Government hides the truth


If you go to one demonstration and then go home, that's something, but the people in power can live with that. What they can't live with is sustained pressure that keeps building, organisations that keep doing things, people that keep learning lessons from the last time and doing it better the next time.
Noam Chomsky

Power is a drug on which the politicians are hooked. They buy it from the voters, using the voters' own money.
Peter Newman

Mhlako

Mhlako
The Mhlako Triumvirate

Monday, February 28, 2011

NO, MR. PRESIDENT – I AM NOT YOUR CHILD


You said we are your children. Let’s get the relationship straight. You are my employee. We do not need a father. We need a President who will do what we employed him to do and that is to carry out his programme of development and governance in line with the promises he made when we elected him and in accordance with the Constitution which you swore to uphold – a Constitution which you appear not to have read. Either that or you swore a false oath contrary to the religion which you profess to follow.
I do not need to be told like a naughty child that you will fight me on the streets. When did we ever see you on the streets? Where were you when we were fighting Muluzi’s Policemen on the streets to prevent him from becoming President for Life? We were part of the active civil society that cleared the way for you to become President.
We are not here to be spied on like enemies of the State. We may not be for you any longer but we are definitely for our poor country which you and your cronies are bringing to ruin. When things were showing signs of improvement you asked us to judge you by the work of your hands but when things are going bad those same hands appear to be helpless. When we start asking awkward questions you want to crack down on us; to use the Police to intimidate academics; to muzzle the press; to intercept private correspondence; to hamstring the courts.
We do not need to see our money wasted on glorifying you or your family. We do not want to see you employing your wife when we already have an internationally respected Vice President active in the field at no extra cost to the taxpayer. Birthday parties, funerals, engagements, weddings – these belong to your family. Let those who want to curry favour with you pay for them. And then let the ACB check on where those relationships lead. We should not have to wait until you are out of office to find out.
Strange, really! Some of those big boys who are to be seen hanging around you were also hanging around Bakili. When you first came into office and threatened to crack down on corruption, they left the country. They were not seen around for a number of years until they realised that things had not really changed. There they are again – enriching themselves at our expense and, who knows, perhaps enriching you in the process. You certainly seem to be much richer in office than you were before. Perhaps you would care to tell us where all the money is coming from. Can we have a conducted tour of Ndata?
And we do not want to see massive amounts of money for State House expenditure – discretionary, unaudited expense. And all this money for the Green Belt Initiative - is some of it going to be wasted on the dam at Kapachira? (Another Nsanje Port style white elephant in the making) How many of the inhabitants of the Shire Valley are going to be thrown off their land to make way for commercial agriculture?
Mr. President. Call the American Ambassador over for a chat. Ask him just what the American Government spends on its first family’s personal affairs. Pangali. Palibe. Na ghamu. Nkawa. Palije. Zilch. Nada.
We are not related. We should not see any state monies or resources wasted on your domestic affairs. You should be made to reimburse the State for all of this ego-boosting nonsense. Oh – but I forgot! On the birthday front you did not want to be outshone by your hero, Mlamu Bob, who had five birthday cakes the same week. While Mugabe said that he had the brain of a young man he obviously did not have the lungs. He took a heck of a long time to blow out the candles – and I do not think there was the full 80 plus complement. I hope, Mr. President, that your lungs have the puff to carry you through the coming struggle that you seem to invite. A struggle that would, if you were to win, give you primacy over the Constitution. A struggle that could be the end of Malawi in which the citizenry matters or has a say.
The people of Malawi do not want to fight with their President. But you should take note of what people driven to desperation will do. Ben Ali, Mubarak – out. Brother Leader shaky. Others not feeling too secure.
Better to listen now before the people are driven to desperation.

9 comments:

  1. Bingu's focus is currently on himself, his wife and his brother. He pays us peripheral attention but only because its our money that massages his big ego.

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  2. Gogo uyu azamva nkhwangwa ili mmutu. Malawi doesn't have a president worthy the nam. this one thinks this is a Lhomwe kingdom. tionana pa kachere with your stinking ego ngati finye.

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  3. If ACB had a semblance of respect they would have followed up the inducement of a land rover which bingu and his daughterwife callista received from mike appel and gatto on their wedding, in exchange for a multi million kwacha contract which MAG has now fullfilled, by supplying land rovers to state house for the presidential fleet.

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  4. your first few lines have confirmed all my suspicions.
    Williams you are still living in the past the feeling of nostalgia still lingers in your mind of the days when the 'indigenous folk' knew his place.Thats is the truth why you cannot stomach it when His excellence refers to the citizens of this country as his children.
    who the hell are do you think you are to refer to the president us your employee? and by the way how do you go about employing our beloved president?
    i always find it astonishing that in this day and age people with altitudes and views like yours still insist on residing in Africa.
    foolish man

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  5. By paying taxes that keep him in luxury. Every bottle of Fanta helps. Or have you not heard of VAT?
    I think your bosses should check your educational qualifications. I would feel flattered if they had employed someone a little better educated than your writing indicates!

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  6. iwe williams am sorry that you feel the way that you do,about the people and the president of Malawi.We are sorry that you feel that your taxes are being wasted on 'Luxuries'.
    williams reading though your rumblings you come across as Avery bitter man with a deluded sense of self importance.
    your blog is full of accusations but not once have you offered any proof/evidence to back this wild accusations.if you have any proof that government officials are abusing resources why not report this to the necessary authorities like the ACB?
    you should thank the sky's or what ever objects you worship,in other parts of the world this nonsense you are writing would not be tolerated.thank god Bingu has a big and kind heart,if it was me,i would have taken you to the cleaners for defamation of character.

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  7. Just asking questions. My right to know what this man is doing. I've made no accusations. Just wondering alound. Voicing what so many are too afraid to ask. If the ACB was up to its task it would ask the questions itself. We have a saying: "If the cap fits, wear it." We are supposed to hold our leaders to account.

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  8. I once complained to Muluzi about the behaviour of some of his ministers. He also asked for proof. I told him, as I tell you, that I don't have the resources to investigate. Politics is all about perception. The PERCEPTION of CORRUPTION will cause as much political damage as the actual knowledge of it. ACB doesn't tackle sitting presidents in Malawi and the Police are politicised. Why did Mukhitom travel to Zomba to terrorise Chisinga?

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  9. as far i knw, Nkamwini is a true son of this country for he has a heart for Malawians. this man has risked his life on the streets when muluzi wz bigger than life itself. keep up the good work Mr Williams may the gud load b with u as u strive for better Malawi.

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