MALAWI NATIONAL TEACM: WHATS THE PROBLEM AND A WAY FORWARD?

The team at the crossroad of soccer

BY: Peter Qeko Jere

For a long time now our national team has performed poorly and I don’t have to remind you about all the games played because it’s just a shame. A lot is being said about this team and we wonder this poor performance this time around. When I was doing my primary education, football was at its best in the country because I remember those days though we had no Television; we still have huge passion for soccer through the radio. Jeffrey Msampha, Elias Kapangama spiced soccer that we could follow what was happening on the field of play. In my village weekends used to being nice because we could gather on a Khonde and listen to the broadcast and celebrate goals scored. For example, I remember this time when Malawi beat Egypt in Kenya and that evening when Clifton Msiya scored the only fantastic goal at the African Cup of Nation. Though I was not in the stadium but the guy took the ball from the opponent half and went through inside the enemy’s territory and crossed the 18 yard area and destroyed the defense and finally scored the goal. I will not forget this because I stayed awake that night to listen to the live commentary of the match. There was passion and Malawians love the good game.

Anyway am talking about the current national teams’ crisis where there performance is undesirable. They have tried many to instruct the boys to play and score goals but still sizikuyenda ayi. Now what is the problem here? As for me and many, we feel the problem is not the instructor or instructors we hire from abroad but our players. We don’t have good quality players this time in Malawi football. I mean players who can match the likes of Lule Way, Young Chimodzi, Gilbert Chirwa, Felix Nyirongo, Mabvuto Lungu, Ian Banda, Holman Malunga, Donex Gondwe, Denis Said, Frank Sinalo, Dickson Mbetewa , Jonathan Billy to mention but a few. We don’t have quality players in this country. We need to start all over again as far as football is concern. We need to abolish the national team and begin a rebuilding exercise. There is a need for a five years rebuilding plan for the national team so that talent identification should be done as it used to been those old good days. Blaming any instructor is not a solution to Malawi football. Even hiring a foreign coach is not a solution to this crisis because whoever will come to do the job will still be using unqualified football resource hence wastage of time and money. We need to go to the drawing board and put the house in order.

Some have argued that government is to blame. But we can’t blame government because we all know that with the resources that they have provided; our prayers have failed miserable even at our own backyard. It all goes back to the kind of prayers we have in this country at this moment in time.

Other blames the private sector for not sponsoring soccer into the country. We need to know that no one can put his money in a team that is not performing. If we had that team of long ago composed of these: Donnex Gondwe, Young Chimodzi, Gilbert Chirwa, Dickson Mbetewa, Rodgers and Felix Nyirongo , Mphatso Namwali in defence, things could not have been the same in this country. Malawi need to look for defenders of this caliber otherwise we will always not make it.

I heard someone blaming Malawians for not supporting the team. That the team performs poorly because we Malawians are not patriotic enough this time around as far as soccer is concern. I think We the people should not be blamed. Players need to be blamed because they are of poor quality and not able to match the standards of these men I have just mentioned in here.

Having said this, let me agree with those who blame the football administrators in Malawi. In additional to players, these people are killing football. They all know what used to happening in football for a player to be identified and pick for training. They all know that we used to having the coca-cola trophy where teams all over the country compete. They also know we used to having regional select that were competing and out of that prayers were identified. But it’s a shock that the same people went through this process this time around fail to do like wise in Malawi soccer. They were suppose to force matters and make sure that Football standards are maintained and that we maintain our tradition in national team player identification. For your information, Mabvuto Lungu was identified at Saint Peters primary School because the man could score goal during Mayors Trophy games. Kinna Phiri was identifies all the way from Karonga. Now this time around it’s a joke for our officials to wake up in the morning and pick prayers in cities. There is no soccer in the cities but in the rural areas. Finally, let us do something about our nation time we are to retain our old glory.

SECTION 65 AND THE CHURCH IN MALAWI

The Voice of the Voiceless Poor

BY: Peter Qeko Jere

Section 65 is the most talked issue in Malawi politics today. It is all over in the print media, Radios, Television, and on people’s lips in town and villages. Politicians in Parliament have failed to map a way forward and as of now parliament is adjourned indefinitely. We don’t know when they will meet to discuss the national budget and for how long this parliamentary adjournment shall be before the budget is discuss. Voiceless poor Malawians do not even know when their MPs shall get back to parliament to discuss the budget. Therefore this section 65 saga is negatively affecting the psychological thinking of many Malawians as of now.

