Battling against past

By Pacharo Felix Munthali

The political gridlock that has locked the country seems too much. Perhaps it is the sort of impasse nobody thought of when accepting and embracing the democratic rule in 1994. One stalemate after another is engulfing the country. Is the democracy itself, our past, or ourselves to blame?
As professor kings Phiri, a historian of repute, ponders on, he realizes that the country is “going through a phase that is very much a transition.” The country is in the transit. This is the time when “we are trying to democratize,” yet while the country is craving to be a democratic institution, it is also a product “of the past when we used to accept only certain individuals as capable of providing leadership.”
Malawi has numerous individuals. In fact they are bright. Political fraternity is not void of such treasured breed. Surveying through all political parties there is unexploited crop. United Democratic front offers one admirable example. There are people like Friday Jumbe, an individual of sound understanding of issues. Of course, with wide spectrum of knowledge.
But over the years such individuals have remained underground players. Of course, they have in other instances endeavored to show their interest to stand during presidential nominations, but every time Muluzi has cleared his throat, like fielding his preferred candidate or himself showing interest to stand, such gems have coiled their tails and faded out – instantly their dream of standing as a presidential candidate dangled on almost flair thread.
In most political parties in Malawi, the spirit of leaving the party stewardship, especially when fielding the presidential candidate, seems to be no longer an issue merited by primaries.
As the dust starts swirling with 2009 hastily approaching, the candidates for the three major parties in Malawi are very obvious – at least in Malawi Congress Party Tembo is undisputed; in democratic Progressive Party president Dr Bingu wa Mutharika has clearly told Malawians of his intention to go on; as for the United Democratic Front the landslide victory that Bakili Muluzi chalked utters volumes. He is in for it, so are all. For Muluzi, only section 83 stands in his way. For others, it’s absolutely nothing.
With informal preparations for next year’s general elections choking some parties, a lot is ensuing. The parties will have to field running mates as well. Experience in Malawi has proved that the running mates are either very quiet or if eloquent or critical they end up crossing paths with the president. They part ways.
The wrangle that surfaced between JZU Tembo and Gwanda Chakuamba is enough. The vice wanted to be the man captaining the party. At the time the vice was Tembo. They at first held two separate conventions, both won in each convention of course. They agreed another convention. Gwanda Chakuamba absented himself. John Tembo attended and won it. Few weeks later Gwanda Chakuamba dumped the party.
Democratic progressive party had Uladi Mussa, now captain of Maravi People’s party (MPP). With the aid of state controlled media and endowed with eloquence, Uladi Mussa became very popular. In fact some say, he was popular than the president himself. There may be more reasons than the eye can see, perhaps, but he also got the chop.
There is an enigmatically unresolved puzzled of Dr Cassim Chilumpha, Dr Bingu Wa mutharika and the Constructive resignation so are the treason charges. The case is in court especially involving the latter and the former. It is not worth a comment. But one thing is clear outside the legal limitations. For those that know Chilumpha, say he is such a critical man. Be it with Muluzi or the first citizen, the man stands his ground.
In this long journey of politics, the running mates or vice presidents if very ambitious or eloquent have in one way or another gone the opposite direction to that of the president. If quiet they have remained calm. Such individuals have let the president please himself, and his wishes. Such leaders have made themselves semi-god. People praising them always. Such leaders, says Professor kings Phiri, they believe in “commanding loyalty.”
Currently, the dust of the political impasse is not settling, nor is it nearing the settling point. With each passing day it is becoming more unpredictable. Everyone pointing finger at everybody. Others are accusing Muluzi for fueling all this. To some Tembo has an absolute influence over his members of parliament in the House. The ruling DPP is not going free either. They accuse it for not going by what the rule of law stipulate in the constitution. The speaker is not spared as well. There is chaos.
“Looking at the political gridlock on the local scene closely you will find that the problem…is that the old leaders have not reconciled to the necessity of handing over power to the next generation as is usually required in democracy,” he says.
For the people like Friday Jumbe and Auspicious Dzanjalimodzi to ascend to the top of their parties, they have to wait. But for how long? Isn’t this another good laboratory for creating another set of political dinosaurs? Because the bigwigs have established themselves, the young and brightest are quieting. Possibly, waiting for their turn. Waiting for themselves to get old, sometimes very old.
To Professor this is a puzzle: “I don’t know how to reconcile that with democracy because democracy is really about giving people of choice which means you can’t have leaders who have been there for over a generation.”
Professor accepts that Malawi is experiencing some roadblocks, particularly Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika administration. But, he says, its complex. There is more, than just the president ditching the party that sponsored him. He observes that the country is “still trapped in the old way of running things…unless people accept change, [the nation] will continue having problems.”
As the country ponders ahead, with eyes forecast as back as before democracy, soul searching must take place. Malawians are Africans. A chief don’t need a deputy. May be that is why Kamuzu had nobody as a deputy. There is no tenure for the chief. May be that is why Dr Kamuzu Banda was made life president. Possibly, that is the reason why Dr Bakili Muluzi wanted a third open term. He wanted to beat thirty one years record of leadership set by Dr Banda.
Such a spirit has spilled over into the country’s political cycle. To the country this is a problem requiring not just urgent solution, but also a solution that the whole country can readily embrace. The youths must not be told that they are the leaders of tomorrow. When does tomorrow come, when the likes of Friday Jumbe, Auspicious Dzanjalimodzi and others are on the waiting list for tomorrow? All top positions are filled by old guards. Who is to blame, our past, democracy or ourselves? The nation needs not to shrug the past, but learn from the past. Possibly use it to reshape the present, to define the future.