PRESIDENT RUPIAH BANDA, A TRUE ZAMBIA

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?

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

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

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?

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

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?

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.