The voiceless poor in the villages are shocked and surprised that members of parliament mainly from opposition have openly declared war on this year’s budget. Led by John Tembo, the opposition members of parliament declared that section 65 is more important than the budget hence it has to be discussed first in parliament. In other words, John Tembo and all opposition members of parliament are saying that they care less about the welfare of the poor and have nothing to do with them this time around. They also are saying that their party politics in parliament is vital than issues of the voiceless poor in their constituencies.

In the same vain, many Malawians are keeping a close watch on what is happening in our politics and one day the power of the vote shall be the judge. There is nothing the electorate can do now because constitutionally they don’t have any power to deal with those members of parliament who are against and undermine the budget. Some have strongly argued that opposition members of parliaments careless about the poor people in their constituencies because they know that they will not make it to parliament during the next General Election.

It is vital to note that there are many interested in this section 65 issue because it is directly affecting the budget which is the very lifeline of all Malawians. The nation can not function without the budget hence anything to do with it become an issue of interested for anyone who is a Malawian. In this regard therefore, the church is not excluded.

The church in Malawi directly gets negatively affected in a situation where someone is blocking the budget because majority of the people in this country belong to various Christian churches. The church largely depend on weekly and monthly contributions from their faithfuls hence any blockade to the budget produces serious repercussion on the daily operation of the church. This is because the Malawi church by and large does not have long term functioning investment activities. Therefore politicians should bear in mind that the budget is not only a national issue but is also a Church issue because members of the church directly face the consequences of delaying passing the budget. For instance, adjusted new salary in the budget will create an improvement in the weekly and monthly contributions to the church while any blockade and political madness surrounding it will in one way or the other directly suffocate the church finance hence it is vital that MP should consider the budget first and not section 65. Our politicians should understand that the church can not remain silent this time around because they are directly affected by any political madness that blocks the budget. Also it should be noted that the same people who are denied access to the budget by the opposition parliamentarians belong to the church a situation which forces the church to directly get involved in issues surrounding the budget and section 65 and the budget.

The church can not remain silent in issues of the budget and section 65 because the church represents the voice of the suffering voiceless poor who are being denied access to the budget due to greedy and selfish actions by opposition politicians. The poor in the villages in Malawi don’t have a platform where they could air their grievances in times like these while politicians are free to have their peace of mind broadcast in the many radio stations in the country. In such times, it is the duty of the church to stand between the gap and become the voice crying in the wilderness to speak on behalf of the poor. The church which fails to defend the poor is not a true church at all because a true church is the one which sides with the voiceless poor.

The church can not afford to remain silent in this political madness going on in our country because it is the very voice of God, the kind of God who gets involved in the lives of the poor when they are suffering and are oppressed. Throughout Old Testament and New Testament politics, we have God full time involved in the lives of his children when they were oppressed in Egypt by Pharaoh. In Egypt, God came down and redeemed his people from autocratic rule of Pharaoh. God sided with the voiceless poor in Egypt and he came down to redeem them. Now if God get involved in the lives of the poor then what will stop the church from doing likewise and who shall stop it? This is the nature of God and the very model the church follows even today. The church in Malawi even in the current scenario can not remain silent but become the voice of the voiceless and stand between the gap to protect the poor from being any economic abuse by the opposition. Someone asks how is the opposition economically abusing the poor? They are directly abusing the poor by undermining the budget and openly declaring that their number one priority is section 65 and not the national budget. Therefore, opposition politicians should realize that by undermining the budget, they have undermined the very lifeline of Malawians, the national budget.

MALAWI'S OPPOSITION ACTIONS WORRISOME AND MISGUIDED

As they undermine the national budget.

Peter Qeko Jere

The current behaviour of the opposition parties in parliament is worrisome, dangerous, selfish, unparliamentary, and unchristian and is so geared to not only undermine government but also punish the poor people in the villages. It is a well known fact that this sitting of parliament is there for MPs to discuss the budget and pass it. This is the budget for all Malawians including the opposition themselves. They all need this budget after all they need this budget because without this budget, parliament itself will not be able to meet and MPs will not access the K15,000 they get per day or K105,000 per week or again K420,000 per month as allowances during the sitting.

