Epitome of decadence

Tom Sangala January 30, 2017

309 3 minutes read

Growing up, the image I had of Satan—or Diablo— was of some creature with sharp horns, gory eyes, a flaming tongue that protrudes between sharp beaks and lives in some dark impenetrable dungeon. Satan has, since creation, represented every evil or misfortune that has befallen mankind. Death, sickness, deformities, poverty, unemployment, accidents or anything you and I can think of. We were wrong.

With age, I have come to believe that Satan resides in seemingly unlikely places such as in people we glorify and revere as decision-makers in this country. For instance, in less than a year, we have had revelations of at least four heads of statutory corporations or government ministries or departments caught in some dubious deals that have cost the nation billions of kwacha. Translating the money lost in such dubious deals, one would be shocked that we could have had decent schools, better roads, enough drugs in hospitals and the change could have been used to replace the worn out flags that mock our nation at various government institutions.

Perhaps we are too timid or unnecessarily civil to say it. But when you have a group of people that sit and decide to conjure illusory situations of hunger, all in an attempt to steal from people, then you should know you have the devil’s minions in high places. Look here, an average Malawian is so damned that he cannot afford a packet of sugar or the most basic necessity, yet some people can connive to frighten Malawians that people are going to die of hunger unless we borrow billions of kwacha to purchase maize across the border. Now, what hurts most and angers me is that these people decided to throttle us with the burden of repaying the loan while their plan was to share the money from this dubious deal.

It is sad that we still have idiots among us who are so bent on defending the shady dealings of this government. The truth is that Malawians are having a dress rehearsal of hell especially with this government that cares little about our existence. You will be shocked that we still have people who believe George Chaponda can lead this nation after the old, tired and clueless Peter Mutharika decides to leave. Yes, you have heard me right; this Mutharika is old, tired and clueless and he has only found himself in this position because we are a people that do not have the term ‘standards’ in our national lexicon. Peter, like it or not, is president only because he comes from the Lhomwe belt and that Malawi’s voting system is problematic such that someone with a 34 percent electoral nod can rule the 66 percent that doesn’t want him. We have too many people blinded by regionalism or tribalism such that they care less about what is happening in this country as long as someone from home is ruling.

If you are that damned, you would believe that those in opposition will change the fortunes of this country if given a chance to govern. I swear no. Behind the apparent goodwill of those in opposition are people who are working so hard to get into government not out of any goodwill but all they want is to have their turn to steal from the public purse.

I will not mince words but I will tell you that this country is in a mess because we allow it to be in such situation. Think of this; the court orders that Chaponda stops executing his duties as Minister of Agriculture but he decides to laugh at the order and flies to Germany in his capacity as minister. On his way back, instead of being greeted with handcuffs, the police freeze and salute him to pass. Home is pretty amazing.

Elsewhere, you would be assured that people who care more about their country would not stand aside to allow such acts of impunity go unpunished. But at home we have people who think in party colours. The most disturbing thing is that these people do not have any other qualification to get them a decent job. All they have is blind loyalty and, to some, their pubic region is all that puts them in positions they have. These are people who are loudest and know that they do not have another chance other than their loyalty and loins. But these people do not know that the fortunes of this world change at the snap of the figure.

With such blind loyalists, it is not easy to make this country normal because each one thinks of their selves. Our political leaders are more than ready to defend thieves and liars: on the other hand our chief executive officers, executive directors, heads of departments and all you can think of are busy stealing and sharing the loot with the ruling party. Our country, ladies and gentlemen, is in trouble and if you were to ask me I would say that we are an epitome of decadence.