The role of Chiefs in a democracy: Looking ahead to 2014

Chiefs have been dubbed as the most respected office in Malawi by some commentators, yet time and again the office has let down Malawians by partaking in partisan politics and being used by politicians.

Kamuzu Banda used the chiefs to spread his one party ideals Muluzi also used the chiefs to advanced his yellow ideals but the chief’s political prostitution hit hard during the Bingu wa Mutharika era where they were drafted in to defend controversial propositions some beyond the chiefs understanding.

The most recent gaffe the chiefs have dabbled in is when they unanimously echoed Mutharika anti-devaluation stance following the luncheons the men of the robe had with the late president. 

Chiefs are essential in implementing many programs at the grassroots level, with the upcoming 2014 election chiefs will be needed in civic education exercise, voter verification, helping to curb violence, just to mention but a few. 

With the chiefs dabbling in politics will they not negatively impact the process? What should happen to ensure that the chiefs serve their role professionally?  

Chancellor College’s Associate Professor, Mustafa Hussein says it’s difficult to bring democracy to an institution that is assumed undemocratically by way of heredity. He however emphasized the need for such an office to be democratic.

“Traditional Leadership is provided for in Malawi in the name of the Chiefs Act as such I feel chiefs should play a role in enhancing democracy by being accountable, avoiding corruption and avoiding political manipulation.”

Hussein called for a review of the Chiefs Act to include stipulations that Cleary speak about chiefs and their relationship with politicians and ways of enforcing procedures in case chiefs do not abide by the stipulations.

Dr Blessings Chinsinga who used to argue for chiefs has considerably reconsidered his stance and is now a big critic of the chiefs, in one of his writings Chinsinga says chiefs are a confusing office as they are listed as very corrupt and yet most trusted by Malawians.

Chinsinga says chiefs breach people’s trust In search of short term self-aggrandizement. He listed the chief’s support of Bakili Muluzi’s Third Term bid and Chiefs coming out in support of Peter Mutharika during the DPP rule. Chinsinga wonders how all chiefs in the country suddenly have one view on a matter.

He also trashed the defence the chiefs use saying they work with the government of the day saying that is an abuse of the term because everyone is entitles to work with the government of the day but that does not mean forfeiting constructive approaches to issues.

Chinsinga pointed out that the Chiefs Act empowers the Chief Political Officer to do away with chiefs he deems irrelevant a thing that traps the chiefs into self-censorship. 

Human rights activist, Billy Mayaya also called for a review of the Chiefs Act to repeal some things that are not in tandem with Malawi’s democracy and to bring in changes that enhance transparency, accountability, inclusiveness tolerance equity and equality

“Chiefs need to internalise values and principles of democracy in order to be at the forefront of a dynamic- not a static-institution that respects protects and fulfills the rights of all subjects irrespective of gender creed or political orientation,” said Mayaya.

For a chiefly perspective, Weekend Nation spoke to GVH Ngolowera from Kwa Golden, T/A Chikumbu in Mulanje. We asked the chief what should happen for them to avoid political manipulation.

“Yes, Chiefs are like parents, they should be impartial and should oversee everyone regardless of their political party. If chiefs are to be impartial, I think they should not be allowed to comment on political affairs or participate in political campaigns and instead just listen to all views spoken by politicians and subjects,” said Ngolowera.

GVH Ngolowera

Hussein echoed Ngolowera’s sentiments and added that chiefs should realize that their institution is one of the most respected and thus they should represent all interests of all by helping democracy flourish.

As 2014 comes around, chiefs will be the target of politicians looking to use the chief’s traditional popularity for electoral gains, chiefs will be looking to the various politicians, especially the highest bidder for a pay-off in exchange for a hand in selling the politicians to the people, until the Chiefs Act or some law comes in this is how things will be.

University of Malawi - Anti-Government Demonstration

Since street demonstrtaions are banned in Malawi, Students at the country's top university, The Polytechnic decided to stage an in-campus demo wher they burnt the ruling party cloth, chanted anti-government slogans and yes they rocked to the sound system...the following day government ordered the university to be shut down.