However Malawians were on Monday shocked to hear and see that the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Chimango adjourned the house prematurely. During the evening parliamentary TVM broadcast, it was more shocking to hear Hon John Tembo proposing that the house should not discuss the budget until the section 65 issue is resolved. UDF’s Ntafu seconded Tembo by saying that it was wrong for government to exert pressure on the speaker through court injunction. As if this was not enough, the opposition forced parliament to adjourn because of section 65 issue.

Now when we look critically at what is happening in this august house this time, one sees that our honorable MPs from opposition have lost direction, focus and the very reason why they are in that house this time around. They seem not to know what they are doing and mixed up completely. They have forgotten that they are representing the people in their various constituencies. In other words they are entrusted by the poor to come to parliament and speak the minds of their people. Funny and surprisingly enough, the opposition have taken a different direction because they care less about those who voted for them because to them, section 65 is more important than the budget. This means that they don’t mind about the lives of the people but section 65 which is unfortunate.

This sitting of parliament is for budget and nothing else. Malawians sent these hourable MPs into parliament to discuss this budget because this is what the poor in the villages and towns need. In this budget we have roads, hospitals, subsidized fertilizer and schools, civil servant salaries to mention but a few. This budget is about poverty alleviation and uplifting the lives of the poor, the very people who voted these MPs into parliament. Having said this, it is with pain seeing people like John Tembo saying that the house should discuss section 65 first and not the budget. It is worrisome that John Tembo who was once a Finance Minister can have the nerve to tell the august house that section 65 needs to be discussed first and not the budget. Tembo needed to be the first person in this August house to understand what the budget is all about. Infact Tembo needed to school all his opposition MPs on issues surrounding the budget because this is the very lifeline of the Malawians. Playing games with the budget is playing around with people’s emotions and expectation which can be dangerous sometimes.

In the same line of thought, what is the relationship between section 65 and the budget? What is it that the poor in the constituencies need right now? A brief survey that I conducted revealed that about 96.4% Malawians need the budget while 2% want clarity on section 65 and 1.6 are not sure of anything.

This strange behavior and action by the opposition in the august house is questionable and reveals the following:

Firstly is Jealosy-nsanje. This is because Tembo and the opposition know that God is blessing Dr. Bingu Wamthalika’s administration and they can stop it. The opposition should know that no created human being is able to stop God’s blessing flowing when its season is come. In this regard, we as a nation are in a season where God is releasing His supernatural blessings upon the Wamthalika’s administration which include good rains, restored economy to mention but a few. This is because every leadership has its own special blessings the flow of which depends on how connected it is to God.

Secondly is selfishness. There is selfishness of the highest order being exercised by opposition members of parliament this time around. They are selfish because they don’t want to discuss the budget while at the same time they pocket K15000 per day, K105000 per week and K420000 per month as allowances during parliament sitting. Now they want to accumulate this money and deny poor Malawians access to the budget. What do you call this situation where MPs are behaving this way and telling Malawians that they have nothing to do with the budget but section 65?

Thirdly is Uncaring spirit. This uncaring spirit manifested itself in parliament this week when opposition MPs demonstrated to the nation that they are in the house to serve their political party’s and their leaders interests. They work as a team to achieve the dreams of their masters and not those who voted for them in the villages. By agreeing that the budget needed to wait the verdict of section 65, the opposition demonstrated to the Malawi people that they don’t care about the needy of those who voted for them. They have demonstrated that they don’t want their people to progress economically, politically and socially.

SECTION 65 AND MALAWI'S FUTURE

A stumbling block to Malawi's social, political and economic prosperity.

By: Peter Qeko Jere

On the 15th of June 2007, the Malawi’s Supreme Court granted powers to the Speaker of the national assembly to declare vacant seats of MPs who defected from their parties. In this ruling, Chief Justice Unyolo pointed out that the Speaker of the national assembly could use a controversial provision to expel any MP who changed party affiliation. The learned Judge also said that the Court’s position is that section 65 is consistent with other provision of the constitution and is valid (am not sure about this!).

