Many things are simply wrong in this country.
It is as if some people are on vacation and, before long, they will go back to their ‘original’ countries.
The unfortunate thing is that even those entrusted with public roles go wayward every now and then.
Maybe they feel invincible. Ego-centric people who think of things only in relation to themselves— and not necessarily in relation to others.
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Well, there is nothing wrong with being selfish. It is part of human nature.
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What is wrong is to be selfish when one was elected by people who hoped for the best. Poor people lining up at the polling centre for hours on end, just to make their voice heard— only to realise that the people they voted for are up to no good.
Take, for instance, members of Parliament (MPs).
On Wednesday, up to 145 MPs decided to shun parliamentary deliberations, safe in the knowledge that their allowances are already in their bank accounts anyway.
We are talking about 145 lawmakers absenting themselves from a House of 193 legislators.
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It is unfortunate that the lawmakers continue to shun parliamentary deliberations, a development that irked First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Madalitso Kazombo, who described the situation as a “shame”.
It all transpired when the august House had a rollcall, as it was established that 145 MPs were absent from the House. The rollcall, which was requested by the Leader of The House Richard Chimwendo Banda, revealed that only 51 MPs, including non-MP ministers, were present in the House.
Shocked with the development, Kazombo, the ever-dutiful Deputy Speaker, threatened that, going forward, the leadership of the House would be taking serious steps to deal with those who will continue to be absent. “I’m emphasising the word ‘serious’. From now on, the leadership will be taking serious action on members who will continue to be absent,” he said.
He did not stop there; he further asked whips and party leaders to talk to their members on the issue.
Not to be outdone, Chimwendo Banda added weight to Kazombo’s concerns. He described the empty seats in the august House as worrisome and, in his own words, “embarrassing”.
Ironically, it is not the first time that this is happening in Malawi. From 1994, when Malawians voted for lawmakers under the dispensation of multi-party politics, MPs have been choosing when to go and when not to go to Parliament.
In previous meetings of Parliament, the issue of absenteeism popped up, forcing the leadership of the House to conduct rollcalls to establish who is present and who is not. For instance, in the previous meeting of Parliament, the leadership of the House threatened to take serious action on those who miss parliamentary deliberations without giving proper reasons or leave of notice.
But, then, the problem has persisted. No one is taken to task. The MPs continue to pocket allowances, even when deliberately absent from the House.
Even when the legislators shun deliberations, someone in the accounts department still pays them. It is as if those who pay the lawmakers are programmed to do so.
Who can be surprised with that? Possibly not me.
In many ways, this is a nation of ‘absent’ minds.
If not, why do we still have fuel shortages? Why does the problem of forex shortage continue to rear its ugly face, when people are employed to fix such problems?
I am not surprised. Ours is a nation of ‘absent’ people. People who, though physically there, do not put their hands to the wheel.
Maybe Malawians will, one day, get the respite they want but, certainly, not now.