Check it out on Youtube here

‘It sure feels like the 70’s Cambodia’

I released this press release after the University Council of the University of Malawi decided to close down the two main universities in Malawi...giving students two hours to vacate campus and they did so at gun-point. the PSU is the Polytechnic Students Union and  i am its spokesperson.

We the PSU feel that the decision to close down the university is not only morally, practically wrong but also illegal and illegitimate.

Poly Students were never in conflict with the University Council, actually we only knew of its existence after the ‘academic freedom’ battle began. To us, this fact tells us that the council lacks sufficient interest in the issue.

When lecturers downed their tools, the university council never sent them a bogus memo with typographical errors on fools’ day giving them notice of vacation. Why students? Is it because we have no legal muscle? We have been calling for dialogue on the issue but the warring sides refuse and chose to use us as pawns.

To add salt to the wound; take Lemmy who hails from Chitipa and he has two hours to pack and then find transport money to go to Chitipa, and its already 2pm. Is this decision made with ‘fairness’ in mind or it was just some sort of vendetta?

Polytechnic students chose to take a stand in the issue, as the adage says; fight for something or fall for everything, we analysed the academic freedom battle and found it sweet and worthy the ride so when Poly lecturers joined the battle by downing tools we never whined, we giggled with excitement. When the same lecturers dropped the battle we took it from where they left it.

Our argument was simple, learning these days is learner centred thus academic freedom is chiefly for the students.  Secondly, we saw bribes and cowardice in the lecturers’ decision to drop the issue, so we demanded an explanation and when we heard from PASCOW’s chair, Salima that it was due to tribal allegiances, we declared Poly a no fly zone for lecturers, anybody would. 2011 is no time to be dabbling in tribal foolishness and as lecturers they should know better. So the students; Lhomwe, Tumbuka, Chewa and Sena fought on.

We feel that the involvement of police in this issue is not legal. We are fighting with Mukitho and how do you expect the same Mukitho to handle us? It’s why we have police officers gassing students and beating us like bags of sand. 

Police involvement is also illegal in that the Kampala Declaration forbids any police presence on any campus or where African intellectuals are...why do Malawian police, led by the whole commissioner invade our campus? Yes we know most of them are brutes but at least they should have heard of the word ‘law.’

Now we have lost a student, Justice Mwafulirwa,  yes he had lung trouble but what sparked the final blow is cleary the gas that was settled on campus, there have been about five cases of students collapsing in the hostels since the teargas was fired, and they have been none since the semester started, draw your own conclusions.

We will not speak much on the minister of education here, because he has failed us miserably and if he thinks this is a lie, let him try to come to Poly one day.

Finally, we have our chancellor, forget the debate about the legality of his post as chancellor; to us he is the one to blame for all that has transpired in this conflict and to achieve peace will also demand his hands as well.

When the president was being inaugurated, he vowed never to close down any university in his reign...how ironic and funny does it feel to finally break the vow on fools’ day?

At first we thought the president would quickly apply Machiavellian philosophy and fire Mukitho to make peace with the whole load of critics, most of whom are influential, but to our shock Mukitho was glorified and the rest vilified effectively starting the ‘Chinsinga wars.’

The details are not our concern, but we are the sufferers, we know that as university students we have the power to start a revolution but that depends on the failure of government not on a single lecturer. The university system is too complex for anybody to manipulate.

The way forward depends on what the president will do and on the way the grieving lecturers will be handled. Already Poly students are swearing to continue where they left off if any lecturer or student is fired.

 As a union, and as we said at our previous press conference, the issue will only rest in our hearts if the law takes its course, we can’t be having anybody coming to campus and saying and doing  things in the name of national security especially when they have never been to a campus before.

We hope this is not the beginning of the Khmer Rouge type of government which hated intellectuals and eliminated most of them because of the ideas of a few. Already, we cannot seem to stage a demonstration without the City Assembly and police firmly refusing us permission.

 We also should take time to salute those who have stood firm in this time of battle, names like Kamchezera, Kapasula, Salima, Amin, Kanyongolo, Mungoshi, Sithole, Morra and Mgala.

PSU would also like to thank the public and the independent media for being understanding and empathetic even when we were being violent and barbaric. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

The law, through the constitution and the Kampala Declaration speaks of academic freedom, let government grant and assure it.