Malawians have reacted differently on this issue. Some still maintain that this constitutional provision need to be revisited and not used this time while some argue that the speaker need to use it during the budget sitting of parliament. UDF and MCP are so much happy with the ruling. One of them said, “I am failing to explain how excited we are in the UDF”. Some have argued that this s that this is democracy at its best and that truth has finally prevailed. In this regard, they expect the Speaker of the National Assembly to declare vacant seats of MPs that they think have crossed the floor. Some continues to argue that this will at the end lead to the collapse of Bingu Wamthalika’s government. A lot of things are happening as of now and we expect even more in the near future. Just yesterday (28/6/07) the High court granted an injunction stopping Speaker of the national assembly from using this section in the house as deliberate on the budge.

However, there are few questions that Malawians could have in mind regarding this section 65 and our current political situation. Firstly is this the right time for MPs to discuss issues of section 65? What is important for Malawians, section 65 or the budget? Of what benefit is this section 65 to the poor in the villages? Will our people in the villages directly benefit with this section 65?

In response to this, our MPs need to know that section 65 is not as important as the national budget. Malawians need the budget because this is the very life of the people. Malawians as of now need the budget and not section 65 because there is nothing in this section that Malawians in the villages could benefit from. In the budget there is food, road, bridges, schools and peoples salaries (including MPs salaries). In this regard, it is important that MPs in parliament should discuss budget which is the very life of the people who voted them into office. So it is uncomprehendable when we hear some politicians saying that to them section 65 is important than the budget. This is in the understanding that they want to discuss this section first before the budget. Such politicians who want section 65 more than the budget need to know that this mentality will create their own political gallows because soon or later the electorate will judge their actions.

As to whether this section will lead to the down fall of Bingu’s government, is something that some of us feels will not happen. This is because Malawi uses a presidential system where the president and his vice are elected separately.

Having said this, there is one aspect of this section that is worrisome to some of us. This aspect creates parliamentary dictatorship and anarchy. This is where the Supreme Court said that NEITHER THE HIGH COURT NOR THE SUPREME COURT HAS POWER TO DECLARE AS INVALID OR INVALIDATE A CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION. After reading through this judgment, I have come to realize that something is terribly wrong in our legal system is this is the position of the court in Malawi. Now if the courts say that they don’t have the power to intervene in such situations then who is the world is empowered to handle this? Also then what is the reason of having courts if they don’t have power to do something on what parliament implements? If this is the courts position then why are the courts there in the first place in a democratic Malawi?

If the Malawi court has no power to do something on what parliament implements then someday Malawians will be in for a rough ride when we shall have a party with majority MPs in the house. What am saying is that in such situation, majority MPs will be able to decide even to increase their salary to one Million kwacha or more and nobody will argue about it. Even this party in majority will be able to even the constitution in anyway they shall want and no one will say a thing about it become the courts shall be of no help. So in a way, section 65 ruling has reduced the authority of the courts in Malawi and has made Parliament supreme and powerful. This situation has made parliament untouchable because their decisions will be final and unchangeable a situation which is worrisome.

Now if Parliament is let like this is a democratic Malawi then shall be there to check them? To me the Supreme Court is best place to check all what parliament produces and see to it that our constitution is protected. Supreme Court is best placed to protect our constitution from abuse by our MPs in a situation where they are in majority. As things are now, it is really sad that our constitution has no one to protect it from any abuse. With this therefore, while some are happy with this section, Malawians should be sad about the whole situation because from this time onward, ANY PARTY IN MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT WILL BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTIN AND NO ONE WILL QUESTION IT.

