Lies and Manipulation of the Honorable Minister

Debating issues partaining to Ministers who lie and mislead the nation in the execution of their duties is very complex and unyielding. Most ministers in most of the countries are appointed to their portfolios not on merit but as a reward for a job well done during a general election campaign.

The constitution empowers the prime minister or the president to appoint whoever he wishes from a group of his political cohorts or members of parliament to become ministers. It is undemocratic and complicated exercise mandated by our constitution. The prime minister would exercise same mandate and power as the head of government  to appoint his executive arm. No election is required to appoint ministers who will take to oversee the performance of the government bodies which includes pertinent issue to our economy.

Ministers would therefore lie, mislead the nation and manipulate the truth in order to protect their positions and the humiliation directed to the head of state.

It is normal now that alot of ministers lie, mislead and manipulate the truth. The destruction of integrity is the legacy that most governments leave behind. Obviously ministers have codes of conduct they follow in the way they hold themselves as such but the nation keeps wondering of the consequencies of these lies.

The majority of people think that if the Minister lies to mislead the nation,  he/she is then criminally liable for such a conduct. Ministers and members of parliament are always bound by their oath of office and it is therefore profoundly shocking that the minister would deliberately lie and mislead the nation with impunity.

 In the United Kingdom, ministerial codes demand that ministers must not mislead Parliament and if they do so unwittingly, they must return to the House and correct.

While I took to write this blog, with all the good things we have heard in Malawi, smooth transistion, government of national unity, the head of state retaining former ministers from the former ruling party.

This has not paid off though or prevented  a government scandal as some of  those ministers from the former government stil have skeletons in ther closets.

The Malawi Finance Minister admitted that he lied to the nation that Bingu's Zero Deficit was working and Malawi Revenue Authority had made profits in revenues. He said the truth of the Matter is that MRA borrowed money to cover this up. He was ultimately painting a wrong impression of the whole thing in order to manipulate the truth. It was a pack of lies that was intended to mislead the whole nation.

It is surprising to hearing that Ken Lipenga had no intention of doing what he did or did not know that he was making a false statement in Parliament. I cannot help but agree with those who demand his resigantion, the Honorable Minister should do the right thing and resign honorably.

After this revelation, the nation should be concerned of his integrity and credibility now. How is he going to be trusted when at the end of the day the he is just another DPP guy who helped his late president to enrich himself and amass so much wealth at the expense of this nation. Zero deficit led to the suffering of poor Malawians who committed no crime by electing them in the government.

Supporting Zero Deficit is another thing but lying to cover it up is indeed just attrocius, I just think that he has alot of explanation to make before he goes away.

Real Change

We hear and talk about change but none of us talk about real change. Real change that saw the American history re written when Obama became the first Black President.  Each one of us at some stage wishes to have lived longer and witnessed change, to repeat change because real change is rare.

I think I just witnessed real change not just change although I may stand to be disagreed. I was born and raised in Malawi. People who matter to me, all of them, live in this small country of Africa.

Malawi has witnessed three leaderships in a space of 40 years, Ngwazi the dictator, who reminded us all the time that Colonial Masters were control freaks and that he destroyed what he called stupid federation, Bakili Muluzi, a business man, I cant just find anything to say about him, good or bad, depending which side of the coin you are and the late Bingu Mutharika who emulated Kamuzu's leadesrship to the point that he even inherited his name. 

Today Malawi's clocks seem to have stopped ticking, no hope and promising future for the young and the elderly.Dreams shuttered and everything went back to basics, shortages of basic items, fuel, power cuts and many more while the president enjoyed extravagant life.

 This is why it appears to me that my time to witness real change arrived on 5 March 2012 when Malawi President Bingu Wa Mutharika suddenly died at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe.

He was a man who ruled Malawi with iron fist and spat fire all the time to his imaginary enemies, well, to say the truth, he had absolutely none. He was afraid of his own shadow and made friends with those that people loathe and shun away those that we loved. He did not take a good advice and hated to be advised, to him it was an external force that he could not bear to take.

This is why when his death was unofficially announced, Malawians never thought that they will have a smooth transition, things were going to be hard and may have civil unrest, as the force of the monsters created by Bingu himself remained and was still out there. They thought that handing over power to Joyce Banda was something that Bingu's monsters would never do without a fight. They never thought that one day the small printed words of the booklet called Constitution will prevail and those monsters will be dissipated in the dark as if they never existed.

I believe that there a lot more surprises to be learnt following his death in terms of the skeletons he has left in his closet. He was callous and a ruthless leader Malawi has ever had and noone apart from his wife and kids will ever miss Bingu.

We knew the word constitution will be mentioned time and again but who was going to give a damn considering the history and Bingu's government demeanour. " I am god and you are satan" he said, " tell them that now I am responding to their Pastoral letter, I will be here to 2014 and beyond" we were challenged. He was a messiah, today's Moses and so on. Constitution was only followed where it suited him best and that's what life had been with Bingu.