As PSU, we are disappointed in the system and we hope that when we return we shall find no spies in classes, no intimidated lecturers, no uniformed brutes on campus, and we hope that we will return to campus very soon as the world, including the police force, is waiting for our well trained input.

Pay 2 million before you can demonstrate – Malawi’s president

For anybody who has read George Orwell’s Animal Farm or 1984 and has also been observing the political terrain in Malawi, it’s not very difficult to see that it is now not only a police state, a dictatorship, a one party state but also a fully fledged animal farm.

On Sunday, the 6th of March, the Malawian president held an emergency rally at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre. A lot of critics, one of whom is me, thought the president would take time to explain why there is no forex and fuel in the country, why university lecturers are striking, why activists are saying he is a dictator, why the local elections are not forthcoming and why donors are withholding funds.

To my surprise, and to the surprise of many of you I can argue, the president added more salt to the wounds of the critics by solidifying his iron stance and most shockingly made weird decrees that are likely to see violence and police brutality increase in the country.

“From now on, write this in the laws, nobody should demonstrate before they pay K2, 000,000 minimum in cash. This is to be surety in case they vandalize public property!” boomed the president.

Wait a minute; did the big one just say that? You got to be kidding the constitution!

I don’t need a lawyer to sense the illegality of that statement...even at the UN anybody seeing that statement should choke with horror. 2 million to demonstrate? Is that a move to enrich the police or to block civil society voices?

The president then indirectly called on party members to deal with his critics just like the former regimes UDF and MCP did....stop there...UDF and MCP? So the president was calling for violence?

UDF and MCP party faithfuls used to kill people in the name of loyalty to their leaders; is that what DPP members should do? I think it is, because in agreement the party members at the rally sang: [sagona...sagoona...sagoona ndimpweteka!] a chorus translating as: “they won’t sleep, they won’t sleep ...we will maul them!” Weep Malawi weep.

And the tirades at donors. The president did a good thing to remind Malawians that he is the only one ruling this country and that the donor community should stay far, great stuff. But with my little knowledge of donor money, I know the Washington Consensus never remits aid without conditions, one of which is good governance.

Despite his arguing that the “whites” are happy with governance in the country it doesn’t mean that there is good governance in Malawi, Uganda, under Idi Amin used to have similar comments from the Britons until the nation became a gaol.

I’m also very shocked at the presidents’ lack of knowledge in media effects despite him boasting that he has journalistic training in his bag. The people that were at the stadium, including college students were not a representation of Malawians, they were coaxed with money, t-shirts and Lorries and showing them on TV doesn’t mean that the rest of the nation will subscribe to the propaganda.

The college students that still support DPP are either tribal loyalists or puppets, I for one would not associate with the colour blue, not even with a 2 million cheque!

The Malawi nation is now officially a police state, I saw a group of students being shot at for just singing. Of course the Chinese will not say anything and the other donors won’t intervene because we do not have oil, we will go through what we went through under Kamuzu Banda and we will survive.

Long live the people that are not giving up in fighting for genuine democracy, long live the NGO’s long live the Nation and BNL newspapers and long live protest politics.

My take on demonstrations and protests…

There has been a disproportionate amount of criticism over the last years of students not acting exemplarily, demonstrating over trivia and general barbarism. Sound as the tirades may seem, they are very narrow and signify unlearnedness. I wish to justify why students have to go on peaceful and sometimes violent demonstrations.

History reveals that student demonstrations have been a tool that many (students, politicians and society) have used extensively to change phenomena or even courses of history. Demonstrations do not just happen; they are the last resort after dialogue has failed or where the other powerful party is very good at using their blind eye.

Recall how French students forced President Charles de Gaulle to call for new elections and reform the defunct educational system in the late 60s. Remember that it was students that brought Iran true sovereignty by holding those American hostages for 444 days teaching the then US president, Jimmy Carter, the meaning on the word “non-interference.” Students of The Rangoon colleges in Burma managed to force Ne Win, Sein Lwin and forced Maung Maung to move towards democracy in 1988.

Famous to many are the Soweto demonstrations against Afrikaans in public schools and the Tiananmen Square demonstrations against communist rule in 1989. They are thus not a new thing, these demonstrations.

