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

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

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?

As Million Malawians have food in their homes!

By: Peter Qeko Jere

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OF MIZWANYA AND POLITICAL EDUCATION IN MALAWI

As they educate Malawians in real issues

By: Peter Qeko Jere

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

THE BIBLE, LAND AND AFRICAN HERITAGE

No land, no existence, no prosperity

By: Peter Qeko Jere


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

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

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

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

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

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

WHEN GOD SAYS YES!

A look at the life of Joseph

By: Peter Qeko Jere

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TRIBALISM, ETHNIC CLEANSING IN KENYAN 2007 ELECTIONS

As the Luo and karenje tribes kill Kikuyus

By: Peter Qeko Jere.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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