On Politics

It is yet another Friday.

Last week Harry came up with something very useful here. It is pretty difficult to fill those shoes when you have had a very busy week with the work-home and repeat routine… of course with one diversion to some watering hole after some hectic Thursday’s work.

Having had nothing to write, I almost failed to resist the temptation of writing one of those “feel my pain” articles, just to talk about the social, spiritual, professional or financial challenges I am facing. I was halfway through that sort of article when I finally remembered that there is something that I could talk about; local politics.

Some of you may not know this, but I at one point took an active part in politics. Allow me to make a confession that I once joined the DPP through its College of Medicine wing (y’all probably never knew that such a thing existed) but eventually I got too busy for the whole thing and somehow I lost touch with the whole politics thing. JB got out of power, anyway, and there wasn’t much to do in politics after that. I have remained a non-partisan idiot since my exit from the DPP (unlike my friends like Louis who is an MCP diehard and Harry who is the National Youth Director for Chipani Cha Pfuko) and something within me tells me that I need to join a political party if not start one but what happens on the outside screams against the idea.

There could be a lot of reasons for which many young people like me refrain from taking part in active politics and I may have a few of those. It might be something that some of you may already know, but you will still get to reflect on it again, having gotten some guidance from yours truly.

First reason? The Malawian (or is it African?) political scenery is a dirty one. I would understand you if you thought of this in terms of the kicking and punching that happens all over with people painting each other black just to maintain a position or to dislodge the one in power. That might be one side of it, but on the other side of the same coin lies the spirit of self-enrichment that has somehow engulfed and possessed politicians. Many would stand on the podium and claim to be the providers of solutions to the problems the nation faces before switching to embezzling the moment they are ushered into the seat of power (or is it service?) The tricky side of the whole phenomenon is that even those who join with a heart of servitude get converted along the way. Most of the young people have chosen to stay away from such systems and to work on changing the fortunes of the nation from without. Sounds like a good idea, if you think of it. I hope they are not doing what the politicians do wherever it is they are, outside the system (topic for another day).

Second reason? The political scenery lacks innovation is too rigid and poorly responsive to innovation. Too much old school politics around here and the innovative can’t fit in. Two years ago I happened to be chatting with one young brilliant “blue” MP. I was in my final year at the College of Medicine at the time and in the midst of the tough academic work we received the demotivating news that government was not going to be recruiting us straight out of college as had been the case.  For some reason this issue was being debated at the Sports Complex Breezer Bar and somehow I had managed to miss the party. Lucky enough I caught up with the legislator and I couldn’t hold myself back. I asked as to why the “ruling party” was trivializing the issue of the employment of new health workers while prioritizing malata subsidies and all (let us not debate this for now…. I was only working on finding the truth of something that directly affects me). The gentleman’s reply was strange, but for some reason I was not surprised. He told me that prior to tabling issues in parliament, they hold caucuses where they discuss what to vote in favor of and what to shoot down should things pop up. He also mentioned that there some political hot shots who dictate what people should do for the good of the party regardless of the effect on national development and that somehow if you try to bring a contrary suggestion, however diplomatically, you are labeled as opposition. Now that is bad for business and ruling MPs do not like that brand. Result? Good ideas are suppressed ad thus no change happens despite the presence of those who would like to provide it.

I would have gone on to the third reason which I would have called “the curse of the Vice Presidency” but I am getting sleepy. Better leave that for next time. But hey, I hope you saw the VP playing basketball (forget the gym photo shoots and the cycling madness). Dude has some handles and he is a real baller.

Back to politics, I would like to agree with the assertion that it is people who don’t actively participate in politics who are ruining this country. Nanga mukumati boma likupanga zofoira inu musakuchitapo kanthu bwanji? If you are part of the ruling bandwagon, I would say you are not active enough because everything that is happening shouldn’t be happening on your watch. Izi zomati we will change the system from without can only work to a  certain extent. Tikuyenera tilowe ndale basi. Tiyambitse chipani chathu basi.

Mwamva a Peter Yakobe?

Have a lovely weekend.