Students do not just go on the rampage for anything; they are inspired by great men; Stephen Biko was a medical student when he started the Black Consciousness Movement; Nelson Mandela was booted out of Fort Hare University for organizing demonstrations. Students are also exposed to the ideas of Karl Marx who teaches resistance to top-down decisions, Che Guevara, Islamic militancy and even radicals like Peter Macintosh who believed that “peace is the diploma one gets at the cemetery.”

Malawian students take the model of the American Students for a Democratic Society (ASDS) where representative democracy is a farce and participatory democracy a virtue. One Frenchman Daniel Cohn Bendt, another model and a student of sociology was once taunted by politicians for being “a nobody,” but his revolution rocked the whole of France with workers joining in.

Coming to Malawi, one would surely look at university students as empty souls wanting to be filled with some kind of rightness. On the contrary, many students do whatever they do sober and it is after a general meeting where they decide on the best courses of action to take.

Nobody comes to blame the university administration or government and I know it’s because they only see the violence not the buildup. I don’t blame them but here is a cross section of some of the events that shook UNIMA in this millennium and notice the facts of the students’ cases.

In 2000 Mathews Chikaonda was appointed Minister of Finance and in his Ten Point Plan, he raised university fees from K1, 500 to K46, 000 arguing that university was a luxury and students should pay for it dearly. It was strange coming from a man whose career as we know it today sprung from the same university so students protested. The so called school calendar started to be affected by the time fees was reduced to K25, 000. Who do we blame?

2001 in December, Fanikiso Phiri was shot by a trigger happy police officer when folks were demonstrating against the hiked maize prices, Evison Matafale’s Death and the arrest of Opposition politician Nelson Shaba: all noble causes. When students protested Fanikiso’s death, the colleges were closed and opened two months later with the calendar suffering badly. Who do we blame?

2003 UDF supporter marching in favour of the much detested third term bill hurled insults at poly students calling them names, the students retaliated and the police joined the UDF supporters led by John Chikakwiya to destroy property at the poly including the precious DAF bus, who would not fight? Surprisingly the then principal suspended all students. A legal battle ensued and classes resumed, but time had gone and the calendar suffered. Who do we blame?

February 2004, a student died in his sleep but the administration allowed examinations to go ahead, infuriated students rioted, as many would do. The students were sent home only to be called in May to finish the exam, a thing that could have been settled by suspending exams until after the student’s burial. The calendar was not waiting and who do we blame again?

Polytechnic Students, stratergising on protesting....

In 2007 lecturers wanted 200% a pay hike, inspired by the high MP salaries; the ensuing strike affected the calendar by at least five weeks. Instead of closing on 13th November the schools closed on 23rd December. Even in 2009 the semester that was supposed to begin on March 8 was pushed to the 23rd. The media and the administration do not see that and they want student to pay. Do you still blame students?

Some people say the students should live by example, I ask, whose example: because even Jesus rebelled against the corrupt officials who turned the church into an agora. Patrick Chamaso, Malcolm X, both Martin Luther’s, Marcus Garvey, Mandela and their godfather Mahatma Gandhi didn’t believe in slavery of any kind. Actually Mandela said “To overcome oppression has been sanctioned by humanity and is the highest aspiration of every free man.”

Take for example the polytechnic administration who would rather build a fence costing more than K27 million when students stay in substandard hostels in the Chichiri area and there is no hot water for the majority of students.

When Authorities take students for granted....

Delaying stationery allowance for example is a thing that happens yearly, why can’t the administration sit down and hasten the process? Every year students have to submit identity photos and apply for the loan, why not make it electronic? Why not do there paper work when the students are on holiday?

The university should learn to liaise with the students’ representatives, for example the holiday saga at Poly recently was communicated as a top-down decision by a single memo. Last year there was no mid-semester holiday and students took that as an insult hence the boycotting of classes, only if there were students in the secret meeting that they hold, the police would have a surplus of tear gas.

The French students of 1968 rioted because the university running systems were archaic, staffed with aging octa- and nonagenarians, maybe it’s the same thing that is plaguing Malawi. It seems the administrators think like in the Kamuzu era. The philosophy that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow is a farce because it implies that the elders should be the leaders now. Some youths are as competent as everyone else and the administrators should learn to consult with the youths because it is them that know the pressures and prerequisites of modernity.

