It is a wonderful Friday despite the political stench. As
per tradition, we get to reflect on one random issue, yet today’s is not so
random.
The much touted 21st May elections happened a
couple of days ago and we all went to exercise our constitutional right of
choosing our leaders. At the moment, we are in that rare phase where everyone
sits around listening to the local radio stations and the local TV stations to
see how the candidates are faring. To add to the political tensions, this year
has added the social media to the equation. It is all very interesting.
With both official and unofficial results streaming in,
people are coming in with different projections of who they think will win the
day in the presidential election. Some have gone over and above with
declarations that their candidates have won, against the regulations of the electoral
body. The social media is awash with memes, angry statements, threats and
rumors about the elections. What a time to be a Malawian!
When the electoral commission first showed us the results of
the count with the incumbent leading, supporters of the ruling party
immediately switched to party mode. Reports have it that the cadets were
spotted celebrating around Kamlepo roundabout (pa Kwacha) in Blantyre. A cadet
friend of mine posted that they intended to fill a big car with fuel and make
noise in town. While the blue camp was in a jovial mood, young people who
rallied their support to the main opposition parties were left both shocked and
disappointed with the lead. Reason? They were wondering as to who would have
given the incumbent so many votes considering that they thought his tenure was
nothing but a poor show.
Several people posted on the social media, wondering as to
who had given so much overwhelming support to the sitting president and we did
not have to wait that long for the answers. The President’s homeboys in the
east had done the needful to keep their kinsman in power. That, however, was
not enough an explanation for the phenomenon. Those in the urban centers then
pointed the other blaming finger to the rural voter. In their view, people in
urban areas voted for “change” by not voting for the incumbent, citing the lead
as coming from the rural vote. Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp were awash with
posts and memes of people declaring that they had frozen the financial
assistance they provide to their rural folk. I thought these were all jokes
until a friend of mine told me that he had denied his little cousin from the
village school fees because of their affiliation.
When the whole thing of pointing a blaming finger at the
rural voter kicked in, I was swayed by the current and began to think that the
people had a good point. After some careful reflection, however, I realized
that it was nothing more than political intolerance when looked at through an
objective lens from afar. On a closer look, however, I realized that it might
just be lack of responsibility on the complainants’ part. In my view, if we
really want people to understand how best to make a choice, we need to spend
time with them and to share why we want them to have the same line of thinking
as ours when going to vote. At the end
of the day, people still go and make their choice for different reasons, anyway
so it goes down to us living with the decisions we make and accepting that
others choose differently.
Looking at the whole electoral process and the activities
from political parties, the electoral body and the media, I have learnt a lot
from these elections. The first thing, which is a rather sad fact is that in
Malawi there is little if any affiliation by ideology. I found myself
reflecting on this when posed a question on why the opposition parties never
formed a grand alliance if they were really up to ousting the current
government and bring positive change. You will remember those failed alliances
that were all over the place and the conditions that some of these people
agreed on when they were forming these collaborations. There is hardly anything
beyond opportunism and desire for self-enrichment.
One other thing I have learnt from the elections is the resilience
and work ethic that has been demonstrated by different players. The Malawi
Congress Party, for instance, has been attempting to get back in the driving
seat since it was dislodged by the UDF when I was just a year old. This is the
institution that has been through thick and thin and this year they came in
with yet another robust challenge for the presidency. Then there is our current
vice president. This is one person who inspired many through his dedication to
his campaign trail through which he brought a message of change to the masses.
SKC, as he is popularly known, changed the whole political landscape and some
have argued that if he did not show up on the scene, victory would have been
the Malawi Congress Party’s. Worth noting is that his 10 month old party
managed to scoop votes in all parts of the country despite the failure to gain
or retain parliamentary seats by its senior members. Says a lot about the guy, doesn’t
it? I think we all have a leaf to borrow from Chilima. Ndi achina Chimwendo a MCP.
The other thing which I think all of us could learn is the
issue of accepting when things do not go our way and embracing diversity. It is
very sad to note that some people are still barbarically debating the issue of
who the best person to lead the country is days after casting votes. Enawo sanavotenso. On the other hand, it
is good to see the very few who are on the other side of the spectrum conceding
defeat and wishing other candidates the best. Anthu akumudziwa asiyeni, pilizi chifukwa tawatukwana mokwana.
Sadzatikumbira mandatu. There are others who have gone all out to castigate Lhomwes for voting along tribal lines
which makes me wonder if people in the centre didn’t do the same. Perhaps it
may go down to the fact that the latter’s bias is masked by the purported
quality of the leader and the people’s desperate need for change. Zimenezo takamba, takamba.
Allow me to finish by commenting on the issue of rigging. In
the months leading to the election, we saw the two most senior people in the
country talking about how “some people” were plotting to rig the elections. The
MCP leader assured people that there would be no rigging only for him to call
for a presser in which he cried foul about rigging; in the midst of the
counting. There have been incidents that our armed forces and law enforcement
have manhandled and arrested people for attempting to alter results of the
elections and these are no unsubstantiated allegations. It is unfortunate to
see people who are filing complaints on what was supposed to be a free and fair
election and we can only hope that these concerns will be addressed and that
whoever claims victory will do it because he was chosen by the majority of the
voters. I am not optimistic about that, if I am honest.
I have probably been talking about something completely
unrelated to the title of the article, so here is the postmortem. We have voted
in the watershed election and as it stands it is hard to predict as to who will
carry the day and be anointed the country’s CEO. Everyone expressed their
rights and chose the leader they wanted and there are lots who are unhappy with
other people’s choices. If you are one of those, learn to live with it. Once
again, the political stronghold thing we have always had has come to haunt us
and unfortunately due to the partisan lenses through which we see things, it is
only the southerner who is being beaten for it. We all know the reason so to
avoid being torn apart by angry readers, I will leave it right here without expounding.
Two thirds of this country will have to bear with the person who wins for the
next five years because he will be someone chosen by a little over a third, in
my projection.
As I anxiously wait for the results from the national tally
center, I can only hope that the country remains peaceful throughout until we
have a good transition with either the incumbent continuing or Reverend Kaliya
taking over. The rumors are still circulating and the armorded vehicles filled
with soldiers carrying machine guns with magazines and drums of bullets are
scaring us. As I am tying this paragraph, I am sitting restlessly at home
finishing up an article which I started earlier when I was at the office.
Around 10:20 hours, we were told to leave the premises, pick our kids from
school (I almost looked for the number of my kid’s school) and remain in the
safety of our homes. It is my hope that we will finally get to hear the results
so far after MEC made us wait in vain last night. More importantly, I hope the
losers will accept, otherwise I heard someone talking about how ready he was to
shed blood.
If you are in the country, stay safe. I am told anthu
ayambapo zofoira zija
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