by what their covention decided? Now if the convention where all of them are elected is bypassed and have only a handful of the leaders sack Daza then this becomes worrisome for the party that Orton Chirwa formed in 1959. MCP need to realise that JOhn Tembo is not of this generation and that he need to retire from politics with humility. The question is what will he do after he fail to make it 2014? After all Malawians knows very well that he had been in politics before almost half of the population was born and this doesnt sound nice. Why should somebody be in politics since 1961? Does it means that the MCP is a hopeless party and that Tembo is the only human being available for the top post? Sadly does it means that in that constituency in Dedza there are no people who can do better than Tembo?

Having said this, we need to note the following: Firstly is that its about time that this babish politics in the UDF and MCP should come to an end and that people should begin to demonstrate political maturity mainly this time around. Secondly is that the UDF and MCP should know that their house is divided, messed up and they have no chance of winning the 2014 elections. What we are saying is that they have a very political position on where they are operating from which makes them not win the election. They need a huge miracle if they have to be a good contender in the 2014 General Elections.

UDF and MCP policking is interesting though with no hope for the 2014 elections.

DMJ COACH BURNS INTO FLAMES

2011-10-09T03:10:00.001-07:00

By: Qeko
It was at first a small smoke from behind the back of the DMJ coach then a big noise then a a big blast like of a bomb, tearing the DMJ bus apart into flames. This is what has just happened today at round about 7am when the DMJ Coach travelling from Johannesburg to East London Via Queenstown and Alice burnt into flames in an area between Queenstown and Fort Bofort. DMJ Coach are some of the most reliable buses that uses small root passing through KingsWilliams Town, Alice, Fort Bofort, Queenstown on the way to Johannesburg.

This bus particularily was travelling from Johannesburg to East London and it left Johannesburg yesterday at around 7pm. Everybody in the bus is safe however due to the heavey explosion as the flames were tearing the bus down, hindered passengers from rescuing some of the laggueges the people had.

The one most interesting thing however has been in as much as many phone calls were made the relevant authorities around Fort bofort and Queenstown, no police or firemen came to rescue the burning bus leaving many passengers crying for their bags and good iterms they bought from Jahannesburg.

MICHAEL KING COBRA SATA WINS ZAMBIA 2011 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

2011-09-23T00:28:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

Reports from Lusaka indicates that Zambia's opposition leader, Michael King Cobra Sata has put an end to the 20 years rule of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy party after winning this years Presidential election with 43%. This has been announced by the Zambian chief Justice, Ernest Sakala in Lusaka today.

The announcement from Zambia's capital said that the Zambia's opposition leader, Michael King Cobra Sata, who is also the leader of the Patriotic Front has won the election with 95% of constituencies votes counted where he has amassed 1,150,045 votes which represents 43% of the total, compared to Banda's 961,796.

Conceding defeat, Rupiah Banda said that his MMD party is a democratic party and they have accepted defeat and the outcome of the presidential election.Banda's Movement for Multi-party Democracy party has run Zambia since one-party rule ended in 1991.

Reports from Lusaka states that Patritoc Front supporters continues to celebrate the victory as they flocked outside the heavily guarded Electoral Commission headquarters, banging drums, beeping horns and waving flags.

As the Zambian people are celebrating the coming in of a new president, the question is what does Michael Sata's win mean for Malawi, Zimbabwe and the rest of SADC? As a business man himself what does Sata's win mean to the people of Zambia? Malawi from 1994-2004 was ruled by a businessman President, Bakili Muluzi, and should we expect the Sata Zambia to be the same as the Muluzi-Malawi we had? Zambias should wait a minutes and not rejoice too much coz time will be a judging factor for Sata.

ZAMBIAS OPPOSITION SATA EARLY LEAD NOT THE END OF THE GAME

2011-09-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

By Qeko

Report from the Zambia's capital Lusaka says that the Zambia's opposition leader Michael Sata is leading in the poll where he has 42% while the incumbent President Lupia Banda has 35% of the counted votes so far. Many commentators have indicated that the opposition voters is concentrated mainly in the cities and town where the population is small. Out of the 150 centers only 133 have been counted and many of these are the strongholds of the opposition leader. This then means that as many have commented, it would be too early for Michael Sata and his supporters to begin celebrating because anything could happen out of the remaining centers many of whom belong to incumbent leader.

however many Zambian are awaiting the outcome of this General election because it is not very clear as to who has the finger of God pointed at to lead Zambia in the next five years.

GOD CAN USE ANYTHING, ANYONE, ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE (AAAA) TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS

2011-08-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

The notion that God cannot use “certain people” to answer particular prayer petitions offered to Him is untheological, unbiblical, unfounded, and something which reveals a worrisome lowest level of biblical knowledge prevailing amongst both laymen and some clergy in Malawi. This is pathetic and really sad for the church and the nation at large. It is a sad thing because it is expected of the church leadership to be biblically versed and able to argue based on scripture and not on emotions.

It was reported in the media that at this year’s graduation at Mzuzu University, a particular prayer for the nation was offered to God and latter His Excellency the State President made a statement that he wanted to respond to the content of the prayer offered by the clergy. This raised some controversial questions because according to some clergy and laymen, only God can answer prayer and thereby it was not good for the State President to say that he was to respond to the petition raised by the clergy in the prayer. This therefore raised the two main questions; how does God answer or prayers? And when does this God answer these prayer petitions? In this article, I want to show that God can answer our prayers offered to Him anytime, anywhere and using anyone in line with His divine will and purposes.

Firstly is that God can answer our prayers in many different ways. God answer our prayers through miracles or by using fellow human beings to intervene in our situations. Many times in the bible God intervenes in the lives of His people using the so called “angels” whom He sends to answer petitions. Sometimes these angels appeared like directly sent from heaven and sometimes God used the human beings to act as angels and instrument of intervention in the plan of His people. In other circumstances, God used individual persons or group of people or even unique situation and circumstances to respond and answer petitions and this is always in line with His divine will and purpose for his people. Biblical examples are too many to mention where God used some people in answering particular prayer items. For example, God raised Moses to deliver Israelites from Pharaohic oppression in Egypt. The bible says that God heard the prayer of His people and he raise up Moses as the instrument of deliverance for His people from captivity. God performed the wonders through the man- Moses and his younger brother Aaron. Throughout biblical history God has responded to people’s petition using different mode of communication even using human beings just like us. We need to know that God does what is best for us to satisfy His will and purposes. So the argument raised concerning the Mzuzu University prayer shows a worrisome level of biblical knowledge the country suffers from which is dangerous. Also if the bible in Romans 13 says that God appoints leaders for the nations (whether good or bad all depending on his plan for his people) then what is it that can stop the same God from using the very man He appointed to lead the nation? Surely if God can choose a leader for the nation then surely God can even use Him to answer some of the key needs for the nation.

Secondly is that Malawi has a unique history where we have seen God intervening in the social political and economic life of the nation. The problem with Malawians is that we tend to easily forget God’s past dealing with the nation which is unfortunate. There has been the great touch of God in the history of our country where God used some people to intervene in the political life of the country. To begin with let me mention to you that the history of the nation reveals that in the 1800s the Portuguese almost took over what we call southern region of Malawi. Sir Harry Johnston who was the British representative for Nyasaland almost gave in to the Portuguese demands to take over the entire southern region of the present day Malawi. But God used the Christians in Scotland and the few who were in Malawi to stop this from happening. If it was not for the great intervention work of God through the Christians in both Scotland and Malawi, what is southern region today could have been part of the present day Mozambique. But God intervened to give this nation what was the best in His divine plan.

Also you may be reminded that after more than 30 years of oppressive rule of the Dr. Banda regime, God finally raised some men and women in whom he instilled boldness and courage to lead the emancipation of the nation from the oppressive regime.I don’t have to remind you how God used our men and women in Parliament to stop the third term bill. If that bill passed that day, Malawi could not have been the same and we may not know why God intervened like that. God in His divine plan and love for the nation created a situation that made some MPs not be in the house and some not even vote and the bill failed to pass that day. We all were shaken those few hours and we all said that this was the hand of God and nothing else. It was God again who in His great wisdom, love and mercy for the nation also created mysterious circumstances that led to the failure of the whole impeachment process in addition to the many interventions that God has used in the life of the nation.

We need to know that some situation demands God to use people and other situations God comes down himself to answer our petitions. I don’t have to remind you how many times God has sent angels to answer particular prayers in your lives and you are all witness to this great hand of God through the people he uses. So if God can use you and me to answer other people’s prayer then surely the same God can even use the State President to answer particular prayer even in the life of the nation like Malawi. So it is wrong to quickly judge that the President was wrong to response to the prayer because being the Head of State, there are some petition that God can use him to bring about solution for the nation. We need to refrain from this spirit of being judgemental because sometime we may not know that we are arguing against the plan of God because God can use anyone, anytime and anywhere and anyhow according to His divine will and purposes for His people.

Finally is that we need to know that God can answer our prayers anytime and we are not the ones to dictate when God can answer these petitions. Like the Mzuzu University issue, the problem to many has been that it was too quick for the prayer petitions to be responded to because may be they wanted the response to come after some time or through a different mode of communication. We need to always remember that God’s plans are different and final and He respects nobody and He does things according to His own divine plans and purposes. Whatever thing we want, we shall not manage to dictate Him because He has a final say and does things in line with His divine will for His people. Now was it wrong to have the petitions responded to right there that same day? Response to prayer can be instant (right on the spot) or it can be gradual all depending on the plan that God has for a particular person or nation. His divine plan and purpose for His people is vital and supreme and its determines whether the answer may be instant or gradual. We have see prayers being instantly answered and sometimes God delays to answer all depending what is best for us. I don’t have to remind you that on the cross the thief made it to heaven instantly after he made his plea to Jesus. God does not care how chaotic the social political situation may be on the land but as God He is able to answer our petitions Anytime, Anywhere, Anyhow and using Anyone (AAAA) all depending on His great plan for His people and the nation.

OF THE GAY MARRIAGE AND AFRICAN CONSERVATIVE SOCIETY

2011-07-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

In many African communities, the mountains trembles and the earth thunders in protest and anger at the mentioning of the world same sex marriage also called Gayism. This is the wicked and blasphemous action which is deplorable and not condoned in the conservative African society and any action to promote it is met with harsh and immense resistance from all quarters of life. Gay marriage is detestable because it destroys the core value of African existence since Africa has exist this long because of the belief in a family values where a man marries a woman and they have children. If it was not for the promotion and protection of family values by our grand fathers, the entire continents could have disappeared from the map. Therefore the key pillar of African society-family tends to be of great significance for the existing and wellbeing of the African people. Without a family you cannot have a community and without a community you cannot have a nation. So in other words, the family is the very backbone and foundation of a nation and this is a non-negotiable issue for many people in Africa.

The conservativeness of African society reflects what used to being the order of events in Europe when traditional Christian values were upheld. During those olden days’ societies in the west promoted and protected family values from destruction such that gay marriages were unacceptable. Those were the days when the church and the state existed as a unified entity and in the spirit of coexistence and mutual respect. But with time, western liberalism crept in and brought about the destruction of the core values of western society which also promoted humanism. People then began to question the existence of God if at all He was relevant. This later saw the removal of the bible and anything about God from public schools and offices across Europe and America and they argued that humankind should be left alone and free to worship whatever they want be it snakes, lizards, mountains, rivers to mention but a few. This article therefore is intended to show why people across African resent any talk of gay marriage and why they call it abomination against family values. The article will also show why the church in the west is blamed by many for the spread of same sex marriage.

Firstly is that western Church moderate approach Gayism is unacceptable: The western church’s moderate approach on issue of gay marriage is a sign that it is in support of the legalisation of this wicked act of terror against family values and God’s original plan for humankind to multiply. The legalisation of gay marriages across Europe and other parts of America explains that the church in the west has lost direction and is responsible for the demise of family values in Europe. The church in the west has become useless and a working social club geared to promote the demands of their western secular political administration. At this juncture, we need to recall that history shows that what we see in the western church is a repetition of what has always been the trend in that the church has failed to stand against the demands of secular political administration which includes separating the church from politics and removing God and the bible from all public institutions and offices. What we see in the west today is the outcome of such decisions passed long time back that today it is illegal for people to talk about God and the bible in public places in many parts of Europe and America. This also shows that Secular education gives birth to secular minded people who creates secular society and secular political administration which at the end enacts secular and ungodly piece of legislature which in this case would include the legalising of same sex marriage. Key questions for the western church are; Why has the western church been unable to stand up in support of family values? Why has the church not taken a radical approach in dealing with such wickedness in their society? Is the western church qualified enough to advise and teach the African people on the significance of family values when they themselves fail to protect such values in their society? What amazes many African people is that the western church which once advocated for the truth of the gospel and family values is doing little to stop their respective governments from pumping in Billions of dollars in support of the spread of abominable way of life. Western governments and their churches need to know that African people will not sell their core family value with money because what they cherish is worth more than silver and gold.

Secondly is that same sex marriage (Gayism) is despicable, wicked and abominable act. For African people same sex is immoral, wicked and despicable thing to be practiced by humankind in the 21st century. This is an abomination such that you even tremble at the mentioning of such a word in African society. It is in their nature that marriage is meant for a man and a woman while a family is composed of a man, woman and their children. Anything outside this definition of a marriage and family is abomination and not acceptable in African society. However western nations are pumping in Billion of US Dollars to many NGOs operating in many parts of Africa with an aim of helping them propagate the gospel of mass destruction for the family values. In addition to advocating human rights, these NGO have gone as far as stepping in a wrong territory and have met massive resistance from the African people. African people believe that not everything that comes from Europe is wisdom and empowering hence the resistance. The resistance to legalise this wicked act of terror for the family has met massive resistance from our parliamentarians who are men and women with a vivid belief in the protection of family values. Our parliamentarians realises that they also have children whereby legalising such a harmful bill could have serious repercussion on their children and grand children. So in addition to passing bills in parliament, our parliamentarians also act as custodians of family values by protecting the family from western pressure of mass destruction.

Finally is that African Heads of States supports family values:Head of states and governments across Africa supports the protection and promotion of family values. This is seen in that all of them are married and have beautiful wives. The wives of Heads of State have their own association where they once meet to discuss various issues of national development for Africa and their respective nations. This on its own is a message that shows that African Head of States believes in family values and that is why they have taken it upon themselves to protect the existence of a family amongst the African people.

It is in this regard that African Heads of States are against same sex marriage and many have vowed to make sure that this abomination is not even talked in their respective constitution. For instance in Zimbabwe both Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe has vowed to make sure that issues of gay marriage are not even discussed in their constitution. In Uganda President Museveni and his government doesn’t want people in Uganda to practice gay marriage and this remain illegal in the country. In Malawi despite the pressure from UN’s Ban Ki Moon and the various western forces, President Professor Muthalika and his government are resolved to protect the family values by making sex marriage illegal in the country. In South Africa in as much as gay marriage was legalised, 80% of the population don’t subscribe to the idea and still believe in the protection of family values and are not comfortable that there is such abomination in their country.

OF DELETING KAMUZU FROM THE HISTORY OF MALAWI

2011-07-19T03:54:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

Weeks ago an article appeared on the Nyasatimes where the author advocated the Anti Kamuzu Banda sentiments where he proposed that Kamuzu must die from Malawi’s history and that celebrating him is tantamount to Satanism. I have been going through this article trying to understand why someone could be so crude and share such piece of anger to the public. I also have been wondering as to whether education the author is pursuing at Polytechnic is helping him to become more productive in nation building as a journalist. In a normal situation we expect those of us pursuing some University studies to be more enlightened on issues and effectively contribute to debate with soberness and statesmanship. In this article my main argument is that in as much as the author would have loved to see Kamuzu Banda’s history deleted from Malawi’s history, the truth of the matter is that Kamuzu Banda’s historical account will remain part of Malawi’s history for as long as Malawi exists as a nation. Kamuzu Banda ruled Malawi for more than 30 years and almost half of the country’s population were born and grew up during his reign. However before I present my case, I would like to correct two misrepresentation of historical facts the author raised in his article as he argued his case against Kamuzu Banda;

The launch of the 1953 struggle against federation: To begin with, the author presents a huge misrepresentation of historical facts on the launch of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in 1953. The author argues that the four young Turks; Chipembere, Dunduzu Chisiza, Kanyama Chiume and Orton Chirwa launched the 1953 struggle against the Federation. This is a misrepresentation of historical facts because by 1953 these young Turks were not in Malawi but were abroad pursuing their various studies. For instance Chipembere and Orton Chirwa were at the University of Fort Hare pursuing their various degree studies together with the likes of Robert Mugabe, Julius Nyerere, Tom Mboya, Mongasuthu Buthelezi and Nelson Mandela. During the same time Kanyama Chiume and Dunduzi Chisiza were pursuing their studies in East Africa. Therefore to say that these four great sons of Malawi launched the 1953 struggle against the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is the misrepresentation of historical fact in the study of the colonial history of Malawi. The noble sons of the land only joined the struggle when they came back from their various studies and this was after the launch of the federation.

The 1964 Cabinet crisis: In addition, the author somewhere in his article argues that the 1964 Cabinet Crisis was not a crisis but a mere event where the ministers wanted to check Kamuzu’s unjustifiably huge power. This is also a dangerous misrepresentation and a distortion of historical facts about this major political event in our history. The Cabinet Crisis was not just a mere worthless event but a real and a major shakeup in the political history of our country. The Cabinet Crisis is about the cabinet ministers being fired and some deciding to resign in sympathy with their sacked friends which basically paralysed the entire executive arms of government. The most dangerous part is that the author seems to undermine the significance of this major event in our political history which is unfortunate and sad. For those who saw and were present that time in September 1964, this event was a bomb that exploded and managed to shake every foundation of the Malawi’s political destiny because the key people involved were noblemen and women who were also freedom fighters together with Banda himself. Having said this, let me now show you why the history of Kamuzu Banda will remain part of Malawi’s social political and economic history for years to come.

Kamuzu is the Father and Founder of the Malawi nation: Firstly is that Kamuzu Banda remains the Father and Founder of the Malawi nation and this is the historical fact that will never be changed in our history books. We need to just accept that this is how things are and will be. Kamuzu Banda ruled the nation for more than 30 years and this is a huge history that cannot just be removed from the history books. Kamuzu raised the great foundation of this nation and as human beings we need to appreciate in as much as we know that there were instances where he failed. Removing Banda from the history of the nation is a say dream and it is like removing the very foundation of this nation. No true Malawi’s social political and economic history can be written without Kamuzu’s name being mentioned. Having said this, we need to know that as human beings we all have weaknesses and failures. It is historical true that bad things happened but that does not justify to deny the nation the piece of history which raised the very foundation of their existence as a nation and as a people. In life there are some historical facts that we cannot change just because we want to satisfy our ego. So in as much as there were allegation of atrocities committed during the reign of Kamuzu, this does mean that we can go as far as deleting kamuzu’s name from the history books.

History is significant for the upcoming generation: Secondly is that deleting the historical account of Dr. Kamuzu Banda from our nation’s history is like destroying our own history that has shaped the destiny of the nation for decades. This is also like denying the young generation from accessing the truth of our history. Why should we hide the truth of our history? History is not for us to keep but for us to share with the upcoming generation so that they can be guided and not make the same mistakes that once happened in the course of national development during Dr. Banda. Wise leaders are those who study their predecessors’ historical account so that they learn from their past mistakes and properly lead the people. If we are to raise wise leaders then we need to give they the piece of history as it is so that they can read and learn exactly what happened and why such atrocities were committed. It is dangerous to have a generation that can not understand it’s own history and existence.

Living a forgiving life is key to a brighter future for the north: Finally is that it is historically true that the Northern Region suffered in many ways as the author mentions in his article. As someone who comes from North, I understand and know exactly the pain the author is expressing here. I also know that it is due to the Banda’s oppressive rule that the nation lost many productive men and women who went into exile, denying them an opportunity to serve their motherland. Those of us who were born and grew up during the Kamuzu Banda’s regime have an idea how people suffered.

However the question is; shall we continue to allow our negative history to determine our destiny as a people? For how long shall we continue to nurse the pain of the past? When shall we learn to forgive each other and move on as a people belonging to one nation? We need to forgive and after all Kamuzu Banda apologised to the nation in his address in responding to such demands. We can not continue to live as unforgiving people yet calling ourselves Malawians. Forgiveness is a key to the success of any nation. We need to know that no any amount of pain will be equal to the pain that Christ went through even dying on that rugged cross BUT still the first thing he did was to speak FORGIVENESS for all those who nailed and made him suffer. Likewise for those of us whose relatives suffered under the Banda regime need to realise that it’s about time that we forgive and move on as a people. We should know that there is power in forgiving and this opens doors to success.

OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTHERN SUDAN AND THE BIRTH OF A NEW NATION

2011-07-09T05:54:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

After several decades of civil war and bloodshed, a new nation is born today in Africa called, " THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTHERN SUDAN" with its capital at Juba. Juba international Airport small though has become the busiest partof the country welcoming various world leaders including the 30 African Heads of States who will be attending the birth of Africa's new born nation.

For many decades, the southern Sudan lost close to 2.5 million people who died fighting for the liberation of their motherland from the khartum government. The main problem was that the Government of Sudan in Khartum never paid attention to develop the south. This was because the balance of political power for decades has been dominated by the north leaving the South unattended and never accessed development. This created resentment amongst the people in the south and they later took up arms to fight for the future and freedom of their children to the fourth Generation. Therefore for decades the war of liberation was faught under the SPLM leader Dr. John Garang who died and never saw the fruits of his liberation struggle. However, the blood of the freedom fighters in southern sudan was shed for a purpose so that a day like this one can come and the nation can be free.

Many correspondants from Juda have said that the new nation is rich with oil which makes Southern Sudan the third African riches oil producing nation. The main question has been now that the nation is independent, will the northern government in Khartum continue to control the flow of oil from the south to the north? Will the government in southern sudan cut off this oil network witht he north so that they take care and control the oil in their territory? many have suggested that the best thing is for the United Nation to continue protecting this new nation from the Al Bashire regime who may invade and dismantle the rich oil flowing from the south. This become an issue for the Khartum government because Oil was their main reveneu and reason for their existence as a nation and giving away southern sudan is like cutting the main lifeline of the nation. We are yet to see how the Khartum government shall survive and if at all they shall come up with a new mechanism of how to share the oil with their southern neighbour.

All the same we just want to congratulate this new nation and may God continue to bless the people of THE SOUTHERN SUDAN.

CONGRATULATION MALAWI QUEENS

2011-07-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

It can never be as good as to hear that the Malawi Queens have qualified for the Quarter Finals of the World Netball Championship currently underway in Singapore. The Malawi Queens lost to England in their first game but made a come back in thier other two games as they demolished Malaysia 66-35 and Barbados 73-44 respectively.

The Malawi Queens victory is something that we as citizen of the land can rejoice about because here are our ladies performing and doing wonders that our football team cant do. I mean we are talking of a World Netball Championship which is at the same level as the World Cup which South AFrican hosted last year. I mean our ladies are amongst he best Netball teams in the world and they are feared. I guese you are not getting what am saying here: What i am saying is that our ladies team is number 7 on the world ranking which is not a joke and not a game. You see the Malawi Queen is the best in Africa next to South Africa. In other words if this was football we could have been talking of football team to be among the best top 7 on World ranking. So as a Malawian I am proud for what our ladies are doing.

As to tornament continues in Singapore, I just pray that our ladies will put extra effort to make it to the Semi-finals, finals and finally get this cup home so that the world can really know and see what Malawians are capable of. So i wish you the Malawian Queens all the heavenly success in your send game.

HAPPY 47TH ANNIVERSARY MALAWI

2011-07-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

Today 47 years ago a nation called Malawi was born after a fearful fight against the British colonialist. Many of our people died fighting for the freedom and independence and today as is a very special day for the nation. That this nation was born on this day, it makes me happy that God decided that this be my motherland and my homeland because there is no better home than Malawi. This is the only place on earth i call home and I am proud to be part and parcel of the heritage of this nation called Malawi.

As we celebrate this day, I call upon patriotic citizen of the land to demonstrate love for this beloved motherland because this is our only home. This is the only place where we can walk freely without being asked questions. This nation defines what we are today and we will always be Malawians. Am proud to be a Malawian because this is my home and this is my country and the land of my birth.

What we need to know is that we need to be a people who shall give our services to the nation and not only waiting for the government to give us something. The question has to be, " WHAT WILL I GIVE TO MY COUNTRY TO HELP MY PEOPLE IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER". We need to give something and help in the development of our country. We need to begin playing this game of nationa development before we ask people from outside to come and help us. So let us love our country even as we celebrate this independence this week and in every thing we do we need to know that for us to enjoy this freedom, others went to jail and some were killed. So may God bless us all for taking us this far as a nation and my prayer is that we shall be more patriotic and love our country as never before.

FORMER PRESIDENT FREDRICK CHILUBA DIES

2011-06-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

Reports from Lusaka states that Zambias former President, Fredrick Chiluba has died at the age of 68. Chiluba was the founding father of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, the party which played a criticla role inthe fight for multiparty democracy in Zambia. he was also the champion of Democracy and a human rights campaigner for Zambia who ruled the christian nation from 1991 to 2001. After assuming power in 1991, Chiluba mananged to transform Zambia through the introduction of political and economic liberalisation which saw the improvement in the lives of Zambian.

In addition to the great economic change that Chiluba brought to the Zambian nation through his well accredited policies, there were times when lost direction as a President and a pro-democracy campaigner. Firstly is that Chiluba he had little respect for the founding father of the Zambia nation, Baba KK. Even though KK lost the election and handed over power to him, Chiluba continued to allegedly harrase Kaunda with jails and many forms of intimidation. In his mission to completely silence Kaunda, in 1996, Chiluba undemocratically barred the founding father of the Zambia nation from contesting the presidential elections alleging that he was of a Malawian descent.

The continued arrest of Kaunda by the Chiluba regime came to the climax in 1998 when Chiluba kept the Father of the Zambian nation in prison in Kabwe. It took Julius Nyerere, Robert Mugabe and other key african heads of states to plead with Chiluba to release Kaunda. This kind of behaviour not to respect the founding father of the nation was the very begining of the political downfall of Chiluba as he later became more autocratic and even tried to bid for a third term which failed and ended up annoning Mwanawasa at the MMD torch bearer for the 2001 Presidential elections. After Mwanawasa took over, Chiluba's expectations were never realised because the very same man he annointed turned back and commenced prosecution against his corruption behaviour and the money he allegedly store from the Zambian people.