In addition, in today’s Paper (29/7/07) (both nation and daily times), the Catholic Church has raised its voice asking MPs to concentrate on the budget and not section 65. Some politicians sadly enough in all these papers argue that the church should stay away from this whole issue and concentrate on preaching the gospel. To begin with, Malawian politicians need to know that Church and State will never be separated in as far as Malawi’s history is concern. You don’t separate these two because the church represents the voice of the voiceless poor in the villages. You can read more on Church and State in my other articles in my blog: www.zithandozami-qeko.blogspot.com

UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE GRADUATES

ITS A GREAT HONOUR TO BE PART OF THIS GREAT AND RICH HISTORY

Down here is a list of some of the great leaders and sons of Africa who went through the corridors of Fort Hare. Fort Hare prepared them to become the kind of leaders they are today. Of course some have gone to be with the Lord and may their soul rest in eternal peace (RIP). Many times I think big with coloured dreams and visions each time I walk down the same corridors that these great sons of africa once walked. Thus to be a fort harian means to dream big and in colours for the future and in this regard, to save Africa from the social, political and economic evils.

Briefly down here is the list of these graduates to mention but a few:

Dr. Nelson Mandela, Dr. Oliver Tambo, Dr. Robert Mugabe, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Dr. Julius Nyerere, Dr. Joshua Nkomo, Sir Seretse Khama, Yusuf Lule, Bishop Dr. Desmond Tutu, Dr. Mangusuthu Buthelezi, Dr. Tshabalala Msimang, Dr. Motsepe Kasaburri to mention but a few.

This is Dr. Nelson Mandela the Greatest African States man of all time. He he lead in the fight against apartheid and in 1994, became the President of Republic of South Africa. He is admired by many around the world because of his good heart and love for all people, black and white.

This is Dr. Oliver Tambo the great ANC leader. He was also the great anti apartheid fighter and did alot to help african liberated. He was once the Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare






This is comrade Robert Mugabe the great son of Africa. He lead his country to independence in 1980. He still is the president of Zimbabwe. Though some people have problems with his adminstration, some of us who are so much conversant with the history of liberation of that country, dont have any problem at all. We need leaders who knows the destiny of their people and not just to do stuff to please colonialist. Robert Mugabe was once the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe before he officially became the president. The one thing I like about him is that he is doing alot to empower his people in terms of education.

Dr. Kenneth Kaunda remains the father and founder of the Zambia nation. He lead his country to independence in 1964. His name shall live forever in the history of Zambia because during his time zambia was one nation with one people (Zambian chabe-mulishane mwaishe!). He is a son of a Malawian missionary who trekked to Zambia to preach the gospel and finally stayed there. He was removed from power by Fredrick chiluba.

Dr. Julius Nyerera (RIP) was the father and founder of the federal republic of Tanzania. He united his country and the nation prospered and continues to move ahead. There has always been peaciful transition in Tanzania. We as Malawians regard Tanzanians as our very brothers and sisters and we shall do that.

Comrade Joshua Nkomo did alot in the liberation struggle of the nation of Zimbabwe. His name appear in all the history throughout. He was the Vice President of Zimbabwe. He is also one of those who went through the corridors of Fort Hare.

Far right we have Sir Seretse Khama the first president of Botswana who also walked down the corridoersof Fort Hare. Fort Hare prepared him in a way that he later played a key role in the liberation history of the Batswana people.

Dr. Tshabalala Msimang is the current Minister of Health in the Thabo Mbeki government in South Africa. She also went through the corridors of Fort Hare. This other guys is Yusuf Lule who ruled Uganda after Idi Amin Dada's government fell. But him too walked on these corridors.

This is the Bishop. He also went through the corridors of Fort Hare and its an honour for me to be part of this heritage. He is a retired Anglican bisho and a great freedom fighter.

This is Dr. Motsepe Kasaburri a member of the Thabo Mbeki Cabinet.

UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE NOTABLE GRADUATES

GREAT SONS OF FORT HARE

When I talk of being part of a great history I just mean what you see and read down here. This is a University which has produced great African leaders and its just a huge blessing to be part of such a rich heritage. Thus down here we have the following great sons of the Africa:

Dr. Nelson Mandela, Dr. Robert Mugabe, Dr. Oliver Tambo, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, Dr. Julius Nyerere, Sir. Seretse Khama, Dr. Joshua Nkomo, Dr. Mongasuthu Buthelezi, Bishop Dr. Desmond Tutu, Dr. Manto Tshabalala Msimang, Dr. Motsepe Kasaburri to mention but a few.

