Africa-Press – Malawi. The terrific tale with Malawi is that it’s a nation always on the fast lane, pulling a 280 km/hour, cruising fast and dangerous towards where it has always been.
This country always gives an impression of progressing but, let’s face facts, there is hardly anything to that regards. This country, just like its borders, is stuck; its people, wretched—just emptiness almost.
Look what is happening now? We are busy spewing anger as looting revelations from Peter Mutharika’s regime, like a movie scene, continue to be unveiled and, here and there, a few arrests are being affected.
If you were born yesterday, you would foolhardily believe that President Lazarus Chakwera government is taking a hard stand against corruption through ensuring that anybody who looted public money account for it.
Well, it’s not, really, like that. Some of us who have been around have seen the movie scene before and, frankly speaking, there is hardly anything to smile about.
In 2006, just after Bingu wa Mutharika broke loose from Bakili Muluzi’s controlled United Democratic Front (UDF), we saw what we are seeing today in full grim. Revelations of dirty looting of public resources were revealed, here and there arrests were made; but, with days, nothing much chanced.
Just recall how angry, in 2012, we were when Joyce Banda-led government was doing the same things Bingu government did in 2006. Revelations, arrests and, then, zero! Granted, when you look the current revelations and arrests, do you see, like Morgan Heritage sang, anything to smile about?
The circle, to me, is still as it was: reveal, arrest and, after some days, pile the matters in court as new political wolves take up the mantle to, again, loot just like their predecessors. Why are we trapped like this? Why are we failing to move beyond where we have always been?
To me, the reason we are stuck is not because of the character of politicians we elect in key public institutions; rather, the lack of resolve and accountability in individuals who leads key governance institutions meant to fight corruption through investigation and prosecution.
Because let’s look around. Under the same DPP government, Ombudsman Martha Chizumila was steadfast in investigating impunity and she spared no name. Under the same DPP government, the Judiciary stood up for the rule of law, rejecting bribes, and ensuring that Malawians are served with nothing but justice.
Under the same DPP government, Malawi Defense Force (MDF) executed its duty of protecting Malawians in a professional and classical way. Or, let me say this: Under the same DPP government, Jane Ansah messed up elections, while Chifundo Kachale put a great election.
If, under the same DPP government, Ombudsman, Judiciary, MDF and Kachale managed to execute their duties professionally according to the law, what stopped other institutions doing the same to stop this continued wanton loot of public resources?
Fighting corruption isn’t just about arresting and prosecuting people—it’s also about detecting practices that necessitates corruption to deter them. Not much of that, unfortunately, happens.
One, therefore, wonders. Why do we still have the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) if they can’t act professionally to stop this cyclic loot of public resources? Why do we still have the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) if they can’t use the legal powers within their mandate to stop this continued loot?
Why do we still have the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), the Immigration Department, the Malawi Police Service and all these other bodies if they don’t work efficiently together to stop this continued loot of public resources? Malawians need answers. We can’t keep on funding institutions that are not doing what they are being funded for. This must stop!
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