The society should also understand dynamics of society, the students especially the social science ones, understand that the media have power so if they block the highway, for example, the media will report the issue directly to the relevant authorities with veto powers over the usually stubborn university administrators.

Many folks also make a lot of noise of changing the image of the university, I ask which university? University is a den of havoc where ideas are discussed without emotion or religion. Whatever the students decide is carefully cooked with engineers, business managers and journalist, lawyers and teachers of tomorrow in the midst. The students didn’t create the system, the system created the havoc.

Some of those who speak against the student demonstrations have done them and they can’t understand their younger counterparts. It’s a pity how folks forget.

Some riots are not even for the students sake, take the section 65 issue, some DPP party gurus booked the students a bus to go to parliament to help in pushing the budget through, the politicians then betray them and call them barbarians?

Society should also remember that most youths are just past puberty when they reach university so a flash of private parts or obscene words is but a good thing after all it’s a celebration of freedom from the strict home. When judging university students put yourself in their shoes: there are hormones rushing in their veins, there are ladies to impress and there is a little philosophy in their minds. They are like a goat just getting to terms with new horns.

Most of the folks that criticize have not been to college thus they posses no knowledge of what it is to be a university leader. The students are being trained to become leaders and if they are oppressed the oppression will trickle to the people they will oversee. In 1968 Mexican president ignored the demands of the students and what followed was the creation and widening of the poor-rich gap.

The students are held together by the mutilated national anthem sentence and it’s not likely to go anytime soon it goes: “join together all hearts as one thus will be free from fear.” University demonstrations are justified indeed.

In your face, Mutharika – This new website seems to say!

"The Fedayeen Bingu wa Mutharika has been formed in Malawi. The Fedayeen Bingu wa Mutharika is similar to that of Fedayeen Saddam of Iraq's regular armed forces but rather operated as a paramilitary unit of irregular forces.   Bingu wa Mutharika formed a tribal Mulhako wa Alhomwe which is an organization made up of his tribe people."

I didn't write that, it's a quote from the yet to be introduced Website http://freedomanddemocracy.atmalawi.com/ which is already promising fireworks even in its construction stage...it takes a swipe at the Mutharika government and proposes cutting edge solutions to the maladies of the Malawi nation.

I will blog more on this Website but here are some excerpts from the site:

.......

Government

The People's Movement for Freedom and Democracy (PMFD) has been formed to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and a community in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, tribalism, ignorance or conformity. We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the fullest. We aim to disperse power, to foster diversity and to nurture creativity. We believe that the role of the state is to enable all citizens to attain these ideals, to contribute fully to their communities and to take part in the decisions which affect their lives.

The economic system that the PMFD shall embrace is the free market system where there shall be a rule of law. In order to achieve fairness among all the citizens of Malawi the PMFD is calling the ruling party of Malawi government to abolish the current election system and sit down with us to introduce Electoral College system based on the U.S. model. Each province shall be allocated Electoral College. For example: South Malawi = 32, Central Malawi = 30, North Malawi = 28. Electoral College required to win presidency will be 55 electoral college and above (The objective of Electoral College is to make all provinces relevant and to encourage participation of all citizens that everyone's vote count).

Policy 

First preference of the PMFD's economic policy is to improve trade relationships with other countries.  The PMFD economic policy is intended to make Malawi a market oriented economy, where most decisions are taken by private individuals and business firms. More flexibility will be enjoyed by business firms. Introduction of new products would help in economic growth of Malawi. These economic policies are to create new economic opportunities and the creation of millions of good paying jobs. Malawi needs to diversify its economy and also create business opportunities for the rural Malawians where 80% of its population live. The economic plan that the PMFD will embrace will help a rural Malawian farmer to market their products and get paid for what it is worth.  In order to attract foreign investments the PMFD is determined to build railroads and roads to connect the entire Malawi.  The PMFD is going to invest in its own people by building modern schools in rural Malawi and introducing Internet and computers to them.  The PMFD is also to build more hospitals to alleviate the crowding that exist right now. These projects will be done on provincial level.

................