TO BE A FORT HARIAN MEANS TO DREAM BIG AND IN COLOURS

PETER QEKO JERE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE

ITS AN HONOUR TO BE A FORT HARIAN

When I was growing up, my late Grandpa, Aram Chidongo Mabilabo Qeko Jere (RIP) used to telling me that his number one dream was to go to South Africa and study at Fort Hare. This other day he told me that he was sad that his dream never came to pass. So I grew up knowing that there was a place and a school call Fort Hare in South Africa though I had an idea that I was to fulfil his dream years later.

As I was doing my B.A (Th) Honours degree at the NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY in South Africa, many times I could remember what my late Grandpa used to telling me about his Fort Harian dream. By 2001, I made up my mind to go and study at place so that I fulfil my Grandpa's dream. Thus in July 2001, I moved to the University of Fort Hare to study a Master degree. It was the happiest moment of my life to be on this campus.

Fort Hare is so unique in the entire universe because of a number social political and economic factors. Ofcourse I dont want to dwell much on that on but just to tell you briefly why this school is such a great place . Fort Hare is a great school because this is the very place where almost majority of african leaders went and study. This therefore offers we fort harian a great honour to be part of this great african heritage. I mean its a great honour to walk,live and study on the same campus where great african leaders did their school.

Secondly is that this University played a key role to the death of apartheid in south africa.

Briefly, some of the notable great sons of Africa who graduated from this University include the following:

Dr. NelsonRolihlahla Mandela ( The first democratically elected President of South Africa and the Apartheid Icon),

Dr. Oliver Reginald Tambo ( Anti Apartheid politician in SA and once a President of ANC)

Dr.Govan Archibald Mvuyelwa Mbeki ( Father of Thabo Mbeki and once leader of ANC and South African Communist Party)

Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (current President of South Africa)

Dr Mangosuthu ("Gatsha") Buthelezi ( Former Home Affairs Minister in SA and leader of the Inkata Freedom Party),

Dr. ZK Mathews (first Black lecturer at Fort Hare)

Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe(Founder of Pan African Congress to fight Apartheid in SA)

Kaiser Daliwonga Matanzima (Former Prime minister of Transkai)

Dr.Desmond Mpilo Tutu (Anglican Bishop and a Freedom Fighter)

Chris Hani (Leader of the South African Communist Party. He was leader of the ANC military wing, " Umkonto we Sizwe" and was assassinated in 1993) ,

Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang (Minister of Health in the Mbeki Cabinet in SA),

Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri (Cabinet Minister in the Mbeki Cabinet),

Makhenkesi Arnold Stofile (Cabinet Minister in the Mbeki Cabinet),

Bulelani T Ngcuka (Former Director of Public Prosecution in SA) ,

Dr. Barney Pityana (University of South Africa Vice Chancellor and the current South Africa Human Right Chair) to mention but a few.

Other notable graduates of this University include the following:

Sir Seretse Khama(First President of Botswana),

Kenneth David Kaunda (First President of Zambia),

Robert Gabriel Mugabe (Current President of Zimbabwe since 1980),

Joshua Nkomo (Former Vice President of Zimbabwe and a freedom fighter), Herbert Wiltshire Chitepo (prominent Barrister in Southern Africa during colonial struggle and was the leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union),

Ntsu Mokehle ( former Prime Minister of Lesotho),

Dr.Ticofa Parirenyatwa (First Medical Doctor of Zimbabwe),

Julius Kambarage Nyerere (First President of the Federal Republic of Tanzania),

Yusuf Kironde Lule (Former Prime Minister and President of Uganda),

Charles Mugane Njonjo (First Kenyan Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affair),

Orton Chirwa (Malawi's First Minister of Justice in the Dr. Kamuzu Banda government),

Masauko Chipembere (Minister of Education during the 1964 cabinet Crisis in Malawi) to mention but a few.

Now its a great honour to be part of this great heritage and I dont take this for granted. Its from this understanding that after my Masters degree, I decided to come back to this University for my doctoral study. Everything in me is so much convinced that I need to be at this University so that I continue to drink from the cool waters of academic prosperity which shall one day enable me to serve not only my country but the rest of Africa. Life at Fort Hare forces you to dream big because that is what it means to be a Fort Harian and in this case, huge and big dreams shall be fulfilled upon completion of this doctoral degree at this great school fo thoughts.