Mdzukulu, if you may recall, soon after the collapse of the former Soviet Union in 1989, a wind of pluralism blew across Africa and with it agitations for political systems’ change.
Thus, with the help of some Western donors, from 1990, ordinary Africans in many States managed to establish multiparty democracy though, sadly, with the same mediocre leadership.
In Malawi, you would agree with me, the political system shift brought a new wave of mediocre leaders: Bakili Muluzi, the late Bingu wa Mutharika (with a slight vision but failed to manage absolute power), Joyce Banda and the sitting President Peter Mutharika with their coterie of sycophants.
Almost anyone notices that the country, politically, continues running in circles just like headless creatures.
Is it not conspicuous Mdzukulu that a sick snail’s pace characterises the country’s development after 53 years of independence.
The country ranks among the poorest of the world despite being a recipient of aid for solid 50 plus years.
The swell of poorly reasoned press statements that emanates from faulty thinking in the country’s recent politics, among others, serves as a pointer that the leadership or governor has become naive.
And, Mdzukulu, Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Tuesday press conference has just rendered one barefaced throwback to the bad old days of plentiful censuring of critical voices by the DPP regime in his way of thinking about Public Affairs Committee (Pac).
Several DPP fanatics at the presser said government expresses disappointment and loss of confidence in Pac following what the government feels is the quasi-religious body’s departure from the very principles of its existence and consistent demonstration of political biases.
But it is obvious that the DPP government has for the period it has been in power demonstrated that it is a huge obstacle to the dreams of Malawians.
Clearly, Mdzukulu, there is no commitment to adherence to democratic governance as enshrined in the Republic’s Constitution to speak of here by DPP but the party wishes Malawians to reward such display of undemocratic behaviour with praise-singing.
Some citizens including Pac have spoken against Mutharika-led government on poor political and economic leadership and have presented points to be addressed by the establishment.
But as earlier said Mdzukulu, Mutharika-led government has not shown commitment to respond to the citizens’ demands but only giving the impression that it is working on the issues raised.
Given such a scenario, Malawians have no choice but to sustain critical discourse over all issues of public importance until this DPP government align policy, action and attitude with the basic human values that the public is demanding.
It is unfortunate that DPP and some out-of-shape thinkers – as usual in a not-so-creative propaganda paraded on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation – have made numerous undemocratic and incomprehensible utterances as they continue to display and exhibit executive arrogance and ignorance on a scale unheard of in a functioning democracy.
You know Mdzukulu, one important cornerstone of a functioning democracy is that all public offices be transparent and accountable to the populace on the premise that public power is conferred on trust by the citizenry and that it must be exercised solely to protect and promote the interests of the citizenry.
It, therefore, requires not only that all executive actions – decisions and conduct – comply with the Constitution but also that reasons be provided for all administrative actions – decisions and conduct.
Pac has not prevented DPP from achieving this. It is the DPP themselves.
But because DPP knows it has lost its sense of connectivity and legitimacy to the aspirations of the local communities, they are caught in a web of flawed reasoning (illogicalities) that manifests itself in the unrelenting attack on imagined enemies such as Pac.
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