Now that Chiluba his passed on, the question is what kind of legacy has he left for the Zambian people and Africa as a whole? Also what type of lessons can we learn from the way he ruled the Zambian people? Also what kind of lesson can all the upcoming politicians in Zambia and Africa learn from this great Zambian statesman?

LIBYA: THE 21st CENTURY BILLION DOLLAR WAR AND BUSINESS

2011-06-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

The news the key western super power nations are in the United Arab Emeretes capital to discuss the post Gaddafi Libya is interesting and a kind of repeating history itself. This is because the discussion about the post Gaddafi Libya seem not to be inclussive and does not represent the overall Libyan people but those who support the rebels and have left out those from Tripoli. I realise that the war in libya has gone tribal and in this regard, I wonder if all key tribes are represented in the UAE meeting.

Now this type of meetings reminds some of us of what happened of the 1884-85 Berlin Conference where western super power nations had a meeting to discuss and divide African amongst themselves. Just as the west are discussing the Post Gaddafi Libya, their forefathers did the same when they were sharing Africa amongst themselves. Now this is repeating the wicked history of the Berlin conference which has been the main cause of conflict in Africa today. What is happening in Africa today is as a results of what happened in Berlin during that conference where European powers shared Africa amongst themselves. Now to hear again that Western Nations have gathered in United Arab Emirates to discuss the Future of Libya even as the civil war is on is pathetic and and worrisome. What is unacceptable is for the West to again sit on the conference table and plan the future of Libya. The future Post Gaddafi Libya can not be discussed in UAE and it should have nothing to do with the Western nation. The Destiny of Libya has to be in the hands of the Libyan People and not to be dictated by the Western nations.

WHY NATO IS BOMBING LIBYA TODAY?

There are many arguments that people have put forward as to why NATO led by Britain, France and Italy are daily bombing Tripoli. The one common argument raised by many is that western nation are scrumbling for OIL in Libya and in this case, the post Gaddafi Libya will show how far this shall go. The west through NATO and the United Nations are all doing every thing they can to dismantle libya and the whole reason is OIL. Libya is a rich country with rich natural resources and is one of the leading oil producing country in Africa and in the World. Now just as the USA did in Iraq, this time around Britain, France and Italy will likewise make sure that they completely dismantle Tripoli so that they come back to reconstruct it. So western nation are hiding behind all the factors the rebels have raised agaisnt Gaddafi while in actual sense the main reason is OIL. So it is unfortunate that as NATO continues to bomb libya, innocent lives are lost in Tripoli and nobody seem to see this. It seems that those living in Tripoli do not have the right to exist and even if they are bombed its OK while when the eastern side is bombed then alarms are raised. This is how unfair the world systems can be as they wrongly define people. The definition of the "People" is basically limited to those in Bengazi such that when anything happens to them the alarms are raised.

THE BUSINESS WAR

The one thing that people need to understand is that in the 21st century, war has become a booming business and that is why in as much as lives are lost, some tend to benefit during the war. Havent you wondered that if a nation is rich in varous minerals and other natural resources such a nation tend to attract many to join in the war? Havent you seen that big nations dont mind to intervene in conflicts where nations are poor and with no rich minerals and oil? At the same time you will see that in a nation like libya, every rich nation would like to get involved in the dismantling of Libya so that they get opportunity for tenders in the reconstruction process? So what is happening in libya is all business and the whole issue is OIL AND OTHER MINERAL RESOURCES THAT LIBYA HAS. If libya was a poor nation with no OIl and no other Mineral resources no western powerful nation even the USA could have wasted their time and money to intervene. But they are busy using everything under their power to dismantle libya even more because they want to make sure that they come back to reconstruct and have a share in the OIL. So the Libyan war is vital at the moment and that is why the west will do everything to make sure that Gaddafi is gone so that they commence reconstrution. Now in the reconstruction process, Britain, France and Italy will play a leading role and their campanies are the ones which shall get into Libya to re-fix the dismantled nation. So the one thing that many Libyans seem not to see is that this is not about Gaddafi but the OIL. The USA has played a low profile in Libya because they had had enough of such activities in Iraq when they controlled the reconstruction process and this time around they have left it to the British and the French to have their share. So that is the reason why you will not see the USA taking a key role in Libya because they are still enjoying the Iraq Oil and the rest of the reconstruction deals there.

WILL LIBYA BE THE SAME AGAIN?

When i see the various news channels the bombing that is taking place in Libya, one cant help it but ask this, " Will Libya be the same again? Will the Libyans and all Arabs manage to accommodate the demands of democracy? With what is happening in Tripoli, Libya will not be the same and this civil war where the westen nation are assiting one section of the country to fight has created this hatred between the two sections of the Libyan people. Those from the eastern side and Tripoli will never be one people anymore because we need to understand that Libya is tribal based African nation where in this case, Gaddaffi has his own people whose duty is to make sure that they die with him fighting. So this whole war in Libya is against all those tribes which supports Gaddafi and because of this, these sections of the country will never be united again. This war has separated these two key people in the history of Libya.Having said this, westen nation should know that naturally African people feel more patriotic to their tribes and are able to do anything to protect the existence of their tribes. So in the case of Libya, whatever thing that happens to Gaddafi becomes the entire Tribes business and no wonder they will alwayz be people who are ready to take up arms and fight not for him as such but its the fight of protecting their every existence, their tribe.

REGIME CHANGE BY THE GUN NOT THE VOTE

Against all odds, there is a concept and wicked ideology called, "regime change" propagated by the west particularily the USA. George Bush seem to be the pioneer of this regime change concept where the western nation could decide the destiny of a nation so long they are in bad books with a particular leader. What surprises many is that the regime change called by the west who claim to be the champion of democracy is by the gun and not the ballot paper. The Western nations seem to support the use of the gun to get rid of leaders who have been in power instead of using the power of the vote.As of libya, the most suprising thing is that the three key western nations, Britain, France and Italy are not calling for the libyans to exercise their demoncratic rights to vote but to use the gun to remove Gaddafi. Now we need to understand that if they use the gun to remove Gaddafi today, this trend will continue and next time it will be somebody else to be removed by the gun. The thing is " You got in by the gun, the same gun will be used against you". So what the western nations are doing to encourage the use of a gun for regime change in African is worrisome and unacceptable because this is a way of making Africa more ungovernable and it has to come to a stop.

PRESIDENT RUPIAH BANDA, A TRUE ZAMBIA

2011-05-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

As Zambians are about to get to poll, some failed politicians are at it again. They are alleging that President Rupiah Banda is a Malawian and that he is not eligible to contest the coming Presidential election. Looking at this sad development, I quickly remember some years back when Chiluba did the same cheap politics by saying that Kaunda was a Malawian just because his parents came from Nkhatabay in Malawi. I may not exactly know the stipulation of the Zambian constitution on the matter but this cheap politiking is nonsense and for the failed comrade who can not withstand the political wind blowing around them.

It is cheap in the 21st Century for anybody to begin digging the originality of an individualS so as to stop them from contesting the election. If you have the nerve and capacity, just get prepared and face the game than giving such lame execuses as Chiluba did to stop Baba K from contesting. Zambians need to understand that it doesnt matter where somebody's parents originated from because historically all of them have came from somewhere else. Hearing the names of those who are at the forefront of this wicked campaign, you only see that they all have roots to Malawi OR somewhere else and it would be bad to begin digging them. Zambias need to know that right in Lusaka and the entire eastern region of their country, there are many similiar surnames as those in Malawi because originally Malawi and Zambia still are one people and it was the western colonialism which created the boarders which up to this day seem to fail to divide us. Zambians feels at home when they come to Malawi and Malawians feel at home when they come to Lusaka, Ndola and other places because wherever you go you will find someone with just similar surname and you are able to even communicate in a nice nyanja, tumbuka or english.

So for the sake of oneness and ubuntu, I call upon those Zambians who are busy cooking and coming up with sick allegation against President Rupiah Banda that they should grow up and know that this is cheap politics and they will not make it. What surprised some of us is that before President Banda became the vice president, he for many years served the Zambian nation in various capacities and no body talked about his originality. Even when Mwanawasa (RIP) appointed him as his Vice President, nobody said a thing and why should somebody today begin to come up with such allegations? This is interesting and let wait and see.

WILL OSAMA BIN LADENS ASSASSINATION BRING ABOUT WORLD PEACE?

2011-05-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

By: Qeko

The argument that now that the world is now a peaceful place to live just because the American have finally succeeded in assassinating Osama Bin Laden is a joke and not true. Many from western perspective seem to support the way Osama was butchered by the Americans and how they managed to get into Pakistan and have him killed. Also is there is difference between the Americans and Al Qaeda which is a bloody organisation? In response to this, let me say that I see no big difference between the Al Qaeda and the Americans in terms of the amount of blood they have shed in history.

Both Al Qaeda and the US have blood in their hands: In as much as Al Qaeda is an ideology, in practice they are just the same as the Americans because they are are people who shade blood. Just as the Al Qaeda killed many in the US and other part of the world, the Americans also have bloody hands as they continue to shade blood across the globe. Sea of blood continue to flow in the many part of the world where they Americans have troops like in Iraq, Afganstan, Pakistan and other parts of the world. We may not know how many people have died in the hands of the Americans in the name of fighting Al Qaeda across the globe but the one major thing is that the means of fighting Al Qaeda have forced the Americans to shade more blood through the death of innocent civilians. So Al Qaeda is a bloody organisation just like the Americans also have too much blood in their hands.

To say that the world now is peaceful and safe because Osama is dead is a joke. The post Osama dispensation will be a different one because this time around it will be the fear that many nations will be having that what happened to Osama and Pakistan can happen to any nation on earth for as long as you are not in good books with the Americans. Now if the Americans went into Pakistan without the prior authorisation by the Pakistan government just because they wanted Osama then there is no one who shall stop the Americans to do the same in future to any country on earth. It seems the Americans with their sophisticated technology will be able to do anything for as long as their planned programs are effectively done. So with the American behavour (as we witnessed in the assissination of Osama) the world and nations of the world will not be safe becasue the rich nations will always take advantage of the poor and do anything they want to achieve their goal even if it means violating the soveregnity of states.

WHAT DOES OSAMA BIN LADEN DEATH MEANS TO WORLD PEACE

2011-05-04T02:22:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

One of the most popular news this hour on all the major world news network is the announcement that the American most wanted man, Osama Bin Laden has been brutally shot dead in Pakistan. World leaders mainly from the western nations have warmly welcomed the news and in many of the US streets Americans are seen rejoicing that Osama is finally dead. Now while the western leaders are rejoicing, the questions are if Osama is really killed as speculated in the western media then what does this means to the future of Al Qaeda? Does this means the end and demise of world terrorism? Looking into how the American got into Pakistan without the knowledge of the Pakistan intellegence, what then does this means to the doctrine of the soveregnity of states?

Firstly let me deal with the most controversial issue of Osama Bin Laden death. We as of now are not sure whether this propaganda from the US is true because many continue to call this whole episode a joke and not true because true photos of the dead Bin Laden are not shown. Somebody just said that there is not way on earth the US could not have shown the photos if they really killed Osama because they would have shown the world that their most wanted man is finally dead. Now that they are failing to show the photo of the dead Bin Laden then everybody else is wondering whether their most wanted man is dead or whether this whole thing is a game.

Secondly is a situation where if Osama is realy dead and brutally killed by the American on Pakistan soil then the, question then is what does this death of Al Qaeda leader means to the Americans and to Al Qaeda in general? From what we see, it may be too early for the US to celebrate in a situation where Osama is truly dead. They better wait and patiently pray because Al Qaeda is not Bin Laden but that Al Qaeda is an ideology which has been successfully propagated across the globe. The mistake they may make is to think small by saying that the world is now at peace just because one man called Osama is dead. The US should know better that killing one man does not help destroy an ideology and in this case the Al Qaeda. What the US need to do is to find out what actually is the main reason why Al Qaeda was born and look for means and way of how they can fight this ideology. The war against Al Qaeda continue to cost the US billion of Dollars because they are using the wrong means to solve this problem. You cant use the gun or heavey military hardware to fight Al Qaeda because this whole thing is an ideology and in this regard, the gun can not solve this ideological problem. So even if Osama is dead, this shall not change a thing because Osama has always been in hiding and operations have always been done by his disciples across the globe. But what will the death (if true) of Osama do is to fuel the Al Qaeda movement such that there may be more gruesome attacks in revenge to the death of their leader and this is a natural thing that true followers would do.

Thirdly is the question, what does the death of Osama mean to world terrorism? Here we need to point out that history has shown that in some people tend to speak powerfully when they are in the grave. What we mean is that the blood will normally speak and in this case, blood of the dead Osama may cause even more damage to world systems because those who believe in his ideology will not rest until they show the world what they are made up of. Many would decide to do everything in their power to make sure that they teach the world that Osama was not just like a small boy but that he was a big guy whose ideology has impacted many. While the Americans are celebrating, they should know that at the same time, there may be many who are also joining the Al Qaeda movement in symphathy of the death of Osama. with this therefore, the US should know that this wicked network of terror from the Al Qaeda is not resting right now but planning big in revenge.

Finally the big question is how the US got into Pakistan, a sovereign country to not only arrest Osama but even kill him. What does international law say about a situation like what the US did, to get into a soveregn state and do the killing even without the knowledge of the key leaders of that nation ie Pakistan? We may not be competent to comment on the legality of the Osama brutal death in the hands of the Americans but the one thing we are sure is that somehow somewhere this should be a problem. Getting into a soveregn state without the knowledge of key leaders of that nation can surely not be legally ok. Worse of it that this whole plan was never communicated to the Pakistan authority which in essence violates the doctrine of nation's soveregnity which every nation has to respect. We dont think it is ok for any nation to just do as they wish just because they are super power nations.

Having said this, we have the following thing to point out: firstly is that the dead of Osama should not be taken for granted because of the ideological nature of the Al Qaeda movement and that proper means need to be put in place if nations have to effectively deal it. As early mentioned, using violence or weapon as western nations are doing does not even help solve the problem because this is about an ideology which is fast advancing and gaining grounds across the globe. The more military hardware is used to deal with Al Qaeda the more they fuel the movement. So we suggest that a new brand ideology need to be put in place effectively deal and solve the Al Qaeda problem.

IS THE AFRICAN UNION OF ANY VALUE IN AFRICA TODAY

2011-03-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

By: Qeko

The one most shocking thing in African politics and conflicts today is the role of the African Union in bringing about peace. Many people keep on wondering as to whether it is necessary to have an institution in Africa that add no value in the lives of African people. People keep on asking as to why Africa has many political conflicts and the African Union seem not to do anything to come up with rightful solution to them. There are conflicts in Somalia where there is a failed state where few nations agreed to sent their troops as part of African peace Keeping force. There is also the conflicts in Ivory Coast where apparantly there seem to be no amicable solution to the conflict. Then now we have the uprising and revolution that is blowing across North African states especially Libya where Qaddafi's pro-government troops allegedly continues to bomb areas controlled by the anti government forces in the east and western part of the country.

In showing their support for the steps taken by the UN and the US and other EU states against Libya, it was expected of the AU to expel Libya from the organisation. The lattest is that the UN has voted to suspend Libya from the United Nation Human Rights Council which is a good move by the world body. Now while other bodies and institutions are concern and taking steps to isolate the Libyan leader, the African Union which was suppose to be examplary is not like doing anything not even to expel Libya from the organisation which is making so many people worried and surprised. However that Libya is not expelled from the AU is seen as a dangerous move because in the near future it will be difficult for the AU to deal with similar situations and cases. In as much as Qaddaffi is the brain behind the formation of the AU, he still has to be shown a RED CARD for killing his own people and turning the once peaciful country into a battle ground.

Having said this, we therefore want to call upon the AU that its about time that they realise that this is the 21st Century where the world is changing and they need to be in line with what is happening around them. They should avoid being a toothless institution which no meaning in the lives of African People. Why should the whole AU not take action while people are dying at the hand of the Brother leader? Should we wait for the US to lead the way? Why do we always wait for nations outside Africa to lead the way while we as Africans can handle and deal with such situations?

WILL MUHAMMAR AL QADDAFI SURVIVE THE UPRISING?

2011-02-27T08:48:00.000-08:00

By: Qeko

That African strongest military leader, Muhammar Qaddafi is facing the greatest uprising is like a joke and a hard thing to believe. When Mubarak and Ben Ali vacated their hot seat, we never thought the Libya was to be the next african nation to be hit by the Revolution and protest. This time around it all clear and Qaddafi has lost control of almost the entire nation apart from Tripoli where he stays. This is because Benghazi and other major cities have fallen in the hands of the anti government protestors who are demanding that he resigns and leave the country.

However unlike Mubarak, the Brother leader is so difiant and it seems he will not give up power easily but that he will fight until the end. Qaddafi is difiant and assisted by his son who seem to be the second man in command in Libya as he can get on TV anytime he feels like to talk about the protest taking place in the country and how much his father is still in control.

In a way of making sure that Qaddafi surrenders, the UN, US and the European Union have imposed sanctions against Qaddafi and his family and a freezing of all Asset that the Qaddafi family have the US and other European nations. now the Question is will these sanctions help to remove the Brother leader? What actual need to be done by the UN, US and the European is they have to show some seriousness in support of the prostestors? We are of the veiw that sanctions doesnt work at all mainly when its about an African head of state. Freezing their assets is like a game because they can still survive with what they have inside their country. For instance, Qaddafi has alot in Tripoli and he doesnt need to travel to US to survive. He can still stay in Tripoli and still be in charge. So Sanctions as such have little impact in trying to solve the problem. What they call targeted sanction is a waste of time because African leaders and Qaddafi is able to survive. The travel ban is just a huge joke of a century because we need to be realistic here to see how many times does he travel outside the country?

So the UN, US and their key allies needed to do something that was to immediately help the people of Libya.

CHRR, CeDeP AND MANERELA MISGUIDED AND WRONG

2011-02-27T07:51:00.000-08:00

By: Qeko

The news that the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Centre for the Development of people (CeDeP) and the Malawai network of Religious Leaders Living with or Affected by HIV and Aids (Manerela) have released a communique attacking the Malawi Council of Churches ove the criminalisation of lesbians is worrisome, unfortunate, bad and all geared to please the western donor nations.

It is very sad development mainly to see that we have some Malawians who are advocating and help spread the kind of traditions and a way of life that is unmalawian. One wondeers as to why actually CHRR, CeDep and Manerela can go this far to attach and condemn the Malawi Council of Churches. Actually these rights organisation need to know that any attack and action against the Malawi Council of Churches become an attack on the entire Malawian Church and an attack on every Christian in Malawi and all God fearing people the nation has.

These rights agancies need to know that they are in Malawi and that they need to respect what is important and of value to the people of Malawi. They should know that they Malawi is not the US or a European nation where such Satanic and abominable way of life is accepted in the name of rights and freedom. They should respect what is good for Malawi and in this case criminalising lesbians because you dont need to have a degree to know that it is unmalawians for a woman to marry a fellow woman. Every Malawians you ask in the streets will tell you that this strange way of life is bad and not good for this nation. What is good in the US or Europe can not be good for Malawi and this is how life is. So these rights agencies should stop imposing on Malawians a strange way of life in the name of rights and people's freedom.

Having said this, let me call upon these rights agencies to know that whoever is forcing them to act in this unmalawian way is doing them no good at all because they end of the day, they still remain Malawians and thus they shall be. If its the western blasphemous donor money that is forcing them to act and talk in this manner then they should know that whatever thing they do will not help them becaue Malawians willnot give in to the demands coming from western donor nations through them. Malawians are wise people and we know who we are and what we stand for as a nation and the one thing that Malawians can not accept is to see that a woman marries a fellow woman. Also they should know that no any amount of money will managae to change the way we do things in Malawi because we are Malawians and shall do and act in a way that shall protect and preserve our identify and our way of life.

Now as regard the argument that Malawi is a secular state hence every blasphemous and evil way of life should be accepted, let me point out the following in a way of educating these rights agencies in Malawi:

Firstly is that as they operate in Malawi, it is important for them to know the kind of people who the nation has and also they should know the history of the nation. These rights agencies should go back to school and be taught the composition of this nation in terms of what we believe in as Malawians.

Secondly is that these rights agencies need to do a little statistics on the religious component of the nation. On this one they will find out that close to 95% of all Malawians (Muslims, Christians and African Tradition Religion) believe that there is God which translates that this nation is a God fearing nation. This is the UNWRITTEN LAW OF THE LAND and its very clear to every Malawian who is not bribes with western donor money. This is reflected in the everyday life of the nation. In as much as the constitution is not clear (black and white) on the matter, this does not mean that we are a secular state. How can a state be secular when 95% of the people are God fearing citizens? The state is composed of citizens and the religious belief of the citizen body determines whether the state is secular or not and in this case, MALAWI IS A GOD FEARING NATION AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE and no wonder the nation criminalised lesbianism and other blasphemous and strange way of life.

Thirdly is to inform and remind these rights agencies that our national anthem bears witness to who we are and every verse of it speaks of the truth of whom we Malawians are. The national anthem is a plea to God to bless our country and the whole message in that song is addressed to God. Now you tell me since 1964 we all have been singing this national anthem and we believed every bit of it and we know that there is God in Heaven. So how can someone call this nation a secular state when even our national anthem talks about God. How can we be a secular states when the citizens are God fearing as earlier said?

Having said this, i finally want to say that Malawians should refrain from acting in a way that will negatively affect the progressive development of the nation. We need to be patriotic Son of the land and love our country and make sure that we protect it from any wicked foreign influences in the nation of freedom and democracy.

THE POWER OF THE UPRISING: WILL THE REVOLUTION SUCCEED IN BAHRAIN?

2011-02-21T22:05:00.000-08:00

By: Qeko

The wind of political revolution which continues toshake and blow across the Arab nations has instilled hope and new deternmination in th lieves of people in that they not have realised that they have the power to change their own political and economic destiny. This wind of political revolution is leavin no stone unturned and the Arab region will never be the same again. Through what happened in Tunisia and Egpyt many in the region feel that they can topple any oppressive and autocratic regime. The Tunisian and Egpytian model of uprising and politcal revolution shows tha there is the indescribable power in the electorates when they are united with one common purpose geared to achieving one common mission.

After the fall of Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak, people asked, "who is next on line to pack up and go? After the historic Egpytian revolution, the wind of political change blew continued to blow across the Arab region and the nation affected so far include; Algeria, Yemen, Bahrain, Iran, Libya. Confirmed Reports shows that in these Arabs states, demonstrators daily continue to gather in their various freedom squares to call for an end of their autocratic regimes. However we now want to briefly analyse the uprising in Bahrain.

Bahrain is a western backed monarchy ruled by the Al Khalifa's family from where many in Cabinet and high offices comes from. Bahrain is a nation ruled by a single family and this has been the case for more than 200 years. The main problem in Bahrain is that the minority sunnis are the one in control of the nation while the majority Shiites are the commoners and basically poor. The majority Shiites Muslims are sidelined in the administration of the state and the wind of political change blowing accross the Arab states has waken them up and they are calling for the abolition of the monarchy and a call for freedom and respect for human rights. The monarch and political elite who are mainly from the royal Khalifa family are extremely rich while the majority Shiites Muslims are middle class and poor.

The Bahrain's uprising just like the one in Yemen seem to be unique because the western government have not come so strong in condemning the ill treatment of the protestors by the regime. Particularily what surprises many is that the US is not coming so open in support of the protest. This silence is sending a very bad political signal to many in Bahrain and the world because this silence is taken as the US indirect support of the oppressive monarch. The US and western governments need to see the writing on their middle east political wall and should play this game with care otherwise history will judge them wrong. If the US is not in support of the protestors now then what will they do when the monarchy and the regime in deposed? Now is the time for the US and western nations to act and get involved in supporting the fighters of democracy in the region just as they did with Egpyt. However we are yet to see how this political revolution unfolds in this small gulf state of Bahrain.

MZIMBA AND THE NGUNI KINGDOM IN MALAWI

2011-02-14T04:10:00.000-08:00

BY: Peter Qeko Jere

One of the key features that appear on the map of Malawi is the most famous Nguniland in the northern part of the country called Mzimba. The word Mzimba is a Zulu – Xhosa one and it means the body of a human being. The word is famous in Malawi not because of its meaning but because this is the largest district in the entire country. It’s the only district which is ruled by children of one man, Zwangendaba (Ka Jele, Ka Qeko, Ka Lonyanda, ka nyandeni, Ka Khali , Ka lovuno, ka nguwoyempisi) who in the 1800s fled the wars of Shaka. Zwangendabah was born in Zululand but died in Mapupo while his children settled in the northern region of Malawi in a district called Mzimba. These children of Zwangendaba are present JERE ruling class of the Mzimba kingdom who during colonialism, formed the JERE COUNCIL which was the highest decision making body of the kingdom.

Mzimba with its capital at Mzimba Boma has of today more than 610944 people and covers 10430 square kilometers. This territory is basically occupied by the JERE Nguni’s. Northern region of Malawi where this district is located has other four smaller districts where we find the Tongas, Nkhondes, Tumbukas and Lyambias.

History says that as the Zwangendaba Ngunis were on their way from the south Africa, they in 1835 crossed the Zambezi river and briefly stayed in the present day Zimbabwe where they fought some fearless wars before going further north-east into Malawi. In Malawi they briefly settled at Mabiri from where Mmbelwa was born. Zwangendaba moved northward and crossed into Mapupo-Tanzania where he later died. However his children moved backward into the south and crossed into Malawi while one called Mpezeni moved and settled in the eastern side of Zambia from where he rules as INKOSI YA MAKOSI MPEZENI IV.

In Malawi, there are seven Zwangendaba sons who are ruling the ruling class in Mzimba Ngoni kingdom and these are the Jeres under INKOSI YAMAKOSI M’MBELWA. Now Inkosi Yamakosi Mmbelwa IV (who was given the name Zwangendaba at birth) is the overall King of the Zwangendabah Jere Ngunis of Malawi and he reigns from Edingeni and Engalaweni some few kilometers from Mzimba BOMA. His other brother is INKOSI MTWALO who reigns from Ezondweni which is an offshoot of Ekwendeni (ekhaya lagogo). In the southern Part of Mzimba district is INKOSI MABILABO who rules from Ekhahleni, Emfeni and Elangeni. In the north western part of the district is INKOSI PHEREMBE who rules from Emcihleni. In the central western part of district is INKOSI MZUKUZUKU who reigns from Ephangweni and Embangweni. In the eastern part of the district is INKOSI MZIKUBOLA who reigns from Emcigohleni or emchakachakeni and finally we have INKOSI CHINDI who reigns from euthini.

