Before we know it, the year 2025 will be here.
No, maybe I have let the vehicle of my imagination travel too far.
Before we know it, some people with twisted minds will start verbally attacking others they perceive as political opponents.
This has always been the case since 1994, when Malawians voted for multiparty politics.
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Those that took over the wheels of power then made it a point to castigate political opponents at every turn. All of a sudden, political castigation became the new way of life.
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The good thing is, come 2025, when Malawians will go to the polls in September to elect councillors, lawmakers and a Head of State, that will no longer be the case.
Why? The laws have changed. It is about issues, and not personalities, now.
Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson Judge Chifundo Kachali has put it bluntly. “It is a criminal offence to incite violence or insult others. People can be arrested and prosecuted for [doing] that. Before making amendments to the Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act last year, anything that was said at the political podium was protected as nobody could take you to task.
“And, now, we are reminding political actors that the law has been revised. You can actually be prosecuted if your conduct at political podia is going beyond what the law permits.”
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The message is loud and clear here. The days of dancing to the drums of foul-mouthed politicians is over.
For this, I must commend Kachali, lawmakers and the President for playing a productive role in this.
May facts rule.
However, only one problem has been solved; namely that of verbal diarrhoea.
There is another problem remaining, namely that of political violence.
People have been trying to address the problem by coming up with requisite laws.
In fact, the laws have paved the way for the creation of commissioners for the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission.
However, a year has elapsed without the appointing authority announcing names of the commissioners.
Surprisingly, Dear Pain, instead of announcing the names, the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture organised a conference this week, when stakeholders discussed issues such as how Malawi can sustain peace.
This is in preparation for International Day of Peace commemorations on October 12.
It was learned, at the conference, that the government has been taking the requisite steps to ensure that the peace law is actualised.
For instance, Principal Secretary for Local Government, Unity and Culture Elizabeth Gomani Chindebvu said her ministry fulfilled all the requirements needed for the appointment of the commissioners and is just waiting for the appointing authority to finalise the process.
Among other things, the ministry ensured that the Malawi Peace and Unity law was enacted in September last year. The law puts in place a legislative framework that will promote peace and unity in a coordinated, collaborative and structured manner to achieve political prosperity and socio-economic and cultural development goals.
She further indicated that, once the government announces names of the appointed commissioners, the Parliamentary Committee on Public Appointments will have to approve them.
Fine and well, but I feel that we are delaying some things too much, especially as we head towards the 2025 tripartite elections, when violence is likely to rear its ugly face— again.
It is important that commissioners are appointed now.
After all, the National Peace Policy of August 2017, which mandates the commission to look at conflict zones and proactively diffuse possible conflicts, has already been in place for a long time.
For now, though, I choose to believe Unity Minister Richard Chimwendo Banda, who has indicated that the commissioners are likely to be appointed within the next three weeks.
That is the way to go.
For now, though, let me endure the pain of waiting.