Whoever is behind this site is very visionary and has my blessings after all ints within the realm of my blog: protest!

Police stop party launch, members cry foul; it’s sad for democracy –analyst

Armed Police in Mzuzu on Sunday stopped the launch of the newly registered People's Development Movement (PDM) a move that has angered its members and has attracted condemnation from political commentators.

According to the party's publicity secretary, Msenga Mulungu, police started intensifying their presence at Katoto Freedom Park, where the party was scheduled to launch, early on Sunday morning and at around 8AM ordered the platforms to be disbanded.

"They said they had orders from the Mzuzu City Assembly to stop the launch because the party was not registered and thus not supposed to stage any rally in the city," said Mulungu.

Mulungu wondered why the City Assembly could make such allegations when the party [PDM] has a certificate of registration issued by the Mzuzu High Court, Mulungu further alleged that the City Assembly was dabbling in the affairs of the court.

A letter from the city assembly said in part that the party should not hold any gatherings in the city whether on developed or undeveloped land and ordered all police officer to be on guard.

Mulungu said he tried to talk to City officials but didn't manage to convince them as they argued that the State, through the registrar of Political Parties, was still contesting the legality of PDM to the effect of getting a stay order that will calumniate into a court hearing slated for January six.

"The hearing is on 6 January that mean before that we are a legal party and we have our certificate," said Mulungu.

Mzuzu City Assembly Chief Executive, Richard Hara, refused to answer any questions saying he was on Holiday.

Mzuzu Police Spokesperson, Norah Chimwala also couldn't say anything and said she needed more time to find out what happened.

Commenting on the development, Mzuzu University's history lecturer and political analyst said that the disruption of the party launch was "sad for democracy."

"It is undemocratic and unconstitutional. The Malawi Constitution provides for freedom of association for every citizen after all the party is registered by the court," said Mbowela

Mbowela however said that they may be some procedure that was flouted by PDM that could render the disruption of its registered justified and said PDM ought to have cleared issues with the city officials.

"...but if everything was done then such actions may confirm other people's fears that the country is being governed in an MCP regime style and shows that the current government [DPP] doesn't want other parties coming in and gaining momentum," said Mbowela.

PDM has attracted many members including Harry Mkandawire, Loveness Gondwe and Richard Msowoya and the launch was to be graced by members from across the country.

PDM and government have been at daggers draw since the party applied for legal status. Its initial application was refused because it was openly critical of the Quota system, a revised application was turned down again and the registrar of political parties stopped responding to the applicants prompting them to forcibly register the party through the High Court on November 5 last year.

'JB wanted Bingu dead'

--

Malawians are now bored with the Joyce Banda (JB) firing story.... but wait; they are in for a surprising twist, Goodal Gondwe on Saturday added two more reasons to the ones the ruling party earlier listed for the firing, one of which was the allegation that JB wanted Bingu dead.

Mphepo organised the meet

Goodal was speaking at press briefing at Mary Mount Secondary School Hall in Mzuzu where the Northern DPP faithfulls gathered to issue a communiqué to notify the nation that the party was still strong even without JB and Khumbo Kachali.

“Joyce wanted Bingu dead and Kachali was electing own shadow MP’s a thing that made the party fire them. The party is now new without them,” said Gondwe, who is the Director of Economic for DPP.

Etta Banda - lashed out at JB

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is quoted in the Weekend Nation Newspaper saying that

JB was fired for sabotaging the Nsanje port progress, and refusing to endorse Peter Mutharika which is a deviation from Goodal’s claims.

Minister of Health; David Mphande accused JB of financing anti-government propaganda via Nyasa Times.

“Nyasa Times is Bingu’s greatest enemy, and I am angry at Nyasa Times for alleging that my constituency was not represented at Manolo on Wednesday when the president was launching the tree planting season, on the contrary, there was a lorry full of people from Nkhata-bay south East, this is Joyce’s propaganda,” said Mphande.

Other DPP members also took turns to castigate JB; among those who spoke hard against here were Bessie Chirambo, Etta Banda, Vuwa Kaunda and Gotani Hara.

Gotani Hara said Joyce Banda does not like Northerners and said her hatred manifested with the absence of Northerners while she was Minister of Foreign affairs.