Some may wonder as to why we the custodian of Ngoni culture and tradition seem not to recognize Kampingo Sibande and Jalavikuba Munthali as part of the Amakhosis in the kingdom. To clarify this, those of you who do seem not to know Ngoni history and tradition, Kampingo Sibande and Jalavikuba Munthali has special cultural role to play and that is to lender their cultural obligation to Inkosi Mthwalo and other Amakhosis in the kingdom. They are under Inkosi Mthwalo and they can not just begin to rule at the same level as Inkosi Mthwalo. As far as the Ngoni Culture and tradition is concern, Kampingo Sibande and Jalavikuwa Munthali still remains Senior Ndunas of Inkosi Mthwalo.

The elevation of the two to the status of Amakhosi is and remain unwelcome by many in the kingdom because this whole exercise undermines and violated the Ngoni Cultural and tradition. I emphasise on this because those day when I was growing up at Ezondweni in Mthwalo, I used to seeing these two being part of the many meetings that the late Inkosi Mthwalo IV was hosting at Ezondweni. They fulfilled their duties as senior Indunas of Inkosi Mtwalo and elevating them to the same status of Inkosi goes against culture. I will undertake a project where a full research shall be done on this matter responding to the question as to why the Mzimba Ngoni Kingdom in Malawi lost its glory and its dignity.

HOSIN MUBARAK AND THE TURNING POINT IN EGYPTIAN POLITICS

2011-02-09T12:00:00.001-08:00

By: Qeko
29/1/11

The sacrificial death of Mohammed Bouazizi which gave birth to the Tunisian Revolution continues to spread in the entire Arab world. In Tunisia it led to the unceremoniously departure of President Ben Ali fled to Saud Arabia for refuge while in Egypt this is causing serious political change where throughout the streets of major Egyptians town, people are demonstrating and calling for an end to the Mubarak long decade rule. In the streets of Cairo and Alexandria, protestors burns key government buildings and fought with the police. Television pictures shows that Egyptians were prepared for this Revolution and they are ready and determined to fight the Mubarak regime until he is leaves office.

And speaking on the Egyptian Television in response to the demonstration, Egpytian President Mubarak showed no sign of giving up power and he is far from leaving the country into exile. President Mubarak is not intending to leave Egypt as Ben Ali did but that he will stay in the country and face the protestors head-on. In responding to the protest and meeting what he feels are their demands, Mubarak is planning has asked his government to resign and he is forming a new cabinet. Now the question is does Mubarak read the signs of his times on his political wall? Will he say in power in the midst of such a huge and massive demonstration and allow innocent blood to be shed in Egypt? What kind of solution do we need to solve the Egyptians problem?
To begin with, we need to say that this wind of regime change blowing across the Arab world seem not to spare any nation. When the very wind of revolution was hitting Tunisia, Egyptians authorities seemed to have undermined it and never thought that it was to invade their country in a big way as it has done.

Now it seems to some of us that Mubarak is missing the point in the direction he has taken. The Egyptian population are calling for him to resign and leave office and he is busy asking cabinet ministers to resign their office so that he can appoint new ones into office. Mubakarak need to see and read in a very clear language that the electorate who voted him into office this time around are using a shortcut and asking him to resign because they are not satisfied with the way he has so far governed the country. These only message one can read from these huge mass demonstration is that Mubarak’s regime has become unpopular and that the people are calling for him to leave office something which Mubarak fails to see at the moment. From Mubaraks action of failing to read the writing on his political wall, we get our first lesson that in politics politicians need to be able to read carefully the writings on their political wall and properly translate them. The failure to read and interpret what is written on their political wall will like Mubarak, make them clings to power against the wishes of the people something which if not properly handled, could lead to more bloodshed and created political madness.

President Mubarak said on the Egyptian Television that he is forming a new cabinet to respond and satisfy the demands of the protestors. Again Mubarak has missed the point. Egyptians are not demonstration because they want him to change cabinet or form a new one. Egyptians are demonstrating because they are sick and tired of his autocratic and undemocratic rule where some key opposition leaders are not given fair platform for them to properly play this political game. The people want him to leave office peacefully and give way to a new leadership that will properly respond to their demands. They are particularly asking that Mubarak should go meaning that there has to be a new administration excluding himself. So our second lesson is that political leaders need to be able to properly hear the voice of the people who voted them into office. The regime change revolution that is sweeping across the Arabs states is showing us that power belongs to the people. Now politicians need to make sure that they satisfy the demands of those who voted them into office.

As the Egyptian revolution continues to unfold, we have noted something unique in the way the protestors are being treated by both the army and the police. The police tear gassed and bit the people while the army are seen on Television being warmly welcomed by the people in the streets of Cairo. It seems there is a good relationship between the army and the people unlike the police. It also seems that the people basically don’t like the police and may be because of the way the police have behaved against the people throughout the many decades of the Mubarak reign. People don’t just resent the police without a reason but that there are enough factors that have led the population of Egypt to resent the police and the Mubarak reign. At the same time, the army are warmly welcome because they are looked upon as peaceful and their instrument of hope in times of trouble. We are yet to see if the Egyptian police will join the protestors like what the Tunisians police later did. The challenge the police are facing in this revolution is that they are forced to tear gas and bit their own brothers who are protesting in the streets and no wonder the Tunisian police made a U-turn and joined their brothers and sisters in the demonstration. Now from this scenario, we have our third lesson that there is always time in life that people will resent us because of the way we treat them in one way or the other. If we treat people badly our actions we then should know that the same measure we used on others will one day be used on us. What we mean is that if we are the instrument of pain in people’s lives today then some day some how before we die, we shall see the results of the seed we planted. The Egyptian police in as much as they are ordinary citizens of the land, they should be having difficulties to properly live with the people they have mistreated during the entire reign of Mubarak.

A critical look at the mass demonstration in Egypt shows that the US’s interest is the main reason why Mubarak is defiant and not ready to leave office. The US to a large extent depends on Mubarak for them to achieve their Middle East agenda and as the way the political events are unfolding, this whole episode is giving the US a troubled moment. Against all odds, many expected the US to support the mass demonstration but instead there is no clear message from White House in support of the will of the people. The US is very careful on how to handle this because they know that Mubarak is at the centre of their Middle East agenda. Many expected the US to ask Mubarak to go but surprisingly, the US is asking Mubarak to come up with reforms. The US is missing the link here because the will of the Egyptians’ is not for Mubarak to come up with reforms but that he should go and leave office. The US should know that the will of the people as of now is for Mubarak to resign. The US should give more support to the demonstrators because if they fail to do this, history will judge them as being a nation that supported a autocratic regime. Of course it is allegedly argued by many that the US is the main reason why Mubarak stayed in power this long. The US used Mubarak to have their Middle East policy properly executed.

THE REVOLUTION: THE DEMISE OF THE MUBARAK AND BEN ALI DYNASTY.

2011-02-08T10:39:00.001-08:00

By: Qeko
31/1/11

The Revolution is here and here to stay. The political wind of regime change blowing across North Africa seems to spread like the hurricane wind that will not be easily stopped. For many decades, North Africa has been rule by dictators many of whom have survived because of the American support. It is the US who continued to support both Tunisia and Mubarak’s Egypt. The US maintained their support for the North African dictators because they were crucial and important in the US Middle East foreign policy. For instance, the US needs Egypt if their Middle East policy has to be a success. So this wind of political change blowing across North Africa has created a crisis in the US Middle East foreign policy because any political change that takes place in Egypt has serious repercussion on their Middle East policy. No wonder that for many decades, the US has given 1.5 billion Dollars to the Egyptian military as a way of showing their solidarity and support to the Mubaraks’ autocratic rule.

A critical look into the Revolution blowing across North Africa shows some unique elements as follows; Firstly in terms of their similarity, the one common problem for both the Tunisians and the Egyptians’ has been that they all were under oppression and that their regimes were autocratic and cared less about them but did everything under the sun to enrich themselves. Both Ben Ali and Mubarak amassed huge wealth and have expensive properties that were acquired corruptly at the expense of the majority poor people in their countries. Since the Tunisians and the Egyptians had one common problem, the Revolution took the same direction and the message was the same and this was a call for both Mubarak and Ben Ali to go. The protestors in both countries called for an end to oppression and dictatorship. They called for an end to dictatorship because both of these ruled their countries undemocratically and instead made life a living hell for their people. Ben Ali for 23 years turned Tunisia his personal estate while Mubarak for 30 years turned Egypt into his kingdom where he was about to make his son the next President of the country. The problem in Egypt was not that Gamal Mubarak was being prepared to rule the country but that the President himself Hosni Mubarak did little to lift the living standards of the people and concentrated on corruptly amassing wealth at the expense of the poor Egyptians.

The dictators’ response
Looking into the dictators response to the protest, we have noted the following; in Tunisia Ben Ali could not withstand the pressure and he fled the country to Saudi Arabia while in Egpyt, the military man Mubarak vowed to stay on and if anything die on Egyptian soil. The defiant Mubarak, a military General himself who is highly decorated because of the many wars he fought for his country, showed no sign of surrender unlike the fearful Ben Ali who escaped the burning hell in Tunis.

The Vacuum that Ben Ali left in Tunisian was filled by the Speaker of Parliament who was letter elevated to the Presidency so that he together with the Prime Minister take care of the transitional government. To properly handle the political pressure from the protestors, both the President and the Prime Minister resigned from Ben Ali’s ruling party. This unity government has never been welcomed by the majority Tunisians because they still see that through the President and the Prime Minister, Ben Ali even though he is in exile, will still rule Tunisia. The issue is that these two were part and parcel of Ben Ali’s political dictatorship and they cannot just change colours now just because of the pressure. Tunisians want a neutral interim administration which will prepare the country for elections. Their worry is that the Ben Ali’s Prime Minister and caretaker President cannot be trusted because they will end up using the power of the incumbency to win the election.

In Egypt however, Hosni Mubarak responded to the protest by appointing the Vice President after 30 years of ruling the country alone. Mubarak never wanted to have a Vice President but manage Egypt alone like his personal estate. In addition he also appointed a new Prime Minister himself. Many commentators have said that Mubarak appointed the Vice President this time around because he is in trouble and want him to play a front line role in the discussion with the opposition. In other words, Mubarak could not have appointed this Vice President if there were no political mayhem in Egypt. Why should he appoint someone now to be the Vice President after ruling the country alone for 30 years? However the one unique element about the three top Egyptian administrators is that they are all former senior military men and Mubarak has appointed them because of the huge respect the Egyptians people have on the army.

Now just like their Tunisian counterparts, the Egyptians’ anti government demonstrators have one common problem that Mubarak should resign and there be an interim administration which should oversee both the Presidential and parliamentary election coming in September. However the unseen US power seem to suggest that the US want Mubarak himself to be at the helm of power and oversee the election which is a problem to many of us. Mubarak need to give space to a neutral administration otherwise the coming election will lead to more bloodshed because the Egyptian people are sick and tired of Mubarak. What the US should do if they have to redeem their political integrity to make sure that they properly side themselves with the oppressed people of Egypt and tell Mubarak to leave office otherwise history will judge them wrong.

Western nations missing the point
The Tunisian and Egyptian revolution has shown how easily western nations seem to miss the point when dealing with African people. The Western nations are so much blind and deaf that they don’t see and hear the specific cries of African people as has been the case with Tunisian and Egypt. In both Tunisia and Egypt the people are calling for a total regime change and nothing else while unfortunately the US and some western governments are talking the language of allowing dictators to still stay in power and initiate reform. What reform can dictators who have ruled for decades introduce in the 21st Century. These dictators are old fashioned and have no idea what the youth in this century actually need. Thus is why in trying to appease these dictators, in Egypt the US is asking the Mubarak to hang on there and initiate reforms and thereafter call for elections in September. The one amazing thing is that Mubarak has rule Egypt for 30 years and had all the time on earth to initiate anything as a way of helping empower his people. So the US and their western counterparts are greatly missing the point and the best thing they can do is to hear the cries of the people who are calling for Mubarak to resign and leave office. If the US is a champion of democracy then they need to ask their friend Mubarak to resign which is in line with what the people are demanding. The people don’t want the reforms or any form of transition government but want one thing, that Mubarak should resign and leave office.

Of the Tunisian Political Revolution and the power of the people

2011-02-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere
15th January, 2011

The sacrifice of one person has the power to bring about remarkable revolution and the downfall of a regime. This was the case in Tunisia where the sacrificial death of one man led to the revolution that forced the sitting head of state to flee the country. The one man who paid the sacrifice for the liberation of the nation was Mohammed Bouazizi, a poor vegetable seller who set himself alight to death in protest for the way the Tunisian authority treated him.

It is reported that the moments after Mr Bouazizi's death the first protests began where Tunisians gathered around his abandoned vegetable cart and scaled the Governor's gates. The unrest then spread across the country which forced Ben Ali to flee the country to Saudi Arabia. After Ben Ali unceremoniously left the country, the country’s Speaker of Parliament Fouad Mebazza assumed the power of the President and asked the Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi to form a coalition government composed of all key political stakeholders in Tunisia as the country awaits the General Election in six months time.

In a move to please the protestors, both the interim President and the Prime Minister resigned from the ruling party in Tunisia. This however seem not to mean anything to the Tunisian people who see them as playing games with the people because they all along have been Ben Ali royalist. At the same time, the formation of an interim government by the Ben Ali’s Prime Minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi seem not to change the protesting mood of the Tunisian people who are still daily demonstrating asking for a total change of the regime, mainly that all Ben Ali’s key men to be out of the interim administration.

Now the Tunisian political revolution which has ousted President Ben Ali shows that there is massive power in the people if they are united with one common purpose. Ben Ali ruled the country undemocratically for 23 years and managed to self enrich himself nepotistically at the expense of the majority poor Tunisians. He managed to accumulate wealth corruptly within the 23 years of his reign. However what we witness happening in Tunisia has demonstrated that it is possible for people who are united with one common purpose to achieve great things. This has shown that in politics, power belong to the people. It took a few days of serious protest to have Ben Ali flee the country. This also has shown that in as much as the electorates are sometimes taken for granted, they have the power which if evoked, can cause massive damage in the political life of those politicians who care less about them. This Tunisian political episode shows that politicians need to respect those who put them in office and not take advantage of them. Ben Ali for many years thought he was the Tunisians untouchable great statesman and had no idea that he was gonna flee the country unceremoniously as he did to go into exile.

Now that Ben Ali has fled the country into exile, the key question is; should the remnant of Ben Ali regime continue to rule Tunisia? Should the Tunisian people allow Ben Ali’s Prime Minister and the care taker President rule Tunisia? Can this interim regime led by Ben Ali diehard be trusted? In as much as Ben Ali men still cling into position of authority, they need to know that the Tunisian people seem not to like them because they all were part of the corrupt and undemocratic Ben Ali’s regime. So the presence of Ben Ali’s key men ruling Tunisia today shows the indirect rule of Ben Ali in the country. Ben Ali even though he is in exile in Saudi Arabia, he will continue to indirectly rule the country through his men, the Prime Minister and the now elected President. The revolution in Tunisia was about a total change of political authority where Ben Ali and his men were suppose to leave office once and for all and give space to democrats in Tunisia to rule the country.

The international Criminal Court in Kenyan Politics

2011-02-03T05:12:00.000-08:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere
30/12/10

The Western back International Criminal Court has released names of those whom they think were the perpetrators of the 2007 post election violence in Kenya in 2007. A key name among them is Uhuru Kenyatta the son to the Father and founder of the Kenyan Nation, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. In his response Uhuru who is the current deputy prime minister of Kenya said that what the ICC has done will not have any serious effects on Kenyan. However our main argument here is that the best solution to African problems is African themselves. That the Kenyan government’s stand to create their own tribunal is the best solution to effectively solving the problem and not sending the five to the ICC headquarters which is a westerner Kangaroo court created with the main purpose of humiliating African leaders and those who are key opponent of western exploitation.

To begin our argument, we need to know that the west is ever happy when African brothers takes up arms to kill each other because that way they are able to advance their agenda and have their way through into exploiting African resources even more. Africans are brothers and sisters and we have always lived in peace with each other even though we are enthnically divided. The coming in of western colonialists, created a situation where some tribes were favoured more than the others which at the end created more division and hatred amongst Africans. This resentment continued even in the post independent Africa. Its in this vain that those tribes in Africa who greatly benefited from colonialism have had more advantages than others and this has extended to the kind of politics we have in African today that basically people support the party which is born from their tribes than others. Ofcourse there has been unique instances when some tribesmen and women have defied tribalism and enthicism by supporting the party and candidates from different tribal background which is the kind of thing to be encouraged in African politics today, something which shows some sign of maturity in the way we transact our political business.
The ICC is not a genuine instrument for peace but its geared to break Africa and make it more ungovernable. Neither is involving the ICC in African problems a solution because there is no justice that the ICC can give to African leaders and African people. Therefore sending our African leaders to ICC is not a solution to African problems. African problems can only be effectively sorted out right in Africa and not sending our leaders to the western kangaroo court in the Hague. African people and African leaders at the back of their mind, wonder why African leaders should be issued with warrant of of arrest by the ICC when western former heads of states who committed serious crimes against humanity walk free. So for as long as the ICC fails to prosecute these two individual, George Bush and Tonny Blair African people and African leaders will never take them serious and as we write now, many African heads of States have some reservations when it comes to this ICC justice delivery system. They are too quick to act when its about the African people and they do nothing when its about the western leaders committing serious crime against humanity. Or maybe does it become crime against humanity when its about Africa and not other parts of the world?

Now the 2007 violence in Kenya was basically a demonstration of the tribal political conflict in the country. In as much as the ICC came to a kind of help, this didn’t mean that their findings were a final solution to the Kenyan conflicts. In this case, sending people like Uhuru and others to ICC in the Hague could make Kenya even more ungovernable and infact this court has no right to prosecute a sitting head of state in Africa. The African Union is clear on this matter and our reference point is the sitting Sudan’s President Al Bashir whom the ICC have tried to have him extradited to the Hague but they have failed. With the support of the western finances, so many NGOs which survives on western funding, have put their weight on pushing for the arrest of Al basher but Africa is not listening to them because everybody knows that they are a western puppet and they have to dance to the tune of their financiers in Europe. So the ICC and the west should know that Africa has realised that its not good to have their leaders send to the ICC. ICC is not better than the African court and infact Africa has more qualified people in law who can do a better job than the ICC itself. So we support the decision taken by Kibaki to have these five people tried in Kenya and not in the Hague. Let Africa do their own things in an African way. We have examples that in South Africa after apartheid, they came up with the Truth and Reconciliation commission where they effectively healed and united the country. In Rwanda after the Tutsi massacre, nobody was sent to the Hague but tried in Africa and the country continues in the healing process. So if Rwanda and South Africa managed then Kenya also can do likewise and the nation can be healed. What is important is to heal the nation and not to send people to the ICC to perish. Kenya need the healing process and not the ICC.

THE GBAGBO POLITICAL MADNESS

2011-02-03T05:09:00.000-08:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere
10/01/11

A new political terminology is born in African political economy and this is the “Gbagbo political madness”. The so called Gbagbo political madness is the ill and unwise decision that is reached not to hand over power after losing the election. This terminology originates from the action taken by Gbagbo who in as much as he lost the election in Ivory Coast, still made himself the President of against the wished of the Ivorian people. Through the useless Ivorian constitutional court, the hopeless Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, stole the presidency against the will of the Ivorian people and never has such a thing happened in the history of politics in Africa. Gbagbo stole the Presidency with the help of the Ivorian constitutional Court which sworn him into office and this act of political vandalism is a shame to the African People.

According to the presidential results released by the election commission in Ivory coast, Alassane Ouattara won the Presidential runoff with 54.1% with Gbagbo 49% of the vote. The world backs the veteran politician Alassane Ouattara as the clear winner of the election and have asked Gbagbo to hand over power to the president elect. The international community has voiced their support for the elected president, Outtara and these include the United Nation, African Union, the West African community and other African regional blogs.

However with the support of the army and his tribal based south, Gbagbo still maintains that the elections were rigged by Outtara mainly in the north. The Gbagbo political madness reveals the connection and political romance that exists between African politics and ethnicity. When the partition of Africa was done some years ago, European colonialists didn’t consider the tribal arrangement in many parts of Africa the results of which are manifesting in the many civil wars and political conflicts we see in African political economy today. Many of the wars we see happening in Africa today are tribally based. As in Ivory Coast, Gbagbo comes from the Christian south while Outtarra comes from the Muslim north and these two are geographically, historically, politically and religiously divided hence no wonder the north overwhelmingly voted for Outtarra while the Christian south voted for Gbagbo.

Various peace envoys have gone in Ivory Coast to help bring political sanity and these includes, the former South African president, Thabo Mbeki, the former Nigerian President, Obasanjo and Kenyan Prime Minister Odinga. Many proposals have been put in place to help bring unity and peace and these include the creation of a unity government based on the Zimbabwe and Kenyan model and the other one proposed by Obasanjo which would make Outtarra Vice President and allowing Gbagbo remain the Head of State. However in as much as different political solutions are put in place, those entrusted with this initiative need to know the historical and political background of this nation so that they properly begin to understand the main cause of this conflict. They need to know that peace in Ivory Coast demands the consensus approach where all key stakeholders are involved in the daily administration of the nation at every level. They need to know that leaving out one tribe ie north or south would generate more bloodshed and political confusion in the country but that they have to be a compromised and consensus political solution accepted by the majority south and north.

CITY OF LIGHT CHURCH -UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE MATHEMATICS BOOKS DONATION.

2010-06-05T02:51:00.000-07:00

BY: The church Correspondent

In commemorating Nelson Mandela’s 90th birth day, and inline with the spirit of giving back to the community, on the 17th of July, the City of Light Christian Church International in Alice donated Mathematics text books to the Mathematics Department of the University of Fort Hare at a ceremony which took place in the Department library room.

In his opening remarks, the Mathematics Head of Department Prof. B.B Makamba extended the word of appreciation for the Mathmatics text books donated to the department and the University at large. He said that the book donation has come at the right time and that they will use the book accordingly. Also speaking on behalf of the City of Light Christian Church Senior Pastor was Pastor Loyiso Maweza who briefly pointed out that it’s the mission of the church to serve the community where it ministers and that it does not only exist to preach the gospel but also empower the community through knowledge. Pastor Maweza concluded that the church has donated the books to the Department of Mathematics on this university because the University of Fort Hare is part of the community where it ministers.

Also speaking on the same function, Pastor Peter Qeko Jere added that the church is able to give such donations because of the help of their American Partners who are able to use the City of Light Church as the channel of blessings to the Alice community which include the University of Fort Hare. Pastor Jere added that the City of Light Christian Church has in the past months also donated Science and Mathematics text books to High Schools around Alice and Nkokobe Municipal which is in line with the Church main mission as recorded in the gospel of Matthwe 5:14. He therefore thanked the Mathematic department lecturers accepting to be used by God in the knowledge transfer process as they use the books donated.

Present during the function were Prof. Makamba (HoD), Prof. Van Dyke, Prof. Okecha, Dr. Sakile Ngcibi, Mahlasela Zuko, Odilo Ndiweni, Sunday Ogundare while the City of Light representatives include, Pastor Peter Qeko Jere, Pastor Loyiso Maweza and Pastor Munyai.

RESPONSING TO WILSA-MALAWI ABORTION ISSUE

2010-06-05T02:46:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere.

The news that women’s group led by WILSA-Malawi Executive Director, Seodi White have sued Malawi government over the abortion rights is sad, unmalawian, shocking, unchristian and so geared to tarnish the good image of Malawi’s God fearing society. We are aware that women have rights which need to be respected but we are not sure whether this includes the right to slaughter and intentionally shade innocent blood through the so called abortion.WILSA-Malawi’s main argument is (as in Nyasatimes of 30 April 2009) that when pregnancy is unwanted, a legal requirement to continue the pregnancy may constitute government intrusion on a woman’s body. Therefore they have taken government to court for as they argue, “failing to protect the women in the country”. Thus WILSA-Malawi wants our girls to be given the chance to terminate the so called, unwanted pregnancies. In so doing, WILSA-Malawi is advocating for the legalization of abortion in Malawi and that the penal code (149 & 150) be repealed.

In this brief article, I will be arguing that life and human rights begins at conception and that the unborn child has rights just like everybody else. I will also be arguing that abortion is murder, bloodshed of the highest order and should not be condoned in our society. In doing this, I have three point to argue my case.
Firstly is that what penal code 149 &150 stipulates is not a mistake but something which is geared to protect and promote Malawian culture, beliefs and identify. Law makers knew what they were doing to include this in our penal code. They were not drank or out of mind but very sober people who realized that they had to do justice to their country by putting in place something to safe-guide and protect the life of the innocent unborn child. Law makers knew and still know the history of this nation and what Malawi stands for. We don’t have to remind you that Malawi stands for peace while abortion is not peace, but the intentional slaughtering of the innocent unborn children.

Secondly is that Human Rights leaders do not have any idea as to where this nation is coming from. Malawi as a nation has its own unique history, culture, and beliefs which play major role when legalizing or not legalizing a strange way of life or anything that is not Malawian and outside our culture and tradition. Strange and unmalawian traditions are invading our society in the name of human rights and these includes, abortion, homosexualism and lesbianism. Now while we accept that people have rights, we at the same time should know that Malawians have their own unique culture and identity. Human Rights agencies need to understand issues of rights as Malawians, people who have their own unique culture. It is dangerous to understand issues of human rights outside the people’s culture.

Thirdly is that the unborn child has the same rights to life as everybody else.
Rights are God given, fundamental basic freedoms and entitlements that accrue to anybody by virtue of being human (that is to say, they inhere from within the individual). Since the unborn child (even hours after conception) is categorically a human being then this unborn needs protection under human rights. The right to life is such that it cannot be withdrawn from an individual even by the state. Rights and life begins at conception after which the unborn slowly develop in the womb and has full rights to life just like any other human beings. This does not mean therefore that the mother can just decide to terminate the pregnancy just like that. Terminating the pregnancy is stopping the development process and growth of a human being which is the same as committing murder. This is murder because human being development process starts soon after conception.

It is a scientific fact that life begins at conception when the first sperm penetrates the ovum forming a new 46 chromosome cell the process which forms a human being. It is scientifically proven that when a sperm and ovum join, there is a creation at that time a new living being; a being who has never before existed in the history of the world and never again will exist; a being completely intact and containing within himself or herself that totality of everything that that being will ever be; a being moving forward in an orderly process of growth and maturation, destined to live inside the mother for almost nine months and for as many as a hundred year outside.

Science has also proved the following; that even at 3 weeks when the mother is not even sure that she is pregnant, the genesis and beginning of every part of the child physiological features are there; that by the close of the first trimester the fetus is a sentient moving being; that at 10 days after conception (within a week), this tiny living human male or female sends a chemical hormonal message out into the mother’s body, which stops her menstrual periods. It is this tiny passenger who causes her breasts to enlarge in preparation for nursing, softens her pelvic bones to prepare for labour and without question, sets his or her birthday; that after 18-21 days the unborn is pumping through a closed circulatory system blood whose type is different from that of the mother; That at 6 weeks (1 1/2 months) after conception the brain of the unborn functions as measured on the Electroencephalogram machine (EEG); That at 7- 8 weeks, if we tickle the baby nose he will flex his head backward away from the stimulus and that at the same time you are able to listen to the heartbeat on an ultrasonic stethoscope machine; At 11 weeks, the face and all parts of the upper and lower extremities are sensitive to touch.

Responding to the question of whether the unborn feels pain and if ever he/she is human, the former President of America, Ronald Reagan said and I quote, “when the lives of the unborn are snuffed out, they often feel pain, pain that is long and agonizing”.
In support of President Reagan, group of 27 Medical Specialist, Pain Specialist, of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology said the following:
-That the human unborn and newly born do respond to stimuli is also a established beyond reasonable doubt
-That the ability to feel pain and respond to it is clearly not phenomenon that develops after birth. Indeed much of enlightened modern obstetrical practice and procedure seeks to minimize sensory deprivation of and sensory insult to, the fetus during, at, and after birth
-That the real time ultrasonography, fetoscopy, study of the fetal EKG (electrocardiogram) and fetal EEG (electroencephalogram) have demonstrated the remarkable responsiveness of the human fetus to pain, touch and sound.
-That the fetus responds to changes in light intensity within the womb, to heat, to cold and to taste (by altering the chemical nature of the fluid swallowed by the fetus) has been exquisitely documented in the pioneering work of the late Sir. Willaim Liley –the father of fetology.

-That observation of the fetal electrocardiogram and the increase in fetal movement in saline abortions indicate that the fetus experiences discomfort as it dies. One doctor who, the New York Times wrote, conscientiously performs Saline abortion stated, “when you inject the saline, you often see an increase in fetal movement, it’s horrible”.

Now the unborn child’s response to stimuli even at that early stay scientifically shows and demonstrates that life begins at conception. Since life begins at conception, it is proper therefore to say that the unborn (a human being developing) also need her/his protection just like everybody else. I am strongly arguing that what we have at conception is a human being who has full right to life hence terminating the pregnancy (in the name of unwanted pregnancy) is murder and bloodshed of the highest order. So when a girl has unwanted pregnancy, the solution is not abortion but to keep a child for adoption.

Calling for legalisation of abortion is promoting unsafe sex. This is because a girl can only abort if she gets pregnant and she gets pregnant if she have/had unprotected sex. So promoting abortion is the indirect way of advocating for unprotected sex which leads to not only pregnancies but also is a licence to the spread of HIV and Aids. WILSA-Malawi’s action on this matter is misplaced and wrong because this contradicts and defeats the efforts of other stakeholders’ working day in and day out fighting the spread of the deadly HIV and AIDS in Malawi. If WILSA –Malawi is saying “Yes” to abortion how will they advise Malawians girls on issues of HIV and AIDS? This is bearing in mind that both abortion and AIDS are the after effects of unprotected sex.

TIME, SEASON AND THE WRITING ON BAKILI MULUZI’S POLITICAL WALL

2010-06-05T02:45:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere 2/4/09

The Malawi Electoral Commission has finally passed a political death sentence on the former president Bakili Muluzi who wanted to contest the 2009 Presidential elections though he already served his maximum of ten years. Many people came up with their own interpretation of section 83/3 of the constitution to determine the eligibility of Bakili Muluzi to contest this year’s election. Legal and political analysts had their own opinion on the highly debatable issue while the highest courts left the matter in the hands of the main electoral body to decide whether Muluzi was eligible to contest or not.

The announcement by the Malawi Electoral Commission means that Bakili Muluzi cannot contest this year’s election because he already served his maximum of ten years. It is a known factor that the Muluzi legal team will begin a long tiresome legal battle which they will by and large not succeed. In this brief article, my two main arguments are as follows; firstly that the words of Ecclesiastes 3 have been fulfilled in Malawi politics. Secondly is that divine darkness has covered the entire Muluzi team as they continue to fail to read the words of divine judgement written on his political wall.

In Ecclesiates 3, the bible clearly states that everything takes place within God designed time-flame. There is time when God opens the political door and there is also time when the same door can be shut and sealed forever. In God’s designed time-flame, there are activities which make up a season for a particular nation, political party or ordinary people. Nations, political parties and individuals have activities that take place around them. Activities determine the life-span of a particular Season. Seasons come, change and even go depending on the kind of activities that takes place in the life of an individual, nation or political party. For instance from 1964-1994, the nation went through the season of dictatorship and oppression under Dr. Banda. Then came the 10 years season of UDF’s oppressive rule where the UDF young democrats made Malawi hell on earth with the unspeakable brutality. Finally we are in a season of plenty with abundant blessings from the Lord as His Excellency the President Ngwazi Dr. Bingu Wamthalika leads the nation.
In the life of any nation, God appoints leaders to fulfil specific divine mandate and this is divinely designed in time-flame and dispensation. Our lives have time-flame where God gives us grace to fulfil specific tasks in a particular season. The life of a nation is also divided into time-flame where God appoints specific individual to lead His people and fulfil specific divine mandate from Him.

When it comes to time and seasons, it is God who opens up a season for a particular individual, party or nation to fulfil specific mission from above. Nothing takes place outside God’s knowledge and He is always in charge. For instance, it was God who chose Banda to rule Malawi for more than 30 years. During the Banda era, the Shire River crocodiles and brutality were some of the major activities that defined the season Malawi went through. We define this as the season of death, terror and darkness for the nation where innocent blood was shed.
When Malawians cried unto the Lord to redeem them from the autocratic rule of Dr. Banda, God open up another season where Bakili Muluzi became the first president in the multiparty Malawi. The Muluzi –Malawi season was opened from 1994-2004. God chose Muluzi and He gave him specific mandate to rule His people. Unfortunately due to corruption, tribalism, regionalism, nepotism and many other “isms”, Muluzi ruled without the guidance of God as evidenced from the many indicators during the latter part of his reign.

However the oppression, UDF Young democrats’ brutality, tribalism, nepotism and corruption forced Malawians to cry unto the Lord again for a new leader and heaven responded by providing His Excellency Ngwazi Dr. Bingu Wamthalika unto us. It is a known factor that before 2004, indicators were pointing towards the implementation of God’s plan for Bingu to rule Malawi. In this divine plan, it pleased God to used Bakili Muluzi as an instrument to have Bingu chosen. God did everything to create a situation where Muluzi had no option but to have Bingu chosen. Even if Muluzi was not around, God in His own greatness could still have created a way for Bingu to still take over from Muluzi and He could have done this in His capacity as God. What am saying here is that Muluzi was just an instrument or the tool that God used and not that it was him who did it all. Muluzi was just following that which was decreed by heaven before the creation of the world because according to God’s original plan, it was written before the creation of the world that His Excellency Ngwazi Dr. Bingu Wamthalika would rule Malawi from 2004 -2014 and no one has the power to stop the unstoppable God from doing His will upon the land.

Many attempts were made by Muluzi to remove Bingu but this has all failed. For instance, the nation went through the Muluzi’s third and open term bid, the impeachment and section 83/3 issues all of which were geared to remove Bingu. Muluzi’s plans and attempts shows that these plans were done with bad motives hence they couldn’t come to pass. In everything we do God checks the motives and if they are bad, He put a stop to them. All Muluzi’s plans failed due to bad motives behind them and God can not allow that and hence they all have publicly failed.

The failure of the third and open term was the writing on Muluzi’s political wall and his very signs of the times indicating that God didn’t want him to rule Malawi again. God closed the chapter for him and unfortunately he has ever been blind not to read the signs of the time and the writing on his political wall. The sign of the time and the writing on his political wall has ever been clear that God closed the chapter for him to rule Malawi. When God closes no one can open and Muluzi’s team needed and still need to read this clear writing on his political wall.

It is amazing that Muluzi and his entire team is so much in darkness that they cannot read the writing on the wall that God has hardened his heart so that he can easily be destroyed. Muluzi’s reaction to the MEC rejection shows how deep the darkness is in the camp and how publicly God will continue to humiliate him. Just as God hardened the heart of Pharoah, God has hardened the heart of Bakili Muluzi until he is fully destroyed. Due to this hardening of heart, Muluzi will not listen to anyone but trust his lawyers who are the very agents and instruments of his own political disaster story. This kind of darkness is unredeemable because Muluzi team is spiritually and intellectually challenged as they cannot understand, know, analyse or interpret the signs of the time and even read or comprehend the writing on his (Muluzi) political wall.

FALSE PROPHETS IN MALAWI

2010-06-05T02:39:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

The current political situation in Malawi is closely linked to OT false propheticism. Reading through the line one see a lot of issues that could have been easily avoided if only current Malawian Prophets (church leaders) were true to themselves and our politicians. In this brief article, I want to show that false prophets in Malawi in the names of Revelands, Pastors, Apostles, Bishops and Evangelists continue to play a key role in the downfall of Malawi’s politicians. I will argue my case firstly by acknowledging the presence of both false and true prophets in Malawi today. Secondly I will show the behaviour of false prophets as opposed to true prophets. Finally I will show the damage false prophets can cause in the social political lives of not only ordinary people but politicians as well.

To begin with, biblical history shows that God did not only appoint Kings but also prophets to go alone with them as they lead the people. Prophets were there to communicate God’s mind to the king and not their own thoughts. These prophets categorically were divided into two; true and false prophets. Some of the true Prophets in the bible includes; Nathan who worked with King David (2 Sam 12), Isaiah who prophesied during the reign of following Kings of Judah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1); Jeremiah who prophesied during the time of the following kings, Josiah, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah (Jer 1: 1-3); Ahijah who prophesied during King Jeroboam (1 Kings 14), Elijah who prophesied against King Ahab (1 King 17, 18, 19, 21). False Prophets included Zedekiah son of Kenaanah who prophesied during the time of King Ahab and Jehoshaphat to mention but a few.

The bible reveals the characteristics and manners of a false prophet and how you can know them. Jeremiah (23:16-17) says that they speak vision of their hearts and not from the Lord. In doing this, they speak lies in the name of God where they falsely convince people that what they are saying is the word from the Lord while in actual sense, they speak their mind. Jeremiah (23:13-14) also says that these prophets many times cause many people to err and walk in lies. Ezekiel (13:22) asserts that these false prophets strengthen the hand of the wicked by lying to them in the name of God. Also it is important to say that these Prophets prophecies according to what their victims want to hear. They many times speak so as to make their victim happy while down their hearts they knows that they are telling lies. Finally these false prophets are like chameleon where they change colour and follows where the wind is blowing at that particular time for their own economic gains and not to speak the truth of the word of God.

Applying this to Malawi, there are some things that we need to know: firstly is that there are false prophets who are out there working so much hard to propagate lies from the devil and messing up people’s lives. Many have fallen victim of these wicked act of terror from these prophets because to them what matters more is to propagate lies for their own economic gain. By and large, Malawians have fallen victims of these prophets.

Secondly is that in Malawi we have many instances where some politicians and ordinary people have been misled by lies from these false prophets. For instance, for more than 30 years of Dr. Banda dictatorial rule, Prophets existed and continuously lied and never said the truth.
During the ten years of Bakili Muluzi’s reign, we had a bunch false prophets who continuously prophesied lies for their own economic gains. They went about to propagate wicked propaganda in the name of God that Malawians wanted Muluzi to rule the country through third and open terms bid. Such wicked and false prophets economically benefited from the Muluzi administration and could manufacture every kind of lie in the name of God. These false prophets are not able to read the signs of the times for a particular regime. In this regard, while patriotic citizens of the land were all saying no to third terms, some few confused prophets in the name of church leaders were behind the Muluzi third term bid.

Gay conviction and sentencing a positive development.

2010-06-04T06:12:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

The news that the court in Malawi sentenced the gay couple to 14 years in prison is most welcome, good and a positive step towards protecting our society from foreign influences. Though they are released, these two were firstly convicted of gross indecency and unnatural acts before the Judge sentenced them to 14 years IHL under section 153 of the penal code. These two are allegedly agents of gay institutions across the globe who are doing everything possible to poison and contaminated African societies with abomination and detestable life style that is against the norms of African tradition, culture and religious beliefs.

It was during the Xmas season that the gay couple, Steve Monjeza and Tionge Chimbalanga, were arrested by the Malawi police for holding the unnatural engagement ceremony. At first Malawians thought it was a joke that two men were engaged to each other though relief came when the police had them arrested. They were arrested because they violated the laws of the land which stipulates that unnatural sexual act (homosexualism) is illegal in Malawi. According to Malawi’s supreme tradition, cultural and religious values, it is un-malawian for a man to marry a fellow man or a woman to marry a fellow woman. What Malawians know is that marriage is for a man and a woman and this has been the Malawian way of life ever since. Anything to the contrary is abomination and a taboo.

The arrest and sentencing of the gay couple continue to open the floodgates of criticism and anger from Western donor nations and human rights activists across the globe. their overseas Masters, the human rights organisations in many parts Africa and Malawi in particular continue to criticise government for the sentencing of the two and says that the rights of minorities have been violated. For instance, the Malawi Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (MCHRR) condemned the sentencing and says that the gay couple’s human rights have been violated. Amazingly MCHRR says that they are particularly disappointed with the sentencing because the crime the two have been convicted of (homosexualism) is not a serious offense. However MCHRR should know one thing; that homosexual may not be a serious offense to them and their Masters (Western nations) but this remains an abomination as far as Malawi is concern and infact this is a taboo. In as much as MCHRR and other rights activists have to speak for their Masters overseas on this gay issue, they should realise that they are in Malawi where things are done the Malawian way. These human rights agencies should know that the fact that homosexualism is allowed and legalised in USA, UK and other European nations does not mean that this can be legalised in Malawi because Malawi is different from USA, UK in terms of culture, tradition and religious beliefs.

Also these rights agencies should learn to respect the cultural and tradition values that Malawi has and should not sink so low to the point of asking government to legalise abomination. How do you open your mouth to ask for the legalisation of a wicked way of life in the name of promoting human rights? Even if Malawi is poor, it does it means that we have to accept anything just because it’s the donor community demanding of us. Acceptance depends on whether what they want us legalise is in line with Malawi’s culture, tradition and religious value.They also should know that the more they make noise against the sentencing, the more they become unpopular amongst Malawians.

Western donor nations have threatened to withdraw aid to the country so as to force Malawi recognise and legalise homosexuality. And in an effort to enforce their colonial authority, 65 British MPs signed a House of Common motion condemning Malawi’s while the Scottish MPs threatened to ask the Scottish government to withheld aid to Malawi until the two gay men are released. Britain, Norway, German and the USA who contribute about 40% of Malawi’s budget support have expressed their concern. The British says they are dismayed while the US State department says they are appalled by the sentence and called on the Malawi Government to respect the human rights of all its citizens while the Amnesty International in support of this abomination, have adopted the two gay men as prisoners of conscience and have asked Malawi Government to immediately and unconditionally release them.

In all this however, what is the main agenda of these western donor nations and why are they more interested in this issue? Don’t they know that on the 6 July 1964 Malawi became a sovereign state? Yes they may be economically supporting Malawi but that does not mean that they can still through their financial muscle dictate the terms of life for Malawian people.

It is wrong that even in the 2st Century western nations still wants to indirectly colonise African countries in the name of human rights and the so called “freedoms”. They are bankrolling huge sum of money to promote their wrong concept of life without considering that in Africa and Malawi in particular, people have values which can not easily be bought with donor money. Malawians will remain Malawians and can not be forced to accept detestable and abominable way of life in their society in the name of human rights and to make donors happy. Donors need to accept the fact that Malawi as a sovereign state has its own cultural values which does not accommodate and accept homosexualism. It is better to live in poverty with our head high than to accept or legalise homosexualism and get this money from the west.

Having said this, the donor community should be civilized enough and know that they don’t have the right whatsoever to force Malawians to legalise homosexuality. Just as there are things that western nations can accept in their society, we also in Africa and Malawi in particular have some things which though they may be bad for Europeans, they still remain good for us. Also there are things that though they may be good to western nations, they still remain detestable for Africans and Malawi in particular hence the best thing is for both western and African nations to respect each other’s point of view. Western nations should not impose on Malawi what they think is good for them because theirs is not the standard for all and also that Malawi is different from Western nations in terms of values. Western nations should know that Malawians are people of value and they respect their tradition, culture and religious beliefs which by and large shapes their daily lives. Malawians are people who believe in their culture which does not accept strange way of life particularly homosexualism.

Some have argued that sentencing of the gay couple contradicted the conventions that Malawi signed. However the fact Malawi is a signatory to the said human rights conventions does not mean that we are bound to apply everything thereof even to the point of legalising the abominable way of life into the country against our cultural and religious values. Countries are free to apply human rights guided by other statue which governs them. The so called conventions are not an end to themselves. In addition to the convention and the country’s constitution, there are some norms which are cultural and can turn the tables if not properly handled. What we are saying is that the so called human rights conventions have to be crosschecked with the laws of the land and what the culture of the people say about them. All nations of the world have different values and tradition which shapes their existence and in this regard, Malawi cannot accommodate homosexualism in the name of promoting human rights.

Now those who are unhappy with the sentencing of the two should know that Malawi is a religious society where 75% are Christian, 20% muslims and 5% African Tradition beliefs and others. Both Muslims and Christians (who make up 95%) do not accept homosexual way of life In this regard, western nations should know better the dynamics of Malawi religious life which plays supreme role in the way major decision are made. It is dangerous to undermine the role of religious institution in Malawi because about 95% of the population belong to such organisations and their influence in the way things are done is clearly known.

However below are the addition reasons why Malawians will never accept same sex marriage. Firstly is that religious and cultural values has taught Malawians that it is an abomination for man to marry a fellow man or a woman have it with a fellow woman. What Malawians know is that God created Adam and Eve to complement each other and not James and John. How do you expect a man to compliment a fellow man in the first place?

Secondly Malawians are aware of the various biblical stories where due to homosexual way of life, God destroyed the entire city of Sodom. God rained down burning fire and brimstone on the city of Sodom and Gomorrah where every living thing perished apart from Lot and his daughters. Thirdly Malawians are aware of what happened in the Judges 19 where due to homosexual behaviour of the people of Gibeah, God had it destroyed. Also no Malawian can forget Leviticus 18:22 where God declares, “Thou shall not lie with mankind as with womankind, it is an abomination”(KJV). If God Himself declares that homosexualism is detestable then who are we Malawians to go against the Lord’s command? Western donor nations may have chosen to disobey God on this one but they should not force Malawi to do likewise because Malawians knows better who God is

Finally Malawians knows very well that homosexual behavour degrades human dignity, offends and violates the law of nature while at the same time this practice moral values. So Malawians themselves as custodian of their tradition and religious values have the responsibility to safe guide and protect the nation from any foreign ideology (ie homosexualism). Legalising homosexualism could lead to collective punishment from God upon the land. Just as God destroyed Sodom because of this abomination, the same God could destroy the entire Malawi if this is legalised.

THE SERIOUSNESS OF MALAWI'S 2009 GENERAL ELECTIONS

2008-07-31T04:55:00.000-07:00

Lets face the reality

By: Peter Qeko Jere

A quick analysis into the 2009 Parliamentary and Presidential elections in Malawi shows that these elections are very crucial in the life of the country. These elections are very important because the results there will determine the social, political, economic and spiritual destiny of the Church and entire Christian body in Malawi. Thouhg some may not like to hear this but it is an absolute truth as far as these coming elections are concerned. We have therefore put down some few points to show and demonstrate how serious these elections are to Malawians.

Firstly is that the 2009 General Elections will be about Malawian Christians response to the question of whether there are ready and willing to be ruled by a Moslem president for the second time. It is a fact that Christians who are 80% in the country have a larger voice or say in determining the political destiny of anyone who would want to rule the country which at the same time brings religion into the power of Christianity in Malawi. What we mean is that any politician who wants to rule Malawi can not avoid the church because it is in majority and controls the destiny of the country and that of any presidential aspirant. Thus next year’ s elections are about whether Catholics, Presbyterians (Livingstonia, Nkhoma and Blantyre CCAPs), SDA, Baptists, Assemblies of God, Living Waters, Calvary Family and all charismatic and Pentecostal churches are ready to be ruled by a Moslem president for the second time. Some would get angry as to why we are bringing this issue into the picture now because they don’t want people to talk about real issues in Malawi’s politics. They may as well rebel us religious confusionists or call us any name suitable for them but the truth on the ground in Malawi remain that next year’s elections are so much crucial in the live of Malawian Christians because the results will affect the entire destiny of individual Christians and the church. What we mean also is that these elections will decide the destiny of the church in terms of propagation of the gospel because things can’t and will not be the same in situation where a president is a Moslem as we witness the last decade of UDF rule. We don’t have to pretend but become so much real and face reality here because 2009 election is about the destiny of the church and individual Christian whether we like it or not.

We argue this because it was during that troubled and trying time when we had a Moslem President (1994-2004) that Malawians lost Bible Knowledge as a course for student to pursue. We have in memory how the Catholic Bishops and the clergy fraternity tried and worked so much hard to save bible knowledge that hour. This course which some of us took during our old secondary school days has been diluted and its not the same again and will also not be the same anymore. We need to understand and not pretend that in any situation what matters in the kind of president you have in a country because he is the one who is at the heart of any policy. The most worrisome and threatening thing in their campaigns today is that Bakili Muluzi and his entire team are not saying anything regarding what they will do with existing policies in Education, Religion and others. They need to come to the open and tell the nation what they have and what they plan to do and not surprise us as they did when they were removing the bible from its rightful place in the syllabus. We are skeptical because if he comes again he will end up completely removing the bible in schools. Since 80% of Malawians are Christians, what is needed is bible knowledge and not religious and moral education. Removing and playing games with bible knowledge as Muluzi and his government did was stepping on the foot of the Malawi Church and it’s from such actions that the church can not be comfortable to hear of his coming back into politics. Therefore, the church and church leaders should realize that next years elections are not just like the other elections they have been having in Malawi because these ones are crucial in the life of the Malawi church.

Secondly the 2009 elections are about the decision that Malawians will have to make in order to protect the economic destiny of the country from collapsing again. That vote will be crucial because it will have the power to decide whether Malawians are ready to have their economy flashed into the toilet again? Malawians are aware and have vivid memories of how the economy was quickly flashed into a deep toilet the past ten years of UDF rule. The economy that Dr. Banda left was messed up and ordinary Malawians became poor faster than they could realise. There was no food at all and this was terrible and every family was affected. For some of us who have relatives in our villages, life was never easy because even if you wanted maize, you couldn’t get any because we heard that it was sold to Kenya. That difficult time, people left their villages so that they should die in town with their relatives. The idea was that it was better to go to town and eat whatever little those in towns were eating to survive. At the same time, the national riches were being consumed by the few elite mainly those close the President. They became richer faster than never before and there was no one to question the source of their income. They became millionaires and billionaires and the poor Malawians continued to live in poverty and misery. Now that we have our economy restored and we have food again, next year’s election will be so crucial because it will be about protecting that which Malawian have and are enjoying at the moment.

Thirdly the election is about the impact of religion and tribalism in the country’s politics. There are some few indicators that shows that in Malawi religion and tribalism plays a huge role in the political decision that people can make. Some people make decision based on their religious beliefs and others its because of both religion and the tribe they come from. For instance, a critical analysis of Bakili Muluzi and those who follows him, reveals that they do so because of their religion and tribal affiliation. This is clear because the UDF catchments areas of Machinga and Mangochi are full of people whose key influence is religion and tribalism. They follow him not because he is a great man with great idea but because he is someone from their religion and also because they relate with him very well in terms of their tribal background. This is what we may called blind politics where key issues and ideology are not issues at all but religion and tribal background. It is worse because leaders like Bakili Muluzi know that the support they get from their catchment’s areas is not because of their political brilliancy but because of their religious and tribal affiliation. This is the way how politicians abuses the tribal and ethnic divisions which creates resentments from other quarters. Like wise John Tembo, has some support in the central region not because he is great politicians but because he is a home boy from among the chewa people. Therefore next year’s elections will show us which part of the country practice tribal politics.

Finally, this election is crucial in Malawi because for the first time MPs will the severely punished by the power of the vote because of playing games with the budget. It has become so much clear that some MPs openly advocate for the implementation of section 65 over the budget and the good thing is that ordinary Malawians, who have the destiny of these politicians in their hands, are aware of everything they are doing and they are waiting for the right time and right moment to have them punished. As we pointed somewhere else, section 65 has nothing to do with the poor people in our villages and these are two different thing and MPs don’t have to used this as an issue to the point of refusing to have the budget passed. Malawians MPs mainly those from opposition will be in for a rough ride because they have not done enough to develop their constituencies and have ended up enriching themselves and at the same time they refuse the have the budget passed something which is there to help the poor.