Akim Mwanza, MP for Mzimba Solola, who had once been fired from DPP for criticising Quota System of selecting students to university as discriminatory, said that after what he experienced nobody should dare blunder.

The party also took time to endorse Peter Mutharika’s 2014 presidential bid with the party’s deputy publicity secretary Wyson Mkochi claiming that it was the North’s idea that Peter succeed Bingu because he was the only one they saw as educated and experienced.

Another Mzimba MP, Bofomo Nyirenda, said he supported Peter Mutharika because he has records that Peter was instrumental in Malawi’s fight against Kamuzu Banda’s dictatorial rule.

Vuwa Kaunda - JB is not from the North

The meeting was organised by DPP’s Organising Secretary, Francis Mphepo and had many big wigs of the party in attendance in addition to about 80 faithfuls that had been ferried from across the Northern Region.

The meeting was never short of drama as the reporters that were called to the press conference were never allowed to ask questions a move that saw some respectable reporters like Edwin Nyirongo of The Nation Newspaper walk out in disappointment.

JB wished Bingu dead: Gondwe

Te meeting also come in the wake of mass resignation of DPP member with over 30 people including DPP’s Northern region organising secretary Frazer Chunga, district campaign director Bitton Nyirenda and Phato Theu, the Deputy District treasurer resigning in Mzimba on Thursday.

The 33 said they knew DPP through JB and KK and thus saw no reason of staying in the party now that the two were fired. They however said that they were not forming or joining any parties soon.

Bingu is being blasphemous – Harry Mkandawire

Outspoken politician and business man, Harry Mkandawire has taken a swipe at Malawi's president Mutharika and his cabinet member, Billy Kaunda calling them blasphemous and paranoid respectively for the comments they made yesterday at Manolo in Mzimba while launching the National Tree Planting Season.

Mkandawire was reacting to the comments aired by Bingu in defence of his party's firing of Joyce Banda and Khumbo Kachali in which he wondered why he shouldn't fire infidels when God expelled Satan for the same crime.

"Bingu was being blasphemous when he compared himself to God because God was not elected by people and is not answerable to his creatures," said Mkandawire in a phone interview.

On Billy Kaunda's comments on Northerners in which Kaunda said the hype on Kachali's firing was unjustified because the president still has many Northerners in his government, Mkandawire said Billy was just being paranoid.

"First of all, in the Ngoni culture an MP cannot request for a chief's promotion, secondly Kaunda was just being paranoid when he attacked northerners, it shows that he is just a visitor no wonder he cannot even speak ChiTumbuka," said Mkandawire.

Kaunda however wondered why his comments are being taken as if they are not fact. He refused to defend them because he said they were blameless and general such that Goodal Gondwe was not his target.

"What I said was that when Me, Dausi and Mwamondwe were fired from DPP nobody talked why should they talk now? And Goodal Gondwe has never been fired from the party," said Kaunda.

Some Northerners over the cyber-sphere expressed anger at Kaunda's comments which some labelled offensive and directed at Goodal Gondwe whose firing from cabinet drew cries of foul from some quarters in the North.

Imposing leaders causes intra-party strife-Young Politicians

The young Politicians Union (YPU) on Wednesday organised an anti-violence training for the country's parties' youngsters ahead of the local government elections, who among other issues, identified imposition of leaders as the cause of wrangles and violence in political parties.

The issues were discussed at a workshop held at Livingstonia Synod's Conference Hall in Mzuzu. The workshop was facilitated by National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE).

"We discussed and found that among other causes, intra-party strife is caused by lack of statesmanship among losing candidates, abusive language, lack of civic education and imposition of leaders," said Elena Mpata, who is YPU's Documentation and Research officer.

She bemoaned candidates who fail to bear with loss at primary election level and go on to stand as independents, a move she said causes parties to brawl in wrangle as loyalists get confused.

Asked what YPU discussed on Joyce Banda's alleged mistreatment by the Mutharika regime, YPU's Director, Peter Mumba said that they see the issue as an internal one but called on DPP to put its house together because the party's issues are starting to affect the whole nation.

YPU says this is the first in a series of similar trainings that will target youthful politicians ahead of the oncoming local government elections.