WHY CLERGY CAN'T SUCCEED IN MEDIATING PEACE TALKS IN MALAWI

2008-07-31T04:51:00.000-07:00

BY: Peter Qeko Jere

In Malawi political economy, the church has been instrumental to help bring about change in the country. From time in memorial the church has been a the forefront helping in the struggle for change. We don’t have to remind you that it was the church in the late 1800s which saved the southern part of Malawi (then Nyasaland) from the Portuguese occupation. What we mean is that if it was not for the church, Blantyre and the entire shire valley could have been part of Mozambique today. But it took the church of Christ in Malawi to fight this war and save the situation. It was also the church which played a strategic role in the fight against colonialism in the country. It was the church again which helped a lot in the fight against Dr. Banda and bring about democracy in the country. In Malawi there is the unwritten law which states that you don’t talk of the birth of multiparty democracy without mentioning the church. We don’t have to forget the Roman Catholic’s Pastoral letter which revolutionize the country.
Due to the history and work the church has done in the past, Malawians have lived to trust that in times of any conflict, the church is the only institution to consult. It is in this vain that even in the madness in parliament over section 65 and the budget, politicians remembered that the best way forward to the issue was to involve the church leaders. Politicians realized that they not capable of bringing peace amongst each other because they don’t have that peace in the first place hence they called the clerics to mediate the political impasse. Many unfortunate things took place in the August house such that some wanted the house adjourned and give the chance to the peace talks.
While church leaders’ responsibility in our society is unique and appreciated, there are some few things that we want to bring to the attention of everybody so that you should know the exact position of the church in Malawi.
The first thing is that in Malawi, the church is badly positioned and can not be effective in mediation. The Malawi church need divine medication healing. There are issues in within the church body that need to be solved. Such issues include tribalism, favouritism, corruption and others. We have interchurch conflict between Livingstonia and Nkhoma Synod where this time around Livingstonia has penetrated part of the Central region. There are church internal leadership conflicts where leaders have taken each other to court and particularly in the Anglican, PIM and SDA. Church leaders have resolved to use the court to solve their issues since they fail to agree on one thing or the other. Also there are allegations of church leaders in the Blantyre Synod who pocketed some money from Bakili Muluzi, who is also a Muslim, with an aim of promoting him in within the Synod. This has shocked the entire Christian fraternity that church leaders can go this far and they ask that if the leaders are doing this then what about an ordinary member of the church? Unfortunately leaders have become instruments that politicians have targeted to manipulate and used in propagating their agendas.
The second thing is that the church in Malawi need to put its house in order first before it begins to get involved in mediating peace at the national level. This is because the church is not qualified to handle national issues this time around because its house is not in order. How can the church leadership be instrument of peace and unity when they themselves do not have the peace and can live in unity? How will they prescribe peace and unity to politicians when they don’t know the definition of peace and unity? Peace making is for those who stay and live in peace. You only give that which you have and you cant give something which you don’t have.
To our view, this team of religious leaders involved in the so called peace talks, should have convened to help solve all religious issues in the country. They should convene to help solve issues in the Anglican Church, the PIM, the SDA, the Nkhoma/Livingstonia Synod, Blantyre Synod corruption saga and others. Church leaders should help each other in unifying the broken churches so that they can be effective in peace making at a national level. Church leaders should be there for each other when the things are bad. Its not proper for leaders to convene with an aim of solving issues at a national level when hot and burning issues are destroying the church. Such meetings should be made to help solve church problems first before national issues are sorted out.
Thirdly is that the Church in Malawi should realize that mediating unity and peace talks is not just about sitting down and telling people what the bible say about unity and peace. They should know that this process to a large extend is about demonstrating what you have to those in conflict. This is about revealing the peace strategies that have sustained the church in years and ask politicians to emulate from the church. This is about giving out that which they live daily. Now it becomes a problem when church leaders’ lives are in a mess because many times ordinary people are too observant and they know the kind of life church leaders live and if they can be trusted. As earlier said here, you only give that which you have. If the church leaders have too much conflicts in within themselves, they can not be effective in any mediation talk.

ECONOMIC ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE MAIN ISSUE

2008-07-31T04:31:00.002-07:00

BY: Peter Qeko Jere.

The common tradition all over the world is that when you leave office, auditors come to do their work on you and produce the audited report where they indicate if at all there are some money or office items missing. This is done so that anyone coming to take over should not be in trouble and be punished because of your sins or misdeeds. Audited reports have to be produced and clear your name so as to safeguard your integrity. In here I want to show and argue that something need to be done in terms of auditing all the ten years of Bakili Muluzi’s rule so that Malawians should be aware on how Muluzi used tax payers money and also how donor monies were used. We share this notion because we believe that just as Managers, Directors and others produce audited reports of their work before they leave office, those in high political offices too need to do the same.

We all are aware that in 1994 Bakili Muluzi took over from Kamuzu Banda to become the first President of the land in a multiparty democracy in Malawi. Dr. Banda who was a very old man this time around moved from Sanjika to Mudi house in Blantyre. While at Mudi, Banda though old, went through a very difficult time in the hands of the UDF government who terrorized him as they wanted him to account for all his three decades rule in Malawi. This was the most tiring time for the old man and we can as well say that he died a sad man and no wonder that some of the sickness he suffered had to do with the way he was treated in his old age. We should not forget that the late Dr. Banda was told to appear in the court of law and was saved by the MCP women who protested and vowed that they will do everything under their power to protect their nkhoswe NO. 1. All Kamuzu property was investigated including his Bank transaction in UK and all this left Kamuzu a very sad man in his old age. We should not forget that this time Kamuzu was over 95 years and if anything he needed 100% support from government and not the kind of torture he went through. Infact it unMalawian to mistreat someone who is old and in the 90s.

While Kamuzu was investigated and brought to the court of law after the 1994 elections, it is surprising and shocking that the same measure used on Kamuzu is not applied on Muluzi. Just as kamuzu was asked to give account of all his three decades rule, Muluzi is suppose to give an account of how he rule the country.

While Kamuzu was questioned and had his property scrutinized and his accounts in UK investigated, Muluzi is left free and nobody is doing anything because by now we could have been having a report on how Muluzi became a Billionaire within his ten years of rule. Malawians need to know how much is Muluzi having in his oversea banks and assets? Then how did he manage to buy properties (if any) overseas and where did he get the money from. Now if he has any oversea properties then when did he acquire them? Was it after or before he became president in 1994? Malawians have no problem with what he had before 1994 because we all know how much Muluzi had and there are records of this. However the interest for every Malawians is on anything that he acquired after 1994 when he was sworn in as the president of the country. From the day of his inauguration, everything he began to acquire became something of interest to Malawians because he was the president of the country. If it’s the case of gifts in monitory form from friends and donors, all this becomes a Government Issue and Malawian issue because when you become a head of state, people come with gifts to you as the president something they couldn’t do when you were just an ordinary citizen. The Chiluba UK judgment could as well be applied in this scenario because Chiluba also become a Billionaire within his ten years of rule in Zambia and the UK judge made it clear as regard to the gifts and other monies that Chiluba received as gifts. The question is where do you draw line when receiving gifts when you are a head of state?

Malawians employed Muluzi to rule for ten years and we have the right to know how he used the money in the country. We need to know exact figures as to how much was in government coffer when he got in and how much donor money government received. Also how much gifts and donations in terms of money did he received because all what he received when he was the president of the country came because he was the head of state otherwise nobody could have given him anything if he was an ordinary citizen. Therefore any money that he came from outside as gifts automatically belongs to government because they were giving it to him as a head of state. Therefore Malawians need to know how much of the foreign money came as gifts from overseas and from Africa and where is this money now? The only money we know is the US 12 million which is about K1.4 billion and nobody seem to know where the other money went. If there is this K1.4 billion Kwacha which came as gifts to Malawi then there should be more that is not counted for.

What about Physical assets? How many houses did Muluzi had before he became president? And how many did he acquire after he become president and how did the process like? Did they all went through a normal process or shot cuts were used?

We could have been having reports on where and how he acquired the extra millions and billions he has. We could have been having quantitive figure to explain his source of income that enabled him to amuse massive chuma like this. We believe that if Kamuzu was questioned and investigated on how he acquired his chuma, Muluzi could not have been left free but that he could have given an audited report on how he administered this country. He is not immune to investigation because he has to explain to the nation that employed him to rule for ten years. He is supposed to show that he is innocent and not be defensive as if he already knows that there are problems as to how he acquired some of the millions he has. Muluzi should know that Kamuzu went through the same process and that he also has to be investigated so that the nation can know how he acquired all the things he has.

Its interesting that injunction was filed so that he should not be questioned or investigated. What is the meaning of all this now? To our view, if Muluzi was a clean man and if he knows that he acquired all his millions and Billions in a clean way, he could not have gone to the courts for injunctions and other things. We believe he could have allowed the whole process go smoothly without any problems. He could have remained a man enough with that piece of mind and with a sober heart. But the frequent courts visit and the many lawyers he puts in place automatically shows that something is wrong somewhere and it creates suspicions in the lives of many. If Kamuzu allowed the rule of law do its work even though he was old and helpless, Muluzi is suppose to freely allow those who would want to investigate him do their job so that he clear his name. How will Malawians trust him again with their money and government??

MORGAN TSVANGIRAI RUNOFF WITHDRAWAL A DISASTER STORY

2008-07-31T04:25:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

The Movement for Democratic Change’s President Morgan Tsvangirai announced days ago that he has withdrawn from the Presidential runoff. He said that his party can not contest the election in a situation where MDC members are bitten and chased away from their homes so that they should not vote. There has been mixed reaction as to the timing of the withdrawal and as to what will happen to the election and a way forward for the country. Some mainly the western media houses have condemned and blamed Zanu PF for the violence and others have even gone to the point of saying that Zanu PF is committing crime against humanity which is arguable depending on the context one is operating from. Some have asked for the implementation of the Kenyan model into Zimbabwe political situation and they see this as the only hope for the country.

After analyzing and critically looking into the whole situation that led to the current political mess in Zimbabwe, we have the following key points for your attention.

To begin with, we recognize that the Zimbabwe issue is complex and no-one can easily solve it. The problem is historical, political, economical, social and involves a number of stakeholders. We also do not support the violence taking place which is making ordinary people’s life difficult

However one of the key formula to solve the problem was through the runoff which Tsvangirai has withdrawn due to the reason given in the various media houses world wide. Now the question could be is it wise to withdraw at the eleventh hour? Who was behind the decision that he should withdraw? What will be the impact of this withdrawal on the peace process and also will this withdrawal solve the problem? In response to this, we strongly feel that it is a mistake and suicidal and politically dangerous to withdraw in the midst of the struggle. The huge mistake any one can do in battle is to withdraw in the midst of fighting. We believe that this was part of the struggle for change and withdrawing is not a solution but its something which has retarded the process. Whoever gave the MDC this piece of advice has messed up the struggle because the momentum has been crashed and that it will not be so much easy for them to take off again. This withdrawal is suicidal because like any struggle, blood has to be shed. So people need to understand that in life there are principles that guide events and in case of the struggle, the key principle is that for victory to be born, blood has to be shed. This is the pattern of things biblically and through out history.

For instance blood was shed during the struggle against colonialism and people died. In the early 1990, the wind of change multiparty democratic change which blew across Africa led to the death of many people. The key principle in the struggle is that blood has to be shed if peace and victory has to come. In the bible it is very clear that there is no salvation without the shedding of blood and of course Jesus Christ died and sacrifice his own life for the sake of humanity. To shed blood in the struggle is to sacrifice for the future of your children and your great grand children and not for yourself. In the book of Exodus we see that its through the blood that Israelites were saved from the angel of death when he passed by their home. Without the shedding of blood there is no salvation and in other word, blood of those who die in the struggle is the fuel for the liberation of the oppressed.

Now the argument that Tsvangirani withdrew because many of his people are being killed is to some of us pathetic and directionless because this has highjacked the democratic struggle for Zimbabwe. The problem is that those who advice them have no knowledge and do not know key principle that guides liberation and freedom. Democratic freedom is expensive and does not come on a silver platter. To us Tsvangirai who is the movement leader need to be the first person to know that in the struggle blood is shed and people die. He needs to know that the key principle to any struggle and liberation is that you don’t separate salvation from the blood. He should know that as a leader, he should be at the battle frontline and not in embassy hiding. A liberation leader and human rights activists does not fear death or even hid but stay with the people and suffer with them.

Soon after the election, Tsvangirai was at large outside the country and was not suffering with the people. A great liberation leader is the one who suffer and cry with the people and he leads them as a great shepherd. Tsvangirai was not with the people but that he abandon them and they suffered alone. He was in Johannesburg and traveling across Africa to mount up support while his people were alone without a leader. In the struggle you don’t leave your people alone. As if this was not enough, Tsvangirai has pulled his party out of the contest and we are also that he is gone into hiding in the Dutch embassy while his people are suffering as it is been alleged. It is shameful and discouraging that a leader who was suppose to be at the frontline leading the struggle has gone into hiding. Now if he is in hiding what about his followers? To whom will they cry to or go for protection? Leaders like Tsvangirai need to know that it is not good to hid and leave your people defenceless.

Hiding in the European embassy makes things even worse for him because it is proving his opponent right that he is being supported by Europeans. Why didn’t he seek refuge in the Botswana embassy or any other African embassy so as to make things easy for him and the whole democratic struggle? It has to be mentioned also that in the struggle only those leaders who use their brains and think, survive and come out victoriously. Those who cant think always die on the way before the victory is attained because to be in a struggle is to put brains at work. Brains have to be at work because the struggle is about planning and strategizing so that you outmaneuver the enemy. If the leader has no capacity to think and use his brains, he will always trust any advice that comes his way without even having a thorough scrutiny of it. A leader doesn’t just take advice anyhow but spend time scrutinizing every piece of it.

The pattern of events after the election shows that Tsvangirai need to put himself together and take up his rightful position as a leader if he has to be victorious otherwise he will not make it. If he never realizes that his position in this struggle is the frontline then Zimbabweans should look for someone who shall accept to face the sound of gun and sacrifice his or her life for salvation of many. In this democratic struggle, the three major blunders are enough to make zealous and patriotic people loose trust in their leader when he hid and not suffer or stay hungry with them.

Also it should be noted that Africans always need a leader of the God Father or a hero type character. Tsvangirai as a leader need to be a man of focus and know where he is taking his people to. He also should know that in the process not everyone will reach the finishing line because the principle guiding the liberation states that in the struggle blood is shed and lives are lost.

One of the key issue as regard to Tsvangirai’s withdrawal is that this should pave way to the negotiations and creation of the government of national unity as was the case in Kenya when Odinga and Kibaki were brought together into dialogue. For those who share this notion however needs to think a big time because for some of us, we wonder as to how possible the national unity government can function in Zimbabwe. We feel it is wrong and a mistake to use the Kenyan model because Kenya and Zimbabwe are very different countries with very different liberation history. Also we need to point out the Kenyan liberation history did not play a major role during the elections while in Zimbabwe the entire election are closely connected to the war of liberation from Britain. Also the Kenyan liberation struggle from colonialism didn’t involve too much of a gun firing as was the case with the Zimbabwe issue which basically was about the use of a gun. In Zimbabwe, the liberation history deeply involves the army who by and large have huge influence in the way politics functions in the country while in Kenya, the army is basically outside and any idea of the national unity government will have to deal with a number of issues including the army which are part and parcel of the liberation history of the country

Others have argued that SADC, AU, USA, UK and the UN should put pressure on Mugabe so as to force him give in to the foreign demands. Some have gone as far as saying that South Africa should cut off electricity so that they should force Mugabe to give up. As earlier said, the Zimbabwe crisis is so unique and complex in that anyone who want to solve it should divorce him or herself from Europeans because any idea though good but for as long as it comes from Europe or anyone white can not easily be entertained and accommodated. This is because Zimbabwean suffered a lot under the British colonial rule under Ian Smith. It’s in this regard that Tsvangirai seem not to have huge support and is gradually loosing popularity because of aligning himself with Britain. We in this case are of the view that democratic struggle could have been an easy thing if Tsvangirai handled this outside European influence. In addition to this, it is a fallacy to say that SADC can help solve this crisis. SADC as a regional block can not effectively help solve this crisis because these SADC countries have similar land problem where majority of the people do not own land. Land is critical to African people and this is their only identify. It doesn’t make sense for SADC leaders to teach Zimbabweans on how to handle this issue which involves land ownership while these leaders themselves have similar land problems in their backyard. It is a fact that colonialism took away fertile land from black people who were forced to stay in the mountains. What we are witnessing now is the shift of things because it is a fact that many in the SADC region are landless and have no identity as African people. Land is the gold of African people and you cannot be rich in Africa unless you have land. So there a number of issues SADC leaders’ shall have to follow if they are to solve the Zimbabwe issue amicably because its not about politics only but also land.

Having said this, we finally want to point out that those involved in the negotiations should give chance to Zimbabwean themselves to sit down and solve their problem. Zimbabweans are very intelligent and wise people and this situation is too small for them to fail to solve. The solution to this issue is for the western nations to shut up and keep quiet and give space to Zimbabweans to sit down and talk over issues amicably. The problems come in because of USA, UK and other western nations and their media houses that continue to demonize Mugabe. The more they demonise Mugabe the more they unite the Zanu PF and the more they make him strong. The more they suppose Tsvangirai, the more they make things hard and difficult for MDC on the ground. The bad publicity and anti mugabe media makes Mugabe even more strong because Mugabe and Zanu PF have concluded that Tsvangirai is not alone but has USA, UK and all the European power behind him. So we strongly call upon the west to stay out of this issue and allow African people of Zimbabwe solve the problem the Zimbabwe way.

THE MEANING OF LIGITIMATE/ILLEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT AND THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE IN AFRICAN POLITICS

2008-07-31T04:14:00.002-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

The Zimbabwe 2008 General Elections which included the Presidential runoff has raised two key issues in African politics today. These include the meaning of the people, legitimate and illegitimate government. The first round of voting produced two main contenders to the Presidency because none of them won the outright majority to form government. This means that Tsvangirai and Mugabe were to face each other in the runoff. However soon or later Morgan Tsvangirai pulled his MDC out the contest which gave room for the incumbent to go unopposed. Thus during the presidential runoff, Robert Mugabe won the elections and was sworn in for another term of office. This has left the MDC with no option but to begin to swallow their ego because it was suicidal for Tsvangirai to pull out at the eleventh hour. However even before voting, many western nations condemned the whole process and called it a sham or a scandal. The United Nations also condemned the elections just as the US and the EU. After Mugabe won the runoff, the condemnation went even louder mainly from the US, Britain and the EU who said that they will only recognize government formed by Mr. Tsvangirai and not Mr. Mugabe. To them they still do not believe that things have gone this far.

Here in Africa, our AU heads of states meeting in Cairo didn’t come up with a strong word of condemnation but asked the Zimbabwean politicians to put their house in order amicably. In Sadc, countries like Botswana with its new President, Khama have come out very strongly saying that Mugabe should be stopped from attending Heads of States meetings. The other strong word has come from Raila Odinga in Kenya who possibly sympathizes with Tsvangirai and he is vocal and anti Mugabe. Thabo Mbeki who has been greatly condemned by many with his quiet diplomacy has not been strong on the issue. Many expected Mbeki to strongly condemn Mugabe and they are angry that he has not done that.

In Zimbabwe itself, Mr. Tsvangirai himself calls the whole Mugabe inauguration as a sham and something which is against the will of the people.

Having said this, we want to discuss “who are the true people” in politics because like the Zimbabwe scenario, the Americans, Britain and the EU have argued that the results of the runoff did not reflect the will of the people. In this case who are the people? Who determines and qualifies who to be included in the people? Like the Zimbabwe situation, how do we define the will of the people? Is the will of the people in the opposition or the ruling party? In case where the opposition withdraws, do the the ruling party stops being part of the people? Or are we saying that the will of the people is determined and defined by the participation of the opposition in politics? Then what do you call those who support the ruling party? Are they not part of the people categorically?

Also the results have been categorically called a sham. Now why are the results a sham in the first place? Is it because MDC pulled out? Suppose they didn’t pull out what were they going to be called? Does the description of the results depend on the opposition’s participation for them not to be a sham? What quantitative indicators do you use to determine that the results are a sham or not? At the same time, what could they have been called if it was Zanu PF withdrawing? Would they have called this a sham or what could it have been and not MDC? And who determine that this result is a sham? What qualification should someone have to be able to make this determination? Finally these results are called a sham according to whose standards?

The US, EU and Britain are at pain and have called the Zimbabwe government an illegitimate one meaning that its an illegal administration. Now let’s look at this: if this is an illegitimate government, then who qualifies a government to be legitimate? What criteria and indicators do you use to qualify a government to be legitimate? Who has this power to make a country legitimate? In this case, does a country stop being legitimate because US, EU and Britain says so? What qualifies EU, USA and Britain to declare nations illegitimate or legitimate? Then how do you define the word legitimate or illegitimate in such situation?

A critical analysis of the situation on the ground had enable us to come up with what we feel is the proper definition and understanding of who the people are and also when does government become legitimate or not legitimate.

To begin with, we respect the position taken by western nations and African nations that have strongly condemned the Zimbabwe electoral results. We don’t have a problem with that because we realize people have freedoms and rights these days to express themselves on issues so are nations and their leaders. They can choose to remain silent or speak out depending on the political beliefs of their leaders. However we want to share something on the questions raised about how do we define the will of the people? As from western leaders’ comments on the issue, it is clear that the will of the people rests in the opposition hence even though Mugabe has been inaugurated for another term of office, they say they will only work with government that Mr. Tsvangirai will form. Now the question is when will this be and how will this be since a sitting president has been inaugurated already for another term of office? In this regard we feel the western nations approach to the issue of the will of the people is misleading because this can not only rest in the opposition. Like Zimbabwe, many African countries have the ruling party and those in opposition and it’s a terrible mistake to equate the people with only the opposition leaving out the other sector of society from the ruling party. So its scholarly wrong to limit the definition of the will of he people to the voice of the opposition. The question could be if the will of the people is limited and only rests in the opposition then what do you call the voice that comes from the ruling party? Now do those from the ruling party stop being people when the opposition withdraws from the contest such that their voice cannot be considered as the will of the people? We feel that this understanding propagated by western politicians is wrong because there is more to the will of the people than limiting it to the voice of the opposition only. Also that its wrong to say that they will of the people is in the opposition because there is enough evidence to show that in African politics today, many opposition parties have no ideology but that they only exist to oppose everything that comes from the ruling party even if government has such programs that are geared to benefits their own people in the constituencies.

As regard the element of calling the results a sham, this raises so many questions mainly when you have a very objective view to it. It is because this voice has by and large being influenced by external forces. The USA, EU and Britain has called the results a sham followed by all the nations that get economic support from them. At the same time, majority of the nations that belonged to the opposing side during the cold war, seem not to be so much interested in what the US, EU and Britain are advocating. In essence, the calling of these results a sham brings us back to the cold war and has divided African countries. So if we may ask, whose standards determine that the results are a sham or not? Should it the USA, EU or Britain? Are we saying that all African countries don’t have standards of their own? Should we as African people wait until the EU, US and Britain make a determination for the results to be fair? Is this in other way not a different version of colonialism that Western countries should have a say in the administration of internal issues affecting African countries? We strongly feel that though the Zimbabwe issue has gone overboard, it should still be left in the hands of Zimbabweans to sit down and solve it. This is because there is more to the Zimbabwe issue that western politician who many of them are too young to understand the histories of African countries. In fact majority of the western political leaders didn’t study African political history and they have no idea whatsoever to clearly understand the dynamics and ideals of African politics today. You can not understand and know the complex of African politics unless you know the histories of African colonialism and the liberation process. So the definition of whether the results in Zimbabwe are a sham or not has to a larger extent depends on what the Zimbabwean themselves say about it based on social, political and economic history of their country. It has to be the people of Zimbabwe because Zimbabwe belongs to the African Zimbabwean and not to the US, EU and Britain. What we mean is that this piece of land called Zimbabwe belongs to both the MDC and Zanu PF and they are the key players who have to come up with a final say as to what they think is good for their country and for their destiny.

Now on the question of illegitimate or legitimate government there are many questions again that need clarification. The US, EU, Britain and their economic partners, have by and large called the Zimbabwe government illegitimate one. In other ways they do not recognize it and they have nothing to do with it. So the question is what qualifies the USA, EU, Britain and their economic partners to categorically call a country illegitimate? Whose standards do they use to determine that the government is illegitimate or not? The irony is that the media says that the US will put sanction on all countries that are in close ties with Zimbabwe as a way of pushing them to pressure Robert Mugabe. Now is this morally good? Since when has it become a sin or criminal for nations to be in good terms? Should the US determine and pin point which country we as African should befriend? Should our friendship in Africa be controlled in Washington? We think things have gone overboard and there is too much sign of immaturity here because African sovereign states should be left alone to decide which nation to befriend based on what they feel is good for them as African people. Therefore the USA, EU and Britain should know that this is the 21st Centuary where African countries know what I good for them as African people. They should know that they do not have any constitutional right to declare that a particular country in Africa is illegitimate or legitimate unless they are part of the voting process. Those who take part in the voting process are the ones who declare that a system or country is illegitimate or not. That the legitimate of any country is in the power of the vote. That small vote we cast during the election has the power to declare a country legitimate or not. So spectators or observer’s job is to monitor and they cant go beyond that.

WHY AM A PROUD MALAWIAN TODAY

2008-07-26T01:42:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

As of late many people have questioned why I write a lot on issues affecting Malawi as if am a student of political science or if am planning to join politics in future. They question why Malawi has become so special to me this time around and why should it be today and not the previous time when I was here at the University of Fort Hare doing my Masters degree. Just a while ago someone emailed from the US and she is wondering why I write apologetically about Malawi. The shift around me is very clear for everybody to see and witness. I have therefore decided to respond to the many questions people have about my current position through this network.

To begin with, it is true that I spent some of my free time thinking and writing some things about Malawi. I have been compelled to do this because of the negative journalism out there against my country. There are some few confused and unprincipled minds whose main agenda is to write negative stories about this great land. They claim to be citizens of this great nation but surprisingly they continue to do negative journalism where the only thing they know best is to write against the land of my birth. As a patriotic citizen of the land, I have an obligation to defend my country from any form of negative journalism. There is this unwritten natural law which forces me to defend my country from such negative journalism out there.

How can they call claim to be true Malawians when they spend sleepless time planning to tarnish the good image of my motherland? Now how true Malawian are they, if they plan to write negative stories against their own land. For some of us, we don’t have any other home apart from Malawi and this is the land of our birth. That is why we take up the pen to fight back if anyone writes negatively against our only home in the world. We expect citizen of the land to do patriotic journalism where they have obligation to promote and not destroy the good image of the country. This is where you do everything under your power to protect and promote that which you have. The only thing that every citizen of this great nation have is Malawi.

I for one, Malawi is my very being and you don’t separate me from this rich heritage because this also represents the land, mountain, valleys, rivers, beautiful plains and our great lake. I am aware of my history and heritage which is so much rich and its all attached to this great land. So when I write, its something that comes from my heart not my head, as a way of protecting and promoting the land of my birth.

Secondly I write positively about Malawi because this time around we are so much privileged to have the Head of State, His Excellency Dr. Bingu Wa Muthalika who passed through the corridors of several Universities in the world attaining both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. What I mean is that in Malawi we have the President who is educated. He has a Bachelor of Commerce, Masters Degree and a PhD in Developmental Economics and he is also a writer and has several publications behind his name.

One of his masterpiece is the book called, ‘One Africa one Destiny” published by Sapes Trust in 1995 where in chapter 3 (Muthalika 1995:60-90) he deals with the definition and issues of democracy in relation to the will of the people. I think you all need to read this book and this chapter if you are to understand democracy as African people. I think politicians also need to read this so that they get a clear understanding of what the will of the people is all about.

In fact my President has written some more books related to his field of study (Developmental economic) like the following: Toward multinational economic co-operation in Africa (by Praeger 1972); The Vibrant Circle of growth; A Case study on Regionalism in Africa in Regional integration and the New International Economic order (UNITAR-CEESTEM-Perganom Press 1981); Transnational Corporation and Technical Cooperation Among Developing Countries in The Challenges of South-South Co-operation (RCCDC-Westview Press 1983); Regional and Sub-regional Integration in Africa: Perspectives, Problematiques and Prospects (Research and Information System for the Non-Aligned and other Developing Countries/ EL Colegio de Mexico 1987 (Muthalika 1995).

In additional, our President is not only educated but has also worked in a number of well known international organization like the World Bank, United Nations and for a good number of years he was the General Secretary of PTA now called COMESA. This is the kind of a man you can comfortably associate with mainly when you are an upcoming scholar and a citizen of this great land. Thus I am proud that am a Malawian and a patriotic citizen of the land.

LILLIPUT ARTS AND CRAFTS

2008-07-26T01:38:00.000-07:00

ALICE, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA
LOCATION: BELOW STANDARD BANK,
ALICE BRANCH, OPPOSITE SHELL ALICE MOTORS.

Today I want to introduce you to two major items that may sound new and strange to a good number of you out there. These are the small town of Alice where the University of Fort Hare and Lovedale College are located. The town of Alice though small has a big history as far as African liberation and freedom is concern. It was it is in this town where most of the first crop of African Nationalists lived when they were doing their University Education here at Fort Hare. For instance, great African leaders and statesmen like Julius Nyerere, Mandela, Robert Mugabe, Oliver Tambo, Mangasutu Buthelezi, Manoah Chirwa, Orton Chirwa, Masauko Chipembere , Thabo Mbeki and others walked in the streets of this small town. They became great leaders because of what this small town provided for them. So you don’t separate African nationalism and struggle for independence from this town.

Now this town today has a well furnished shop which has many items that could remind you and I as regard our identify as African people and children of the soil, valleys and mountains.

This shop is called LILLIPUT ART AND CRAFTS and it’s located below the Alice Standard Bank, opposite shell Alice Motors. Key items in this shop include Beadwork, glasswork, wool craft. Lillian Nozuko Peter is available Monday to Saturday to have your designs done. Also in this shop, you will find various newspapers for both South African and international; Mail & Guardian, Sun, Job mail, King mercury, Daily Dispatch, Sowetan, Soccer Laduna, Die Burger, Magazines and many stationery for those who are students.

For more details Contact

Mama Sylvia Lillian Nozuko Peter
Phone: 27-406531215 (international dialing) or 0406531215 (local)
Fax : 27-406532754
Cell : 0843861018

LEADERSHIP GROOMING: KEY SOLUTION TO AFRICAN CONFLICTS

2008-07-01T03:59:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

Many have questioned as to why Africa has become a battle field where, lives have been lost and many have gone into exile as political refugees. Some continue to ask what actually is the problem with Africa and what kind of sin did Africa commit that political conflict have become the order of the day. Each time you open your TV, the only thing you hear about Africa is war, bloodshed and political conflicts. Its either Dafour, Somalia, Chad, Central African Republic, Zimbabwe and others. In this brief account I want to show that the major problem in Africa today is the failure by leaders to groom someone to succeed them when their term of office expires. I also want to show that there is peace and tranquility in all countries where are prepared in advance.

To begin with, there is enough evidence to show that many African leaders don’t like prepare a successor in their political parties and government. This is a problem in African politics because many of our leaders the moment they are elected forget that one day they will have to leave office and pave way for a successor. We have political stability in countries where leadership grooming is the order the day. In such countries, there is always a peaceful transition from one leader of both the party and government. For instance, in Botswana, the country is at peace and stable economy because leaders are civilized and know the need to groom and prepare someone who could take over from them. Sir Ketumire Masire groomed Festus Mogae while Mogae groomed Khama who has just taken the reign of power even before the election. It is amazing that Mogae didn’t wait for the final whistle to leave office but he just handed the presidency to his deputy just like that, something that some African leaders can do. In grooming, the Vice President is given enough time to study how the President administers the country and normally it’s a period of ten years. In Mozambique, political transitions were smooth and peaceful from Mondlane, Samora Michael, Chissano and now Geubuza. What we see here is that its only one party which rules the country using the available human resources it has. There is peace and political stability in this country because Chissano didn’t want to rule the country more than necessary but handed the leadership mantle to one of the senior person in the party, someone who could carry the revolution forward. In Tanzania, there has been peaceful political transition at both party and national level from the time of Mwarimu Nyerere, Mwinyi, Mukapa and now Kikwete. The ruling Presidents from Mwalimu, have always been able to groom and prepare someone in within the party whom all of them could trust and support. In South Africa, Mandela handed the leadership mantle to Thabo Mbeki even before the end of his term of office. For five years Mbeki was groomed and prepared to rule the country. In Lesotho, Mokhlekhle groomed the current Prime Minister Mosisili in within the ruling party.

While some African countries Presidents and head of states have succeeded in grooming someone to take over from them, there are some who have see this as a threat to their political destiny. This is because they think that they were born to rule for life. For instance, in Malawi, Dr. Banda never groomed someone to take over both the party and government. Due to it was a problem to have the rightful successor when Banda died and the party disintegrated because both John Tembo and Chakuamba wanted to become the president.

Though is in charge of MCP, it is not clear as to whom he is grooming as the next leader of the party after he retires from politics. Some have argued that just like Banda, John Tembo is not grooming anybody to take over from him because he thinks he will rule MCP for life. This is the same mistake that Banda made something which reduced the political base of the party.

Like Banda, Muluzi after ruling Malawi and his UDF party for ten years also never prepared someone to take over from him. This at the end made him panic politically and many of his great friends left him. At the party level the UDF and Muluzi did not prepare someone to take over from him. We wonder as to why it is so much of a problem in Malawi’s politics to prepare someone to take over power. It seems the life presidency syndrome is still in many of our leaders such that they think they were born to rule for life. As for UDF, imagine Muluzi has been the leader since its formation and its like he is the life president or chairman of party. It seems there are unwritten laws in this party whereby noone could rule and take over the leadership of this party for as long as Muluzi is alive. The party has been bulldozed to the extend of changing its constitution to suit the needs, aspirations and demands of one man which automatically make him the life president and chairman of the party.

In all this, it is very clear that the UDF party has no one to succeed Muluzi which is worrisome because this party is going toward making Muluzi the life president the very same ideology which Malawians fought against in 1992. So failure by our leaders to groom upcoming leaders has led to the current political madness in the country. Malawi political problems to the large extend are caused by our selfish leaders’ who do not want to prepare and groom others to take over power from them.

Just like in Malawi, in Zambia, Kaunda never groomed someone to take over power from him. In the same way, Chiluba was in trouble when he wanted to change the constitution as he had noone to succeed him. During the entire ten years of his rule, Chiluba never thought of grooming someone to take over power from him one day. Thus he even wanted to change the constitution so that he could rule again. Now it is not clear as to who Mwanawasa is grooming as he is in his last term of office. The good thing with Mwanawasa is that he has made is clear to everybody in the party and the nation at large that he will not seek a third term and that he is happy that he is serving the Zambian people and in his last term of office. Also the leadership grooming seems to be a problem in Uganda where we are not sure if Museveni is preparing someone to take over power from him. Like wise in Kenya, Mwai Kibaki who is in his last term of office, need to begin to groom someone to take over power from him in a peaceful transition. The mistake leaders make is that they wait until the eleventh hour to think of who to hand over power to and as a result things goes politically bad. Finally in Zimbabwe, the main cause of the current political situation is the Zanu PF failure to groom someone to lead the party after Bob retires. Now if leadership grooming is not done at the party level, it becomes hard to think of leadership grooming at the national level. Things begin at the party level and flows at the national level. Our leaders should develop the culture of preparing someone to take over power from them in good time at both party and national level. Leaders need to be reminded that opposition parties dies a natural death in countries where the ruling party grooms the next President. In Tanzania and Botswana for example, the ruling party is very every leader who comes in knows that he is there for ten years and prepares someone to rule in advance. This strengthened the party and it remains intact and not shaken. So the only solution to African conflict is leadership shift in terms of party’s preparing the next leader in advance.

THE 2008 ROBERT SOBUKWE MEMORIAL LECTURE: PIERRE BUYOYA AND THE ALUSHA PEACE TREATY

2008-07-01T03:35:00.000-07:00

BY: Peter Qeko Jere

On the 30th of May 2008, I was privileged to attend the 4th Robert Sobukwe Memorial Lecture here at the University of Fort Hare where the former President of Burundi, His Excellency Pierre Buyoya was the main Guest Speaker. In his Robert Sobukwe Memorial lecturer, His Excellency Buyoya presents the Arusha Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi: Ten Years on the Path Toward Peace

Briefly, the Robert Sobukwe memorial Lecture is a yearly event here at the University of Fort Hare where prominent Sons of Africa are invited to give a lecture to commemorate and celebrate the life and political struggles of Robert Sobukwe who in 1959 founded the Pan African Congress (PAC) in South Africa and was also a graduate of his great University. The tripartite alliance, the Steven Biko Foundation, the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Trust and the University of Fort Hare were the main organizer of this function. Present at this memorial lecture were prominent people like the Eastern Cape Premier , the University of Fort Hare Vice Chancellor, Dr Mvuyo Tom who gave the vote of thank, Robert Sobukwe and Steven Biko’s sons, Dini and Nkosinati while the Director of ceremony was Prof. Buthelezi.

In this article, I will briefly comment on the Arusha Peace Treaty and its role in Making Burundi an admirable model in solving tribalism and ethnic conflicts in Africa. Secondly I will say some things that other retired Presidents in Africa need to do so as to emulate the good work Pierre Buyoya is doing across Africa. Finally I will show how Burundi dealt with the problem of ethnicity the kind of steps that can so beneficial to Malawi if emulated from.

As former President Buyoya was presenting his lecture, I sat at the back of the auditorium and paid attention as I listened to every word that he spoke. I was attentive because I realized that this was the same man who came into Malawi years back and I had no opportunity to hear and see him at close range apart from watching on Television. This time the President was right on campus and presenting his lecturer about what he basically did to bring about peace in his country. I admired him because he was doing the exact thing that former head of states need to be performing, help equip young people as they also get prepared to be leaders tomorrow.

To begin with, President Buyoya gave us a brief historical background of Burundi and said that this is a small country in the heart of Africa which boarders Tanzania in the south east, DRC in the west and Rwanda in the north. It is 28,000 square kilometers with 7.5 Million people. Burundi is one of the oldest nations in the Great Lakes region and was once a German colony from 1896 until 1918 before it was given to Belgium until 1 July 1962, when it gained independence. Though there had been some ethnic conflicts in Burundi, it was after the assassination of the President elect, Melchior Ndadaye on 21 October, 1993 that the country descended into a civil war that lasted 12 years. This civil war was basically between the majority Hutu and Tutsis.

As regard the main cause of this civil war, president Buyoya pointed two key major causes of this conflict. These were Bad governance after independence period and politicians abuse of ethnic division. He said that after independence, leaders continued to discriminate base on ethnic background and this was happening in schools, civil service and many other areas. He said the majority Hutus were victim of this discrimination and this helped make ethnic identify more entrenched and rooted in the national consciousness. As Pierre Buyoya mentioned this, I adjusted my chair and looked into my situation at home in Malawi where my people suffered discrimination of all form during both Dr. Banda and Bakili Muluzi’s rule. It killed me inside because I could relate the Burundi discrimination to what my people went through and the pain that people from the northern region of the country have gone through. I quickly remembered 1989 when discrimination came to its climax when all teachers including my uncle were chased from central and southern region and dispatched to their homeland in the north. I realized that many suffered in silence and many have even died in this pain. The only sin and crime they committed was that they come from the north. We don’t have to mention how qualified sons and daughters from the north could not get promotions in the private sector also. During Muluzi’s reign things were even worse because no major developments took place in the north and worse still it was alleged that the money meant for the construction of the road to Chitipa was diverged to the construction of the road in Mangochi or somewhere in the south.

The second Buyoya mentioned that politicians were abusing ethnic division in the country during campaigns. Of course in Malawi we have tribalism and regionalism that politicians have greatly abused. As Pierre Buyoya was speaking, I realized that this happens almost across Africa and has been the major cause of politician conflict. In Malawi politicians take advantage of regionalism since political party formation has been along regional lines. For instance, John Tembo considers the central region as his stronghold among his tribal men, the Chewa people while Muluzi has Machinga, mangochi, part of Balaka and some few districts in the southern region among his Yao people.

President Buyoya also put in place some attempts in trying to solve the ethnic tension and conflict in Burundi. Key to this he said was recognizing the fact that ethnicity was a problem to society’s progress. He also said that in Burundi, they introduce power sharing mechanism in government, civil service based on the fifty-fifty representation between Hutu and Tutsi. He added that they have two vice presidents from different ethnic groups. He said that appointment of Court Judges and others are based on ethnic representation. Looking into this critically, we realize that African governments need to realize and recognize the fact that tribalism and ethnic divisions are real. We need to accept that we face the results of this as a problem in society every day. We don’t have to pretend that societies are at peace when the power of tribalism hits and terrorize some of them on a daily basis. There is tribal resentment in African politics today that many tribes tend to support candidates who belong to their tribe. You can only begin to solve the problem when you accept that it exists.

In Burundi conflict, the Alusha Peace Treaty accommodates all key tribes in the administration of the country as a way of solving the problem. Thus African countries need to emulate the Burundi way of solving ethnic conflict where each tribe is represented at a higher level. In Africa naturally people feel good when one of their sons or daughter is part of the administration of the nation. It’s a proud thing for the entire tribe when they are represented in the administration of the country. At the same time, people automatically resent any administration where they are not represented which at the end creates conflicts. So African political problems are to a larger extend caused by a situation where people see no need of supporting a government when they are not represented at a higher level. Thus a situation where all major appointments are ethnically balanced, tend to unity the country unlike when one group of people, tribe and region or province monopolize the administration of a country.

In this regard, African Union, SADC, UNO, EU and the world at large, should know that the root cause of African problems is ethnicity and tribalism and the only solution to such situation is to follow the Burundi way of solving the situations. AU, SADC, UNO and EU should not rush at condemning African systems but should in the first place identify the key root of the problem and realize that it exist and then begin to solve them. In this vain, the Burundi model could help bring peace in Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, the DRC and Zimbabwe. The Burundi model could help because in all these conflicts, the major cry of the people is that they are not represented in the administration of these countries hence they resolve to take up arms to solve the problem. The key purpose of taking arms is that they should fight so that they at the end directly get involved in the administration of these countries.

ZIMBABWE NEED A CHIHANA

2008-07-01T03:26:00.000-07:00

By Peter Qeko Jere

A critical analysis of the Zimbabwe situation today reveals that they need a Chihana type of a pro-democracy campaigner and a human rights activist. Chakufwa Chihana was the only courageous man in Malawi in 1992 who defied all odds but came home to lead the struggle against the autocratic rule of Dr. Banda. Chihana arrived at the airport and didn’t fear death and the prison chains but went forward to give his life as a sacrifice for the freedom of the country. This is the man who shocked Dr. Banda and faced him head-on until Banda open up the country to multiparty democracy. Chihana came to Malawi to directly face the treason law of Dr. Banda and he never left the people alone. He even said that no change can take place from outside the struggle. True change and victory is born from the inside and if there is someone who is man enough to lead, he has to be ready to die and sacrifice his life for others.

In the bible we are told that freedom and change for God’s children in Egypt came because Moses stayed with the people and confronted the regime of the time right there. Moses stayed strong even though his people continued to suffer. He suffered with and stayed strong and was not moved. Infact Moses never asked for any foreign intervention but God used him because he stayed with the people. God stays with the suffering people and he blesses a leader who ministers to such people. The Exodus account shows that blessed is a leader who stays in the frontline leading the suffering and the poor because God mightily uses and ministers to such leader. But when a leader goes into hiding, he becomes useless before God and can not be used by Him anymore. Going into hiding or leaving the suffering alone is closing the chapter for God to use him because God is looking for someone, a leader who can stand between the gap of the suffering people and become a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered for the salvation of many. Even Jesus Christ in the bible, he describes himself as a good shepherd someone who takes care of the sheep and that is the quality of a great leader, someone who can lead and be with the people. One of the characteristics of a leader is that he has to be a shepherd and normally he stays in the frontline and the sheep follows him. The shepherd is the one who gives direction as to where the sheep should go that day. This is what a leader should do, something which is terribly missing in Tsvangirai. Though the western world is supporting the move to withdraw and even his hiding in the Dutch embassy, the world should know that God hates a leader who leaves his sheep alone. God’s desire is for a leader to lead the suffering people. The world should also know that God moves away from a leader who abandons that suffering and the poor and instead he raises up someone capable to stand between the gap.

We are arguing that Zimbabwe today need the Chihana type of a leader because of what Morgan Tsvangirai has been doing since the election results were announced. He left the people and went to South Africa and was up and down African capitals to mount up pressure against Mugabe. Also he is hiding in the Dutch embassy something which shows that there is a huge problem and element of fear in him. It is so much dangerous when a leader who is supposed to be at the frontline vacates his position and goes into hiding. The question is with whom do you leave the people and where will they go to when are in trouble? The Chihana type of leader stays with the people and don’t care about their lives but surrender it completely as a sacrifice for the liberation of their people. Such leaders stay in the battle frontline until the war is over. This is what Zimbabwe needs this hour around, a leader who will stay with the people, someone who will suffer with them when the going gets tough.

CHURCH MISSED OPPORTUNITY

2008-07-01T03:23:00.000-07:00

BY: PETER QEKO JERE,

Early this year the government of Malawi exported maize to help our brothers, sisters and children who are suffering in Zimbabwe. There were mixed reaction to this initiative taken by our government. However though some of us with a sober minds and loving heart, normally have no problem when it comes to doing such noble work helping the needy and we thanked God for what the government did on behalf of all Malawians. This is because majority of those suffering in Zimbabwe belong to the body of Christ and are registered members of various Christian churches. In other words by and large, the government sent maize to even help our fellow Christian brethren something which can not be taken for granted.

While at government level there was such commitment and support, we have not heard anything from the Church of which confesses Jesus Christ in Malawi on this matter. We wonder what the church is doing and when will it begin to help their suffering brothers? When we say that majority of those suffering are Christian we simply mean that they are Catholics, Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Anglican, Methodist, Pentecost’s and various charismatic church members. The Malawi church has sister churches in Zimbabwe hence it may not be right for us as a Malawian church to sit phwii and watch our fellow brethren suffering. If we do this then our Christianity is not that of Christ who still sits on the throne but somebody else.

The situation is Zimbabwe is an invitation letter to all Christian churches that time has come to get into Zimbabwe and help. God can not speak more loud and clear to the Malawian church than in this than in this situation. Behind this situation is the voice of God calling upon all the churches to seriously consider getting involved in helping those who are suffering. Therefore, a great window of evangelism has been open for the church that its about time that it should get into Zimbabwe and become an instrument of hope in the lives of those suffering.

The church in Malawi and its entire leadership need to realize that time has come to begin to act like Jesus Christ who had a holistic approach to ministry. This is because Jesus Christ not only preached the gospel but also spent a good part of his ministry feeding the hungry and healing the sick. The bible is clear that Jesus Christ healed and casted out devils in the lives of many but at the same time, those many thousands could eat the bread and the fish that he multiplied. Christ had compassion when he saw that they were hungry the exact thing that the church need to do. Just like Jesus Christ, the church need to show and demonstrate compassion as their master did. The church need to be available in the zones where people are suffering so that it can become the voice of encouragement in the lives of people.

However we need to realize that the church which confesses Christ need to act like Christ and not otherwise. Some may be saying that their churches are so much involved in such activities and hence it is not necessary to go as far as Zimbabwe to evangelize. In reaction to such arguments, we want to make the following statements: firstly is that the church which crosses the boarders to evangelize gets more blessed from God that the church which concentrates ministry in Jerusalem ministry. This may sound crude and hard to some of you but remains a sober truth as far as the word of God is concern. This is because Cross-boarder ministry demands more prayer, commitment, seriousness, availability and sacrifice. Secondly is that Malawi churches are poor because they don’t have a missionary touch to their evangelism. Of course some may have done this once but failed to sustain them.
Thirdly is that the missionary church can not be compared with the Jerusalem type. Missionary church goes international and has a wider angle from where it proclaims the gospel as compared to a church which focuses on their own territory. Finally is that there is more seriousness to cross boarder ministry than when you are involved in an internal assignment as far as ministry is concern hence we share the notion that there is something that the Malawi church is missing by not getting involved in helping the suffering church in Zimbabwe. Someone may argue that the Malawi church can not get to Zimbabwe because it has not yet finished assisting those in her Jerusalem. To this we may pose a question, if the church is sorting out its Jerusalem this time around then what has it been doing all these years?

This passion to help fellow suffering church connect us to what the Church in Caesarea did by helping their mother church in Jerusalem when there was famine. The bible declares that brethren in Jerusalem were saved from starvation because of the help which came from their colleagues in Caesarea and this was just a small poor church like any of the churches we have in Malawi. Though this church was poor, it managed to put something together to assist those suffering in Jerusalem.

This therefore teaches the Malawi church that though they may claim to be poor, there is still something they can still do to help those who are suffering just as their Caesarea did. Therefore, poverty is not a reason or factor to stop a church from helping and supporting those that are suffering. Having said this, the Malawi church today has to readjust its position as far as mission work is concern because there is more blessings in cross-boarder missionary work and it should not miss this opportunity to reach out..

XENOPHOBIA: REFLECTION AND RESPONSE

2008-07-01T03:20:00.000-07:00

BY: Peter Qeko Jere.

Introduction.

The current brutal killings of foreigners in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and some other parts of South Africa has hit headlines across the globe and the world has been taken unaware with this confusing event at this moment in time. The photo of a burning young men with police trying to rescue him from the flames has circulated in all he major media houses and the one question that people ask is, “ why should black South Africans do this to fellow black man? Why should things go this far? What is the problem and the key reason behind all this madness? What does God say about such situation? What should Christian and the church of God do?

In this paper, I want to lay out a theological response to this issue. But before I go any further, I guess it Is vital that I should say some few things about Xenophobia and its implication in South African society today. I will argue my position in relation to the questions that PASM has raised in connection and concern with the entire killings taking place in South Africa.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD-XENOPHOBIA
The world Xenophobia is not an English word but it’s a word which has its deep root and meaning in Greek. This word comes from two major word, xenos and phobos.

Firstly the word “xeno” comes from the Greek word “xenos” which has the connotation of “foreign” or something which is “strange” or “stranger” (if it’s a person).

Secondly the word phobia comes from the Greek word “phobos” which means “fear” or fearing something.

Literally, xenophobia means the stranger or foreign’s fear. This is also defined as the fear of the coming in of some strange ideas or foreign people into a community. This is the fear which the locals have due to the coming in of stranger or someone from another country or tradition. There has to be someone called a stranger or foreign (xenos) which means that he or she is in a place which is not his or his original home. She or he may have come into this new place looking for opportunities, as refugee, aslylum seekers or something. So his or her coming becomes a problem or creates fear (phobos) in the lives of the inhabitants. Locals have this fear because this stranger comes in to invade their space. The locals in the first place are not told in advance about the coming in of this stranger or foreigner. Locals get surprised that when they work up, their neighbour is a new person from across Africa. Locals are not involved in the whole process which leads to the settling down of these foreigners. Now fear (phobos) breaks loose in the locals because they realize that due to limited education and profession experience, they may not be able to compete with their non local experienced Africans.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
After the successful gains of defeating apartheid, it is sad to note that a new wave of segregation and victimization is taking place in society today. After going through five decades of apartheid brutality, one would expect that South Africans would be the first people to exactly know what it means to victimize and abuse someone due to their long painful history. Their history of torture and segregation was not a game but a real thing and many died in the course of fighting for freedom and justice. After 1994 when apartheid was officially buried and wiped off the political line, one would think that the nation was gonna move in the right direction without allowing any should go through pain and torture. But the recent xenophobic attacks on defenseless foreigners in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and other areas across the country, has reveals that something has gone wrong somewhere and somebody didn’t tell somebody something about the negative effective of doing such a barbaric attack on people. This xenophobic experience is interesting to study and watch because it has to a larger extent affected non South Africa blacks as opposed to their whites’ counterparts from overseas. It has become a problem where black people have taken up arms to kill and wipe away those who are not inhabitants of the land.

APARTHEID STRUGGLE AND NON SOUTH AFRICANS ROLE
This xenophobia sentiment has enabled us to look into the role of non South Africans in the fight against apartheid. There is a role that nations and people in Africa did in helping South Africans successfully dismantle apartheid. It was the people outside South Africa who by and large sacrificed their security and decided to be in solidarity with the suffering South Africans. Many of the ANC leaders stayed in exile outside South Africa where some where in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Tanzania to mention but a few. While South Africans were directly fighting the brutal white regime, outside South Africa, black people were in total solidarity helping the suffering South African brothers. In particular nations like Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique have a very special place in the entire anti apartheid revolution because these nations directly suffered from the white man’s brutal attacks for harboring ANC leaders. If it was not for these nations’s sacrificial position in helping fellow South Africans in the struggle, we are not sure if apartheid could have been dismantled with the internal pressure alone. This is the kind of history which has not possibly been effectively communicated to the many young people in South Africa. May be no-one has said anything to them regarding the role that nations outside south Africa played in helping ANC leaders. They have not been told that dismantling of apartheid was not the work of internal pressure alone but the entire world and particularly SADC countries.

This argument does not mean that we should use this thinking to invade every space in South Africa. We also don’t mean to say that we have the right whatsoever to come work or settle in any way we want. But that for those with valid legal reason to stay need to be given space and accommodated. Just as ANC were accommodated outside South Africa, South Africans need to likewise accommodate fellow Africans and not kill them. Just as ANC leaders were given food and shelter outside South Africa, South Africans need to do likewise to African brothers who are going through struggles right now. What could have happened if African countries didn’t welcome and accommodate ANC during the struggle?

RESOURCE COMPETETION AND XENOPHOBIA
The first question is about RESOURCE COMPETETION IN CONNECTION TO XENOPHOBIA and answering the question, “where do we draw a line between competition of Resources and Xenophobia?

Before we respond to this question, it’s important to understand some things clearly. Firstly is that competing over limited resources will always be there though what varies is the kind of competition in terms of those involved in this game. Who is competing who? And where do each one of them come from and why do they find themselves in this competition? What are the rules of the game and what safety nets do they put in place to protect the locals while at the same time accommodating those of different origins? What if the locals are not qualified enough to properly handle some other jobs, what do you do? How much of foreign expertise would you accommodate in a particular given time? How long would a nation take to produce its own?

Competition over resources becomes a xenophobic issue when government and faith community are not doing enough to develop and promote its own human capital. When locals are not given enough opportunities to develop their skills, they can be dangerous if one day they would want to take charge of their country’s destiny.

In a situation where good jobs are given to foreigners, naturally as a patriotic citizen of the land you have to react because in a normal way, you don’t expect jobs to be given to foreigners while qualified citizens are there. However in situation where there are no qualified citizen in a particular field, it becomes necessarily to employ other people even if they are foreigners because what you want is the job and things to be properly done. Such situations need to be made clear to avoid resentment from the locals. But the question could be what about those foreigners who come to do vending in a foreign land? Also what if locals don’t like to involve themselves in vending? Why should locals not be interested in vending?

As regard where you draw a thin line between Resource competition and xenophobia, I have this to say: that it’s not easy to have a clear cut thin line between the two because this varies. In a secular thought, some may argue that foreigners need to be given limited access to resources while others would say that it would depend on the professional experience and qualification that someone has. There are times when a foreigner is highly qualified and with superb experience such that his job conditions demands him or her to enjoy more privileges than locals.

But in a theological point of view, competition in the first place is not condoned because it’s not biblical. There is no biblical model which promoted competition in the first place. Anything that promotes elements of competition is outside the original plan of God. The Trinity from where we imitate and emulate from does not have any elements of competition but total unity and equal sharing of Trinitarian life. So I may argue that theologically, we don’t have enough ground of drawing a thin line between the two (locals and foreigners) and that the only thing could be to live in relation to the other based on the imago Dei. Just as the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit live perichoretically together, these different groups could live in unity and total oneness in the spirit of love and sharing.

NATIONALISM VERSUS XENOPHOBIA
The second question is in relation to NATIONALISM AND XENOPHOBIA AND HOW DO WE SEPARATE THE TWO? Before you begin to think of separating the two, it is important to understand what these two stands for. Nationalism is the people’s desire to rule themselves and in this case, they are able to do everything under their power to take control and rule. Xenophobia is the fear local people have when strangers or foreigners invade their space without notice.

Now if the spirit of nationalism is covered in the blanket of xenophobia (fearing of the foreigners) then something serious will have to be done in terms of clarifying the issue. There has to be a point and limit for locals or citizen of the land on how far they can go with issues. Nationalism has to have limits because while people can take control and rule, they will always come a time that they will need some extra expertise from somewhere else something which would force them to consult those of different race or nationalities for help. Now the only point where the two could separate is where great need for expertise from outside arises and in this case, being xenophobic could retard the desired progress and development. Being xenophobic in situation where a nation need extra human capital could be suicidal to national development. Xenophobia is not developmental oriented but is an enemy of progress. Xenophobia chases away potential and needed expertise for development and progress.

CAN A PERSON RULE MALAWI MORE THAN TWO TERMS OF OFFICE?

2008-07-01T03:16:00.000-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

One of the mostly hot issues in Malawi politics today is the question of whether the current constitution allows a person to rule the country after finishing his or her two terms of office. This is also whether after his two terms someone can go on five or ten years holiday then come back to rule again.

There has been many views shared on this topic in Malawi’s political economy currently and tempers have risen for some because they want the former president to rule the country again. Others are sick and tired and don’t want someone to come back from holiday after five or ten year to rule the country because they believe that Malawi is not a kingdom, somebody’s estate, farm or goldmine.

After a critically analyzing what many have said on this issue, we are compelled to share our views on the matter and show to the world and the nation the heart and mind of the framers of this constitution.

To begin with, here is what the controversial section 83 (3) of the Republic’s constitution says:

Section 83 (3) states the following:

The President, the first Vice President and the second Vice President may serve in their respective capacities a maximum of two consecutive terms but when a person is elected or appointed to fill the vacancy in the office of President or Vice President, the period between that election or appointment and the next election of a President shall not be regarded as a term.

When the framers of the constitution were putting down this document, they were doing this soon after we moved into multiparty democracy and the one major concern was that noone should ever be allowed to rule Malawi more than two terms of office. That time this was the key issue because every Malawian knew that it is not good to have someone rule for longer time because become ruthless. So in their mind they put the two term limit so that noone should think of coming back to power after retirement. Infact they had no idea that there was to be a time like this that someone would want to rule again after finishing his term of office.

So they made sure to put the maximum of two consecutive terms of office and this to them was not a problem at all because the key issue here is the two terms of office and that under whatever circumstances, noone has to come back and rule the third time using whatever definition. The guiding spirit of this constitution is that whether on uses the word consecutive or not, noone has to come again and rule after two terms of office. This is the key to everything in this section. So the question is how many has terms did Muluzi have? So if he rule Malawi for two terms then automatically he can not rule again because whatever formula or method he uses to rule would be interpreted as the third term because it will be the same Muluzi and not the other different Muluzi. What the constitution demands is that different people should come and rule after every ten years.

So it is a fallacy to say that in Malawi someone can rule again after two terms even if he comes back from his five or term years holiday because the Malawi constitution’s spirit is clear that every man has the opportunity to rule Malawi the maximum of two terms of office and not more than that.

Now let me show you something:

Muluzi ruled Malawi for ten years and that was how far the constitutionally he could go. But toward the end, he tried to change it (the first indicator) which shows that this man was not satisfied with what was given to him. He again came the second time with an open term bid which also never materialized because Malawian said no to such a thing which was (the second indicator) to show that worse things were on the way coming. It was not sooner or later that as he was in his retirement, we heard that he was planning to come back even though the same constitution said no to the third them of whatever form or version (the third indicator). We then heard that he had put in place a bunch of lawyers to help him fight the constitution so that he should come back and rule again (fourth indicator). Now the fact that he organized a bunch of lawyers to help him tear the constitution means that Muluzi has no regards for this document because as the former President, he should be exemplary and show respect to this document. It seems he is in a big hurry and wants to become the president of the country something which is unconstitutional and he can not win this battle in any court of law in the world. The constitution is not about twisting the wording of it but its about the SPIRIT THAT FLOWS IN IT. The spirit in the Malawi constitution is that we don’t bring a retired or former president back to office in Malawi because we know how bad this can be. History taught Malawians a lesson that never again will we as a nation allow someone to rule us more than two terms of office. The meaning of what Muluzi is doing now is that he wants to rule Malawi for twenty years because he has already done the first ten and he wants the other ten making twenty, the very thing that we don’t like in Malawi. We argue that this is a different version of third term because this is the same Muluzi and the same person not a different one hence he will continue from where he stopped. Whatever argument people may use, this will remain the third term which is unconstitutional.

Some have argued that the word “consecutive” was deliberately place to allow the incumbent president to break for a certain period and bounce back. This is a fallacy and wishful thinking because if the framers of the constitution had this in mind they could have definitely stipulated the number of years one has to stay in retirement before he bounces back. They could have done this so that people should not take Malawi their personal estate or goldmine. Now the absence of such prescription means that the framers of this document had one key goal of making sure that no one rules Malawi as a personal estate, that you can go on holiday and come back to rule in whatever manner possible.
The framers of the constitution blocked the retired president to avoid madness of the highest order in the country because it is not good to have one family rule Malawi for twenty year because Malawi is not one mans property, farm or goldmine. Malawi belongs to 12 Million people and it’s a lie that Muluzi is the only man who can rule Malawi better. Malawi has many blessed men and women who fail to take charge because they are blocked in the process by selfish leaders who don’t want to go home and enjoy their retirement. Time has come that none shall rule Malawi more than two terms of office using whatever. Malawians will stop any version of third term coming their way because we don’t want to go back to Egypt.

MALAWI PARLIAMENT A DISASTOR STORY: YES GOVERNMENT HAS TO CONTINUE SPENDING.

2008-06-25T04:38:00.004-07:00

By: Peter Qeko Jere

The news that government will continue spending until 2009 has been warmly welcomed by the entire peace loving and patriotic Malawians apart from the few paranoid and directionless individuals who seem not to be true sons of this great nation. It is pleasing to note that though some ill minded individuals sit down strategizing and planning bad things on how to make life miserable for the innocent poor Malawians, government has resolved to continue spending. This is a positive step and a sign of maturity and love for the poor. This is also a sign of showing that there comes a time in life when critical decision to save lives has to be taken against all odds. The opposition are currently advocating for section 65 because they have lost direction. They are playing politics with their eyes closed and don’t just know where they are going at the moment. This is because noone is his sober mind can put section 65 above the national budget. Minds that advocate for section 65 than the budget this time around should be suffering from a certain unknown infection and sickness or something. I think research need to be done as to why people can think abnormally like this. This is abnormal thinking because even someone with mental disorder knows that the budget is money and food for the nation. The fact that some MPs and their leaders are advocating for section 65 means that something is terribly wrong in their way of thinking that they (though mature) can even not put priorities right for the nation. We are happy however that when opposition parliamentarians can not put priorities right for the nation, government is able to step in and do the right thing for the sake of the poor.

As MPs mainly from MCP (UDF team B) and UDF continues to play games with the budget, it is proper for government to be responsible because it not accountable to the MPs but the people of Malawi. Infact section 30 (2) and (4) of our constitution empowers government to do everything under its power to continue spending for as long as issues of developments are undermined by parliament.

Section 30 (2) of the constitution states; “The state shall take all necessary measures for the realization of the right to development”
Also section 30 (4) reads; “The State has a responsibility to respect the right to development and to justify its policies in accordance with this responsibility”

When it comes to development which is basically the budget, government does not necessarily need to bow down to the demand of parliament but use parliament as a formality and not a requirement because this section of the constitution empowers it to spend money on issues of development. Development does not come from opposition and that is why they don’t want the budget passed. Opposition in Malawi are not development oriented hence to them section 65 becomes a priority.

The one problem with MPs in Malawi today is that they think that their party boss demands and agendas represents the needs of the people which by and large is not the case at all in this 21st century Malawi because the Malawi of today is different. The Malawi of today is so much different and has its own way of doing things. Malawians main need is food and development which is in the budget and not section 65 as advocated by UDF and MCP. Malawians know that the budget is about food and fertilizer, medicine and other developments projects while at the same time the people in the villages have no idea of what section 65 is all about and how beneficial this is to their every day lives.

Now the UDF and MCP leaders and their lieutenants’ action refusing to pass the budget mean that they have abandoned and slapped the poor on their face, the very people who voted for them.

Both UDF and MCP leadership continue to advocate the implementation of section 65 because to they don’t have the intellectual capacity to comprehend and grasp the very definition of what poverty means to majority Malawians. MCP and UDF leaders are rich people and don’t go hungry and stay in nice houses hence the definition of poverty doesn’t exist to them at all. To them everything is about self enrichment. Due to this, the budget language and need for it to be passed is not a priority to them. Now such people who care less about the budget and welfare of the poor are dangerous and should not be given any space in the political life of the country. Such leaders who only dream of how much they will corruptly take out of the poors tax payers money are horrible leaders. Section 65 is for few MCP and UDF gurus for their own selfish end and not Malawians in general.

As the war of the budget continues in Malawi, UDF and MCP should be ready for a heavy showdown next year because this is the second time that they are have acted in this very strange babish way and are playing games with the lives of the poor in the villages whose only hope is the budget. Those who ignore to pass the budget should know that the poor next year shall fight back through the power of the pen (vote) and not the gun.

Now as regard this whole madness in parliament, there are few things that we need to point out.

Firstly is that in the house of parliament MPs represents the views of the constituency and in this case, there is enough evidence to show and support that these MPs stopped representing the poor in their villages and they are today representing the view , desires and aspirations of John Tembo and Bakili Muluzi. To show and demonstrate that these MPs get to parliament to represent their people and constituency, they are not called by their names (Mr. Banda or Mbewe) but Honorable member for Chiradzulu north or Mzimba central. These members need to know and understand why their names die natural death when they get into the August House. They need to know that in parliament they don’t have the right to think or speak political games but the needs and desires of their poor people.

Secondly is that since an MP is someone who is called to represent the constituency in the August house, we can as well argue that it is a waste of time for government to continue deliberating with MPs (mainly UDF and MCP) because these are not MP at all but group of confused misguided people who represent the views and aspiration of their party leaders. They are the yes!! bwanas because for a long time now UDF and MCP parliamentarians have proved that they don’t have brains to independently and seriously think about the needs of their people in their various constituencies. This is because they many times are bulldozed into doing some things that by the end of the day do not benefit their constituencies but their leaders. It is politically dangerous for a politician to be bulldozed into something not beneficial to the people who elected him into office. Thus we argue that UDF and MCP parliamentarians have lost political direction and do not know what they are doing politically and the outcome of it at the end. Parliamentarians need to realize that today’s politics involve too much using of brains and they have to think like men and women fit to be in the August house. We believe that the August house is suppose to be a place where people should demonstrate that they have brains and can think and not sink.

Thirdly is that opposition MPs should know that their leaders (Tembo and Muluzi) are not very democratic. Yea they go up and down advocating that they know and understand democracy but they don’t walk the talk. True democrats walk the talk. There is enough evidence to show and support that the MCP and UDF leadership have demonstrated that there are not able and capable of walking the democratic talk in Malawi. This is because both of them continue to mistake themselves that they are the only capable people to lead their parties. To them its like there are the only hero figures and warlords (Czar) of these parties. For instance, why should Bakili Muluzi think of coming back into active politics if the party had some potential individuals to lead it? We need to realize that to be a democrat is to give space to others so that them too can develop their leadership potentials. Just like the previous UDF team gave him space to develop and demonstrate his leadership skills Muluzi would have done likewise by giving space to others so that them too can come in and lead the party. Thus Muluzi’s behaviour and action of getting back into politics is undemocratic and shows that he does not respect and recognizes the fact that Malawi has many capable men and women who if given chance could rule the country even better than. As for MCP, we all know how undemocratic things are in there because this is a confused house. MCP MPs in essence don’t have opportunity to think and handle parliamentary things independently. They only make decision based on what John Tembo advises them. This is because the MCP leadership just like the UDF counterpart have taken their parties as personal properties hence their MPs are like working tenants who have no rights to even think and act independently. Its like a taboo to think independently in these parties and anyone doing this is castigated and marked as a rebel.

These leaders are very undemocratic because they continue to bulldoze the thinking process of their parliamentarians by forcing them not to support and pass the budget. The most surprising thing is that even those MPs who went through the University doors and are well informed, have become more useless and brainless human beings because their brains have paralyzed and they cant think independently any more. They have become worse than someone who never saw or went through university. We normally expect university education to help people properly develop independent thinking and able to make serious decision. But its frightening that university education for some has made them more useless in their constituencies their thought process has been damaged, paralyzed and are bulldozed by the power of money.

Having said this, MPs should wake up and come to their senses and get back the power of independent thinking so that they can more effective. MPs should realize that John Tembo and Muluzi are too weak to overpower the political dynamism in their constituencies. What MPs need to do is to create a strong bond with their constituency because that is where their power is. Too much bonding with the leadership will not help them when the time of judgement comes next year.

DR. CHAKUFWA TOM CHIHANA: THE CHAMPION, FATHER AND FOUNDER OF MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY IN MALAWI

2008-06-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

BY: Peter Qeko Jere

I am so much blessed to have witnessed some of the major political events in Malawi unfolding before my very eyes. I was born and grew up during the reign of Dr. Banda and have very vivid memory of what it was like during the time when Dr. Banda was at the driving seat of Malawi. I remember what it was like when Dr. Banda comes into your district for the yearly crops inspection tour. Still remember how it was like when the youth league guys could terrorize you if you have forgotten your MCP card. Yes those were days when rules were strictly followed. I am also privileged that I witnessed the very end of Dr. Banda’s rule in Malawi and participated in a number of demonstration mainly in 1992-94 when Malawi was set on fire with the coming in and arrest of Chakufwa Chihana on the 6th of April 1992.

By 1992, I was old enough and able to follow every little political detail taking place in Malawi. I also heard from BBC and Channel Africa on the 5th April 1992 that a man called Chakufwa Chihana was coming to challenge Dr. Banda. This man Chihana told the world that he was coming to Malawi and that if Banda happens to kill him, his blood would be fuel for freedom and democracy. I was staying in Lilongwe when chakufwa chihana was landing at Kamuzu International Airport and when the entire nation was on fire for change. The only name that people talked about was of this man chahana or Chakufwa. No man could understand his when he said that he was coming back home to lead the fight for democratic change. I should therefore share with you in detail the four famous questions and answers that Chihana gave when the BBC were interviewing him on the 5th of April before he flew to Malawi. I want to discuss Chihana’s mind and his determination in relation to his love for his country, the kind of love that no human mind can begin to comprehend.

The BBC focus on Africa on the 5th of April on Malawi had this headline, “Malawi dissident going home tomorrow”. By the way this was after the Bishops had already released their famous pastoral letter and the political atmosphere in Malawi was just so hot for change. Now every household listerned to this news that someone called Chakufwa Chihana was landing at KIA to challenge Dr. Banda. Some believed that he was coming to liberate the nation from the long decades of oppression. Others were hesitant and thought that he was making a mistake because there was record of the Shire river crocodiles. The first question they asked him was, …

BBC…………. “Do you know that there is a warrant of arrest against you?
Chihana response…. “ Yes but it would be an error for them to arrest me; a crime against democracy”.

Now let me explain what chihana was talking about here when he was responding to this question. In the first place Chakufwa Chihana knew that it was possible that Banda could arrest him. He was aware that there was a wicked tradition in the MCP where people disappeared and some myseriously killed. He was aware of the huge task of sacrificing his very life for the birth of democracy in the country. Yes Catholic Bishops paved the way with their pastoral letter but there was a need for someone to come out and openly challenge Banda, someone who could lead and be at the frontline battle field. There was no-one in the entire land of Malawi. I mean we never heard of anybody planning to openly challenge Banda. What I mean is this: that no name was mentioned in Malawi apart from that of Chakufwa Chihana. People like Bakili Muluzi, Mpinganjira, Kamlepo and all these politicians we see today in Malawi were no where to be seen and were all in hiding because they were afraid of Banda and MCP young pioneers. In case you didn’t hear me right let me repeat this:

From Chitipa to Nsanje, Nkhotakota to Mchinji, all men were in hiding and were so much afraid to openly speak against Dr. Banda but only Chakufwa Chihana on the 5th of April on the BBC focus on Africa declared to the world that he was on his way to come and face Banda headon.

Thus Chakufwa came on the 6th of April 1992 and the entire country was on fire for change. Now in his response, Chihana said that Dr. Banda would be making an huge error to arrest him because they will not be arresting him as such but would be committing a crime against democracy.

What was he talking about when he meant that his arrest was a crime against democracy. Chakufwa was a confident learned man who knew that he was representing change or democracy. He was infact a symbol of hope and democracy for Malawi. He saw that all Malawians were not courageous enough to face the arm of Banda’s treason law and decided to come back home to face Banda. Chihana was not facing Banda alone but John Tembo and the entire MCP cabinet. There was nobody in Malawi who shocked Banda more than Chakufwa Chihana when he openly declared that he was coming home. So chihana came and was arrested right at the airport and the entire city of Lilongwe was on fire for change. I was right in town this day and I remember what I saw and how crazy everybody was and willing to see this man who turned the political tables in Malawi upside down.

Having said this, it is terribly wrong to say that there are some other people who championed democracy in Malawi. The truth of the matter ( from the evidence some of us who participated in the 1992 wind of change when Chihana was arriving at KIA) is that there is only one man in Malawi who sacrificed his blood and life for the birth of democracy and that man is Chakufwa Tom Chihana. This is the man whom we know who on the 6th April 1992 arrived at KIA and his arrest set the entire country on first for change. What I mean is that we need to avoid changing the truth.

We hear some saying that it was Bakili Muluzi who is championed democratic change in Malawi and we tend to wonder as to which Malawi is this because some of us saw and took part in that demonstration when all these leaders were in hiding. Ladies and Gentlement! I want to make history right here and listen to me: All Muluzi, Kamlepo, Mpinganjira and others were not there when hell broke loose in town due to the arrest of Tom Chihana. It is true that Muluzi because the first president of Malawi in a multiparty democracy but that does not mean that he is the father of multiparty democracy in Malawi. Its different to champion democracy and to become the first president in a multiparty democracy. What Bakili muluzi did was to win the first general election something which is a fact but he was not man enough to face Banda headon after the bishop letter was released in 1992. What I mean is that all Malawians were not man enough that time to face Banda but it took the brains of a man by the name of Tom chakufwa Chihana to come to the open and call a spade a spade and he is the man who championed democracy and the Father of Multiparty democracy in Malawi.

BBC ……“ why do you come now? Why not to stay outside?
Chihana response….. “ I know the situation in Malawi and no influence can be exercised from outside.

Chihana’s response here pictures a man who loves his country, a man who knew what he was doing. He says that he knew the situation in Malawi. A leader is the one who has the welfare of people at heart and not take advantage of their poverty and ignorance to manipulate them. Chihana’s main reason for coming to Malawi was to participate in the change and in the movement for change from inside. He is right to say that no influence can be exercised from outside. Real change comes when you stay inside and participate in the struggle for change. You don’t speak from outside and call yourself a democrat. You also don’t speak from your bedroom in fear and if change has to come, you need to get involved and be part of that change and this is the change that you can believe in. What Malawians needed in 1992 was the kind of change that they could believe in and where someone could lead them. They needed a leader for change and this man was no any other than Chakufwa Tom Chihana. Many Malawians were speaking from outside even oversea as a way of fighting for change but this never helped anything and didn’t bring any meaningful change. Some were right in Malawi and couldn’t speak out for change. So it is wrong for people to claim to have engineered change and democracy in Malawi while in fact there were busy hiding and others were outside the country. We need to remind ourselves what Chihana said that “no influence can be exercised from outside”. In other word, being a democrat means to participate in the change from within and not from outside as is that case with many who claim to have participated in the change in Malawi while actually they came in so much late when all was already done.

The third question was ‘ Do you know that Banda has said recently that dissenters who try to come intothe county will be meat for the crocodiles?
Chihana Response. “I am surprised to hear that; isn’t he a Christian? I am not really afraid; it is time for Banda to recognize the movement for democracy in the whole world.

There are a couple of things that I need to point out here as regard what chihana was saying here. Mind you he was speaking when he only had few hours remaining before he jets at KIA in Malawi. He already had the air ticket confirmed with him that in few hours time he was gonna be in Malawi facing Banda headon. Though he was saying that he was surprised to hear that he could end up as meat for crocodile, chihana was infact so much aware that it was true about the shire river crocodiles and that these wicked act of terror were happening despite the fact that Banda was a Christian. He was afraid hence he said here, ‘ I am not really afraid” meaning that there were elements of fear in him mainly when he sees death ahead of him. Chihana saw and smell death coming his way even when he was in the plane. We should not forget that we are talking of a human being with feelings and someone who is a husband and father. He was like sheep to be slaughtered and he gave himself up for the sake of democracy in Malawi. He was in fear because he could imagine himself being tortured and going through pain. Despite this, Chihana put himself together and landed at KIA from where he was arrested something which set the entire country on fire. Chihana is also saying here that its time that Banda should recognize democracy in the world. Infact Banda was not the problem because he was civilized. The problem was those who ministered around him. These are the people who fed him with cheap propaganda against fellow citizens to protect their empires. They did everything possible that Banda should not give up for the sake of their safety. Their safety was in Banda’s continueal rule. This is the same trend that even Bakili Muluzi has people who have surrounded him and their main job is to feed him with false information for their own political survival. So just as there were people who messed up Banda there are people who are busy messing up Muluzi because he is their own source of political survival.

BBC….Why wait for Banda to die?
Chihana response………… ‘no body has an agenda for the death of Banda. Malawi has been too long already under the oppression of this man; it would be immoral to let things continue like this any longer. If I am to die for the country, I am ready. My blood will feed the movement for democracy”.

Here the question was why could Chihana not wait a little bit until Band?. In other words the reporter was asking if Chihana could cancels his coming to lead his people and liberate them from the Banda oppression. Also the question was testing Chihana’s willingness and determination if he was man enough and to face Banda head-on and face the consequences. To wait for Banda’s death was something else for the activist because he was ready and infact the reporter was wasting his time as the man was on the move.

If you check Chihana’s reponse here, you will see that he says that noone has an agenda for Banda’s death. This was true because if Chihana waited that meant waiting up to 1997 because this was the year when he died. In other words there were five more years for Banda to live from 1992 and I cant imagine what could have happened to Malawians waiting for five more years from 1992 for Banda to die. Noone has an agenda for anybody’s death because death is what heavens decides on humanity and we all have no idea as to when this one or that one will die. Only God knows. So chihana saw that Malawians had waited for their kairos moment for too long and the hour had come for them to be set free. The moment of truth had come that they cross to the other side of the Jordan River and get into the promised land. Their Moses (Chihana) was on the way coming to lead them. From every situation of social political and economic oppression God raises a Moses. During the colonial oppression in Malawi, in 1958 there was a Moses whom God sent to liberate Nyasaland in the name of Dr. Banda. After three decades of Banda’s tyrannical rule, God raised a Moses in the name of Chakufwa Chihana who came in a time when all men in Malawi were in hiding, in deep fear of the Shire’s crocodile. Ofcourse due to tribalism advocated by other player who joined the liberation forces, Chihana never became the first Mulitparty president in Malawi something which we shall discuss in detail in the other article. Also we should not forget that after trying every kind of formula to change the constitution to have the third term, Malawians found themselves in a more worse situation than that of Banda and for some of us who grew up during Banda’s era could easiy differentiate and saw that Banda’s era was far more good than Muluzi. During Banda’s time, we had food all year through and noone could victimise anybody because of tight security. Also during the reign of this old man, things like selling private parts and killings never existed.

But during Muluzi time, Malawians went into this deep undescribable and uncomprehendable ultra poverty that has no proper definition. Things went bad and noone would love to be called a Malawian at all. Malawians down their hearts cried to God and they wept more when they heard that Muluzi was planning to change the constitution so that he probably become the life president of the country. In that situation, God provided a Moses in the name of His Excellency the president Dr. Bingu Wamthalika. Ironically God used the same Muluzi to choose Bingu because that was the best things that Muluzi could have done then. Now in the Bingu rule, Malawians can breathe again and become human beings again. They can begin to identity with their country again and not be ashamed at all as was the case 1994 to 2004. Food has come back in people’s homes again and there is nothing like the wicked starter pack from hell which made Malawians more poor than never before.

The point I am trying to bring home is that God raises a Moses in every situation of oppression because of His image that human carries with them. He does that to protect his image and that is why He get directly involved when the poor are oppressed and discriminated against. In other words, God is the God of the poor and he favours them so much to the point that he directly get involved in their suffering.

Back to Chihanas argument, he said that it would be immoral to let things continue like that in Malawi. What a remark and what a concern!!!. As far as Chihana was concern, something needed to be done in Malawi and it would have been immoral to let oppression continue. This pro-democracy campaigner and a human rights activist was concern that oppression of the poor in Malawi needed to be sorted out with immediate effect and the solution was to turn Malawi into a political battle zone, to fight from inside and not from outside as some did. He was directly involved inside the country to help bring about sanity in political activism. The chihana model is good and proper some people to emulate and imitate from in terms of political activism, that if you want to see true change in a situation, you need to leave your comfort zone and get into the battle field and fight the war. That you can’t expect change by hiding in your bedroom or in your house drinking coffee. Of course there are other politicians who due to poverty and illiteracy, take advantage of the people by doing campaigns in the informal settlements or squatter areas when the political winds is negatively blowing against them. Of course in Malawi many do this that when elections approaches, they would go to Ndirande, Mgona, Chinsapo, Mzilawaingwe and others to just cheat on the poor. We are not talking of people like these because such politicians are not fit to be in the game. True politicians are those who don’t take advantage of people’s poverty and illiteracy. Its infact wickedness and too sinful to take advantage of the poor. So Chihana never took advantage but made sure to get involved in the liberation struggle in the country. That is why the name Chihana is registered in Malawians memories from Chitipa to Nsanje and from Nkhotakota to Mchinji mainly because he did something that Malawians couldn’t when things were hard and difficult.

Now what do we say about this statement that his blood if he happen to be killed was gonna feed the movement for democracy in Malawi. What was Chihana trying to communicate here? In his mind, Chihana saw a new Malawi where democracy and the rule of law would be the supreme pillar of the country. He saw a new Malawi where noone would live in oppression though we latter say that things changed when the notorious and wicked UDF Young democrat could terrorize Malawians. They moved up and down terrorizing anyone with different view and were like demon in hell released and set free to devour. Actually Chihana never was killed but was arrested and kept in jail to deny him an opportunity to lead the democracy movement. Though he was arrested, his impact in the democratic change was huge because Malawi finally became a democratic state in 1994.

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

2008-01-10T03:38:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T01:26:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-10T01:03:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-01-08T04:02:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-08T03:52:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-08T03:31:00.000-08:00

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.

WORLD VIEW: A CASE STUDY OF GOGO NYANKHAMBULE OF MABILABO NGONI WOMAN.

2007-12-19T03:43:00.000-08:00

WORDVIEW: A CASE STUDY OF GOGO NYANKHAMBULE, AN OLD MABILABO NGONI WOMAN.

BY: PETER QEKO JERE

1.0 INTRODUCTION.
Many times we forget that our worldview determines how we approach issues. Each time we have our presuppositions that are natural. Different people with different cultures have different views of what they think is the world. Thus worldview is something that is close to us and its that which makes what people think they are. It is something that many times is unchangeable unless Gods divine intervention breaks through, unless the Holy Spirit intervenes by Gods grace to start performing a new work in a man life. Many cultures of the world including Africa, shares different world views some of which are not biblical and need to change.

In this paper therefore, we shall look into worldview of Nyankhambule who is a very old lady. She is more that one hundred years old. As to when she was born, no body knows but the one thing that we know is that she is my great grandmother (my fathers grandmother and my grandmother’s mother). She comes from the Mabilabo Ngoni of Mzimba district in the Northern Malawi. We shall look into her worldviews in connection with the Mabilabo Ngoni people. We shall also look into the five magnetic points of religion where we shall crosscheck her with the Engel’s scale. Finally we shall do the evangelization as we evaluate her whole worldview in relation to Contextualization and syncreticism.

2.0 BACKGROUND OF NYANKHAMBULE.
The historical background of my great grandmother dates back to the early days of the Ngoni people when they entered Malawi (Nyasaland) from Zululand. Her parents were the direct generation of those who moved from Zululand into Malawi. She got married to Yakobe Mkweu who wrote many Christian Hymns in the local Ngoni/Tumbuka language.

Yakobe Mkweu was a shepherd and he used to spending time in the mountain with the cattle where he could write and compose hymns of praising the Supreme Being who created the mountains trees and rivers with beautiful green grass. However Nyankhambule daughter Lomatchinga got married to Aram, the son of the Inkosi Mabilabo 1, the direct grandson of Zwangendawa. It’s these two (Aram and Lomatchinga who are my very direct grandparents. Nyankhambule is very old because she has seen six generations coming and going. She also saw the generation of her children coming and going then she has seen generation of her grandchildren (my father) and finally she sees this generation of her great, great, great grandchildren.

2.0 NYANKHAMBULE WORLDVIEW.
Many people define worldview differently. For instance, Andrew says that worldview is the collection of people’s pre-suppositions or conviction about the reality of things and situations around them. He says they are so fundamental to what we believe and know and normally determines what we consider important (p: 155). But James olthius says this is the framework or again fundamental beliefs through which we view our world. While James calls this framework, Adeyemo call this the grid that that people uses to see their world. But Andrew Hoffecker says that worldview is the collection of presuppositions or convictions about reality, which represents total outlook of life, and nobody is without such fundamental beliefs (P: 1X).

As we shall be looking into worldview of Nyankhambule, there are some few things that we need to understand. Firstly is that the lives and culture of the people in this region has been greatly impacted by missionaries who came into the area in the eighteen hundreds. Her worldview has seen different generations of people with their different understanding of things. But the generation of her husband (yakobe Mkweu) was full of people who kept a lot of cattle in the mountains and used to singing songs of the Being of the mountains and skies and the rivers. However what we shall look into now are some of the elements of the Mabilabo Ngoni People of today. Of course education and westernisation have changed many things. But despite this, the majority of the people maintain what they traditionally are. In the western world, people are identified by their successes while in the Mabilabo Ngoni area, they are identified by their tribe, cultural customs, families and communities.

3.1 NYANKHAMBULE’S VIEW OF THE COSMOS.
Looking into the cosmos, she believes that this is something that came into being by the great magical work of the Supreme Being whom she calls Chiuta (the one who owns everything). She views the cosmos as a place that chiuta gave her so that she enjoy the mountains and trees, some of which provides fruits and shelter. Her husband wrote Hymns where the two thank Chiuta for creating the mountains and the rivers. She views the cosmos as something that was made by this chiuta who stays beyond the blue skies. Now in the area where she comes from there are rivers and mountains that have names with meanings.

Looking at the creation mandate of Genesis 1:28, she has no problems with it. This creation mandate is biblical and came from the heart of God (chiuta). While this is biblical true, it is also cultural true. The Mabilabo Ngoni believes in having many children. Children are important because they help in many different ways. Children are the riches parents can have. In this culture, children matters a lot. If one is rich but without children, he carries no big respect at all. If a lady is old but no children, she is still considered a girl. But if a girl has a child though still young, she is considered an old lady. The last thing of course in this tradition for those who are married is to stay for a long time without children. Traditionally, she believes that children are that which makes the cosmos beautiful and a great place to live in. Thus people are encouraged to have many children.

3.2 NYAKHAMBULE’S VIEW OF NORMS.
Though nyankhambule and her husband went up the mountain singing and composing hymns in praise of this Chiuta whom they believed stays far beyond the blue skies, they were still surrounded by the world which practiced a lot of traditional things. She was part of this tradition because culturally one has to automatically be part of what the community is doing. Of course, she believes that each time and each day, they have to be a close link between us the living and our ancestors. For instance, she believes that nothing happen without a main cause. Whatever thing that takes place has a cause that has to be in connection with the ancestors. For instance, when there is any outbreak in a community, then this would mean that there is immorality or anything wicked and the ancestors are angry. She believes that bad people when they die, they come back and torment the living. She believes that norms are important and have to be followed and strictly obeyed by all if communities are to be safe from the curses.

3.2.1 View of the Ancestral Spirit.
As far as nyankhambule is concern, the world of ancestral spirit is real. She looks at them as people who are still part of our world and lives and that we can communicate with them daily. There is respect for them and each day one has to make sure that he live good life. Now not all ancestors are good of course. She believes that some of them are bad. But we need to get reminded here that this respect vary from the age one died. This explains that there is more respect for those ancestors who died while old while those who died young, carry less respect.

Other people think that being of old age then she is likely to worship them which is not true. Actually she doesn’t respect them but just highly regard them because she believes that they communicate for us to the big Chiuta who stays beyond the blue skies. Now the question is how do they respect the ancestors? They do that by making sure that their graveyard is clean and properly maintained. Thus in all her life, there is a high regard for the ancestral spirit. People according to her, need to life good life so as to please them. Bad life that living people live displeases them and she believes that other times when angry, they come in many forms in the villages. This can be in form of hunger, inadequate rains, and diseases outbreak.

3.2.2 View of the Calendar.
Though in our time we have the western concept of calendar, she views it in terms of the main events and activities that took place in the Ngoni history and traditions. This include days like the inauguration of Mabilabo 1 and the day when all the Ngoni led by Zwangendabah crossed the Zambezi river in a small boat. This was a big day because about thirty thousand ngoni warrior plus their children used this one boat to cross the Zambezi River. This is also important because on that day the it is believed that the sun stood still until they finished crossing. The calendar in her case is also based on the major events like hunger and the year of plenty.

3.2.3 View of Magic
Though Nyankhambule is surrounded by the many elements of Christianity now, her worldview is not changed. She looks at magic as both good and bad. This explains that there are two different kinds of magic. She doesn’t use magic herself but her parents and great grand parents taught her that magic is either good or bad all depending on how it is used. Good magic is a traditional thing, which protects while the bad magic aims at killing innocent people. Of course we need to understand that this bad magic has the element of witchcraft, which is basically there to harm and destroy. Many people in the area use good magic to protect their children from traditional spells, witchcraft, and other harmful things. This is called (vinthumwa).

3.2.4 View of Death.
As regard death, she views it as a tool that brings people and communities together. This is a vital time because it is a time when someone joins the grand parents who died. It is believed here that when one dies, he joins the world of the ancestors. Now death for the good people is regarded, as a privilege to join ancestors hence it does not bring too much fear. Since she believes that death is a time when one joins the ancestors, it is therefore very important that one has to be buried where his ancestors and his people are. It is not acceptable to burry in town or anywhere unless it’s a place where his relatives got buried. She however emphasis that people of different family tree don’t have to be buried together for the sake of good fellowship, This is done so that the community of one family unit of ancestors should be maintained in one place. This explain that when someone in town dies, people travel many thousands miles to the village to burry him. She believes that the cost and all expenditure are not important than the life of togetherness that one can experience with the ancestors. Also regarding this, she maintains that people of different family tree don’t have to be buried together for the sake of good fellowship among the dead.

3.2.5 Burial. Procedures
Burial in many African communities is done according to the traditions and cultural beliefs of those people. While Christian Pastors perform church sermons, many times there is an additional of the African traditions. For instance, before the people enter the graveyard where the forefathers and all family people got buried, the village chief leads the whole team of mourners to the graveyard. His main job is basically to ask those who died before (ancestors) to welcome the spirit of the one who has just died. Thus he does that by mentioning and shouting names of all those who died before. This is normally done this as the mourners approach the graveyard gate . She believes that this is important here because the moment you come to the graveyard, you are coming to the home of ancestors and one need to explain why they are coming. This is done because she believes that there is a live communication going on between the living and the dead.

Having said that, she completely believes in the manner in which the dead body is placed in the coffin facing the eastern direction. She also believes in the style of the coffin itself. For instance, the Mabilabo Ngoni people are put in a triangular coffin where the dead person is placed kneeling with a spear in his right hand. She believes that the dead body has to face east because the Mabilabo Ngoni came from the eastern (Zululand). The kneeling explains that though dead, he will still be a great protector and fighter in another world.

3.2.6 Types of Death.
In this culture where Nyankhambule comes from, death has got many main causes. There is old death where one dies while old. This is the most acceptable death and people have no problems with it. There is another kind of death cause by the anger of the living spirit of the dead. This mainly comes through the spread of many diseases in the area. Also not all disease are the same. In her view, there are diseases caused by natural phenomena and again there are diseases caused by the magical spells. There is also the so-called sudden death. This sudden death is the most confusing one and many people don’t like it. Many times she believes that they are caused by ancestor’s anger, witchcraft or magic.

4.0 NYANKHAMBULE’S VIEW OF THE EXISTENCE.
The biblical concept of man existence emphasized the active part of human life. As regard the dead, it is passive. Unlike the biblical understanding Nyankhambule and many of the old people in the area, views their existence active in both the physical and spiritual. Thus it is called the living spirit of the death. There is a continual life after death where one joins the ancestors. Within the ancestors, she believes that there is active life that takes place within the dead in their spiritual world. This explains that whatever the living people are doing, they have something to do with the dead. Their reality is that there are two worlds that work together.

5.0 NYANKHAMBULE’S VIEW OF SALVATION.
There are a lot of interesting things that she believes as far as salvation is concern. Of course the coming of Christianity changed some ways and forms of doing things. Actually she believes salvation come when someone is doing good works. This of course relates to the community. Thus the people perform good works so that they create more chances of living good and happy life after they die. The people believe that those who life bad life on earth, have their soul suffer when they die. Thus one save himself from this by doing good works to the community so that they enjoy life when they die. It is believed that good people have good life after they die while bad people have bad life after they die.

As regard the so-called eternal hope, this is not present in the vocabulary because life ends, as they live with the ancestors. In Christianity we believe in the coming judgment while nyankhambule believes that many people pass judgment on themselves by the kind of work they perform. This explains that work is the ticket to either good life or bad life. Thus people are encouraged to work hard and do good to all people because there is reward at the end in another life.

6.0 NYANKHAMBULE’S VIEW OF THE SUPREME BEING.
As regard the supreme being (chiuta), she believes that he has power than any thing that has ever existed. This being is called by many different names all depending on what that being is performing. This can be that day, that week that month or that year. His main name is called Chiuta and is personal but distant. He lives very far beyond the blue skies that no one can touch or physically see him.

God’s (Chiuta) other names includes; Fumu (king), Mlengi wa vyose (creator of all things), movwili (someone who helps) and mwenekhkongono (owner of all strength).she views this chiuta as someone who came first and was there before all things came into being. In the hymns her husband composed in the mountains , they sing saying that chiuta was there way back before all things came into being she maintains that this chiuta sometimes thunders in the black and dark cumulus clouds before the heavy rains fall down. When there was an outbreak of any disease, the people could go to the ancestors and ask this chiuta who was also mchizgi, mtetezi and mthanki (protector) to protect and heal the people. It was and still in some cases the duty of the ancestors to talk to this Chiuta on behalf of the people. According to Nyankhambule, she believes that the living have no power to communicate to (Chiuta). She views this Chiuta as someone who came first and was there before all things came into being. In the hymns her husband composed in the mountains, they sing saying that Chiuta was there way back before all things came into being. She maintains that this chiuta sometimes thunders in the black and dark cumulus clouds before the heavy rains falls.

7.0 NYANKHAMBULE ON THE ENGEL’S SCALE.
Having looked into the five magnetic points of religion, we see that she is on –7 on the Engel’s scale. This has come into being because though she is old, she has a very clear view of the Supreme Being, which she calls Chiuta. When we look at the characteristics of this Chiuta, we are able to see that this is the God who created the world and it’s the same God we worship. This Chiuta is highly regarded because of the rivers and mountains plus trees he has created. Also she looks at the cosmos as the magical evidence of chiuta’s power. She has a very clear picture of this Chiuta and he is descriptive and is named according to how he performs.

7.1 NEEDS
Having looked into the worldview of Nyankhambule and the weakness of the whole traditional beliefs and religion, we feel that something better than what she has can be done and offered. The whole truth needs to be revealed. This truth is that people will see the face of God unless they believe in Chiuta and accept him through yesu. Of course there are a lot of areas in her traditional beliefs that create good base or grounds from where we can start from. This includes, the usage of the concept of the first born, the concept of the Supreme Being and the respect for the elder. Therefore below are the steps on how we shall evangelise nyankhambule.

7.2 Evangelism 1
Since she is at –7, she is aware of the existence of the supreme being (Chiuta) whom she calls by the local language’s name. We shall inform her that this Chiuta she believes in , is someone who made mountains rivers, skies, trees and is the God of the Bible. Of course we shall not take the trouble of using the English name but we shall use the local name Chiuta for effective communication and understanding. We shall inform her that this chiuta has given all what he has to mankind and this is contain in the Bible. This knowledge shall bring us to –6.

7.3 Evangelism 2
Now having shared about the God of the bible, we shall teach her the fundamental of the gospel which is –5. Now before we reveal these fundamental truths of the gospel, there are things that will need to be clarified. We need to understand that though we shall elencticise, we shall not do it with a bung but we shall do following her weak points. Firstly we shall inform her that though chiuta is viewed as far, he has always wanted to be close and live with all his people because he loves them all. We shall however tell her that once upon a time the first man and woman on earth sinned and broke the commandment of Chiuta. We shall tell her that all the children born were sinners including us all and we deserved eternal death and hell. We shall tell her that People couldn’t save themselves from this and Chiuta allowed his only son and the first born to Come and die on the cross so that all mankind should be saved from fire and death. It shall be told that yesu is the only true son of Chiuta who connects us with the father in heaven directly without using anything else. We shall tell her that the ancestors are hopeless and cannot provide solutions. We shall tell her that it is possible to directly go to chiuta and talk to him through his son yesu.

With this, we shall point out to her that the truth is in yesu, who came and died so that all people can have life. It will be a joy to her that she can reach chiuta directly. This shall be credible and unheard of. It is impossible in her worldview for a man to see the face of this Chiuta. Now the problem would be the removing of the ancestral spirit. We shall however clarify this one by telling her that we need to respect the ancestors by not troubling them with our petitions but should leave them and allow them to rest at peace. This will be of great importance because in this culture, there is a great deal of respect for the ancestors. Having looked into this whole truth, this shall bring us to –4, which shall be the implication of the gospel.

7.4 Evangelism 3
The gospel is the good news and this is to say that Jesus (yesu) is the true son of the living God (chiuta) who came and died on the cross to save all mankind and that he ascended to heaven. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. Therefore all people need to repent for the forgiveness of their sins and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Now you can’t go straight to this old lady and bombard her with the gospel ignoring what she is. We believe that it shall be good and important to strategies and look for the weak points in her tradition and cultural beliefs. It will be from this point that we shall start from. We need to start from what she knows and progress like that. We shall share to her that chiuta has one only son yesu and this is the one he gave to the entire world for their salvation. Of course she will not understand this salvation, (saved from what?). We shall reveal it to her that all who wants to see the face of Chiuta and be in heaven have to accept yesu the only son of Chiuta whom he sent into the world to die for us.

This of course shall create a bit of confusion because she shall look at this chiuta as being abit careless and negligent. She shall think that may be this Chiuta does not know the concept of first borns that they are important. In this tradition, first born are important. The point is that first-born sons are the heirs to the throne and one has to care for them. To her, the death of yesu, this first-born son, will be hard to comprehend. If anything, in this culture, first borns don’t have to die. This will be pathetic and confusing but at the same time she shall have a very deep understanding of the love of Chiuta that he gave his first born son something which is not suppose to be done in this culture. This will be the only situation in the whole of her life that someone gave his first born for the betterment of other people. This will score a very high biblical point all together.

The other thing that will score points shall be the using of this first-born son as a bridge. In this culture, fathers stay very close to their first borns and this is mandatory so that they learn how to lead and serve people better in future. These first born sons also work for their fathers sometimes in many different ways. Since they stay close and work with their fathers these first born sons understand their fathers better. Now we shall inform her that just as the first-born sons are used, Chiuta also used yesu his only first born sons to come and die. This will make a clear sense because what yesu did is the kind of things that first borns in this culture have.

7.4.1. Concept of after Death.
We earlier said that she views death as something that ushers people into another word where ancestors live. This is the joining of ancestors and there is no any future hope or whatsoever hope. We earlier said that salvation just means doing good works so that one should be able to live good life with the ancestors.

Now we shall tackle this by introducing her to the elements of the theology of hell. Of course we shall start from where she is. She believes that there is good life and bad life in the world of ancestors all depending on good works while still alive. This will be our base or operation point.
We shall tell her that there is paradise and hell for the people and the bad people. We shall inform her that hell was created as a home of Satan and all bad people, those who reject yesu while paradise is a place for all who accept yesu. We shall not forget to inform her again that all those who go to paradise live with God in heaven while the bad ones go to the lake of fire (in hell). We shall finally tell her that there is big hope of eternal life by accepting yesu. Of course she shall be joyous because in her worldview, man has no right to get to heaven. Her worldviews explains that when they die, they go and stay with ancestors and not God. But here we shall put in this different view of life. She shall be glad to be in a place with Chiuta something her tradition doesn’t offer.

7.4.2 Concept of Hope.
We at his moment in time shall tell her that when she dies she shall go to hell or heaven. We shall also tell her again that she will be in the lake of fire if she is refusing yesu. But we shall encourage her that though she is very old, yesu came even for all the old people so them too may have abundant life in him. Now it shall strongly be emphasized that she need to welcome yesu as her redeemer and repent of all her old ancestral belief and ask God to forgive her. The truth shall be convey that Chiuta is calling her and wants to welcome her into this kingdom. This shall bring us to-3 which shall be the conviction of sin.

7.5 Evangelism 4.
Having done –4 there shall be strong sense of sin conviction. This will come into being because of the many years she has lived without a real sense of proper destiny. She shall be informed that real life and proper destiny is in yesu and not in the ancestral beliefs. She shall be remind that Chiuta who is full of love and mercies will forgive her. This will bring us to –3 where her response and the whole atmosphere will bring us to –1, as we shall lead her into the Lord. She will not resist because culturally, people trust first borns of kings and shall do the same to the first-born son of Chiuta. We shall encourage that Chiuta loves her and he wants to be with her in all eternity. Thus this shall lead us to +1 where after her acceptance of Jesus she shall be put into gospel preaching church.

7.6 Follow Up
Having put her into the Presbyterian Church in the area, a lot of things shall be done to her. Due to old age, we shall make it appoint to bring the gospel right at her doorsteps. Actually she has no strength to walk long distances to and from church hence we shall make it a point that the gospel of John is read to her one chapter per day and allow her to ask questions so that she widens knowledge of Chiuta. All the basics shall be taught here to her. This shall bring us to +2, which shall be walking with Christ and her obedience. Her obedience shall be checked as from daily prayerful life and love for God. Of course she shall be taught how to pray directly to Chiuta through yesu his only first born son. To fully accomplish this, we shall come up with the Nyankhambule Home Ministry where different committed Christians shall be scheduled to minister to her three times a day every week. This ministry shall also strategise on how to domestically help her at home. However it should be noted here that we shall stop here on +2, we shall however make it a point to continue feeding her with the word of God and familiarising her with bible stories.

7.7 CONTEXTUALISATION
According to Bruce Nicholls this is the capacity to respond meaningfully to the gospel within the framework of ones own situation or culture (1979:21). Unlike Nicholls Moreau says that contextualisation means that the word of Chiuta (God) should dwell among all families of mankind just as Jesus lived among his own people (2000:225). Thus this process is contextual in approach. Nyankhambule understood the gospel because of this contextual approach. The gospel was shared considering her world. We used the good cultural customs in the process of reaching out to her.
For instance, we used the traditional view of first borns and the traditional way of respect for the ancestors. We also used the existing knowledge of the Chiuta (God). Thus we contextualized and put the gospel in a way she could understand. We used illustrations from her culture and tradition, something she could easily understand.It is therefore important to start from where one is unlike from the unknown. This is the same point from where you have your way into the whole process of reaching out. Many people fail to reach out because they use different context in different direction. Of course we realise we have been elencticising but at the same time we were careful not to say things that were to put off the old lady.

7.8 SYNCRETICISM
This is a kind of a disease or problem in the whole of modern mission. It appears in a different shapes and forms. By definition, this is the mixing of Christian’s assumption that are incompatible with Christianity so that the result isn’t biblical Christianity (Meroeu 2000:924). Now as regard nyankhambule, she was born and believed in the existence of this Supreme Being for the rest of her life. Syncretism may come in if there shall be no sense of truth in the things shared to her. She is old and cannot walk long distances hence all depend on us to choose what kind of teaching lesson to give her. We have to reach to her through reading everything because she is almost blind due to old age. However we shall emphasis more on the fact that the chiuta (God) she worship is the one who created the whole world. Also we shall put more emphasis on the importance of understanding the whole concept of Yesu as opposed to the elements of the ancestor beliefs.

8.0 CONCLUSION.
Having looked into all these, the following shall be pointed out: Firstly is that every culture is rich and has elements that will makes the gospel penetratable all the time. We actually mean to say that every culture has a door that will get open when the gospel time comes. No culture is too hard enough and without such a door. Secondly, nothing is able to change the worldview of people apart from the word of God and the working of the Holy Spirit. Like Nyankhambule who is very old, her worldview and focus on things changed because the word of God performed its work. Thus the word of God will not come back meaningless when it gets into any form of tradition but that it will perform its work and things will begin to change and move.

With the continual teaching of the word of God at her house, her whole worldview shall change from that of ancestor belief to that of God (Chiuta) and Christ (Yesu). Thirdly, it has been observed that not all the traditional customs are bad. Some are good and some are. The good ones have to be effectively used in the proclamation of the gospel. Finally, its is important to realise that the gospel need to be put in a simple way and in a way that even the old people can understand. We need to simplify the gospel and maintain the truth there in. without contextualising the gospel, many will not be effectively reached with the word to the level they can understand. We are therefore encouraged to put the seed of the gospel and let it grow in the heart of the people.

9.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Adeyemo T, Toward an understanding of African Worldview (p1)
Andrew H: Building A Christian worldview- Vol.1 P. x1).
Nicholls B, 1979: Contextualisation, A Theology of Gospel and Culture,
Paternoster Press, UK
Moreau S, 2000: Evangelical Dictionary of World Mission,
Baker Book House,

ADDITIONAL REFERNCE.

James O: On Worldview.