But sometimes, you just tell that change is coming and no single man can prevent it from happening. We waited and waited, there was no official announcement of the president's death and finally the unforgettable last nice try of the so called "coup gang" led by Patricia Kaliati, the red lipstick woman was held. To be honest, the whole press conference did not make any sense to me and boggled me the whole night trying to make sense of it. I had waited for an analysis of why the gang held that press conference and what purpose did it serve to the eager Malawians who deserved to know the truth.

Not telling the the truth was not enough to upset Malawians but convening a press conference that will work to tell Malawians that Madam Joyce Banda cannot be the successor of Bingu Wa Mutharika, just made things even worse.  We were informed of Rwandan and the Nigerian Constitution that could persuade the Courts in Malawi to follow in the event that the vice president did seek recourse. Who were they kidding?

Dejavu; African leaders tend to make a stand where it is obvious that they are loosing ground; Gadaffi of Libya, Bagbo in Ivory Coast, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and many others did the same thing. I had anticipated the worst and so the whole world but in the morning, thank God, there was calm and instead of just change our patience paid off with real change.

Malawi did not just let the Constitution prevail but it gave itself a second chance of dusting itself off, unity among Malawians was out of question. Manifestation of tiredness and implicit attitude of showing Patricia Kaliati that they have enough of the government that takes them for granted and trampled on their human rights with impunity.

This is not just a change but real change, I always believe that those who witnessed this have witnessed something they had waited to occur for a long time. 

God bless Madam Joyce Banda and the people of Malawi.

Are we there yet?

“If we think that we can secure our country by just talking tough without acting tough and smart, then we will misunderstand this moment and miss its opportunities. If we think that we can use the same partisan playbook where we just challenge our opponent’s patriotism to win an election, then the nation will lose. The times are too serious for this kind of politics”. Barack Obama

Indeed as a people we wake up every morning with various expectations from a country we live in.  Having a job should mean that almost basic needs are met with the income that’s earned and so is starting a business.

But most importantly there should be progress; people should have their vision fulfilled and have time to reflect the past and hope for a better future. History should always be told of the generation that missed the opportunities created by their struggle. Visitors should go away with life time memories and frequent visitors should be able to witness prosperity.

The world has witnessed the defunct communism, dictatorial rule of all sorts and democracies. Democracy triumphed over and above all the systems of governing. Its victory is characterised by its strictness of having a constitution that is followed to the letter and begs its leaders to upholding the rule of law. Respect and due regard to basic human rights and realise that human beings are equal.

Giving its real meaning of collective involvement and even distribution of wealth and opportunities; destroying all elements of favouritisms and nepotism which are inimical to its mission.

In the words of Barack Obama, “The strongest democracies flourish from frequent and lively debate, but they endure when people of every background and belief find a way to set aside smaller differences in service of a greater purpose”.

We will only be there if laws of the land are applied indiscriminately, respect for and due regard to human rights, wealth and opportunities evenly distributed. Political opponents encouraged and not silenced, freedoms safeguarded, life without trumped up cases and arbitrary arrests of adversaries.

Senior Ministers held responsible for their actions and held accountable regardless of their background because they are appointed in service of a greater purpose.

Citizens should be given an opportunity of being heard through free protest and demonstrations as is required by the constitution. The question should not be what is expected of the people but what is expected of those elected to represent them. Blaming culture should not be tolerated and independence of the judiciary high on the agenda. Due process and full independence of the judges are fundamental to our democracy.

The powers that may be should provide for an environment for academic freedom, this should be of right not of privilege and never discourage youngsters who are keen to join the race for leadership. Young people have a role to play and therefore should be made to feel useful in order to invest their potentials. To manipulate them is to discount what the future holds for them and the nation at large.

 One even wonders why we say “future leaders” when we cannot give a meaning to it, how can they become future leaders when we are not prepared to pass on the baton and there is nothing to prepare them for its challenges. To deprive the young of this right is just a disincentive to their success in the near future.

In my world and that of Robert F. Kennedy; “A young monk began the Protestant reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World and 32 year old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal. Give me a place to stand, said Archimedes and I will move the world. These men moved the world and so we can all”

The times are too serious for this kind of politics indeed, and until we live up to it and bring about real change I will never feel that we are there yet, are you?

Special dedication to my friend the late Abdul Karim Bosco Mwalabu who died on 11^th February 2012

Colonel Gaddafi

The world on 20 October 2011 was awakened by the news that Libya's Muammar has been killed. To me that news never took me aback nor was kind of surprised, I knew it that one day brother leader was to either be captured alive or found dead. At the end of the day that's the kind of choice he made.Brother leader made so many enemies than friends, although his wealth did try to suppress the damage. Its indeed a shame that people we revered for what they stood for can just blow that opportunity and become the worst nightmares of all time. Brother leader has ruled the country for over fourty years, surely someone like him would have seen it coming and quit at the earliest opporyunity available but thats what being in control sometimes can get you. You tend to listen and care less about people who put you to power. He saw what just happened to Mubarak in Egypt but he never put his head round that, his neighbour in Tunisia Ben Ali, still nevr gave a damn. These two leaders,Mubarak and Ali will be thanking God for still having their precious lives and still breathing. Had they insisted to go on perhaps today we would be reading same story. Brother leader never read the writings on the wall that times have changed and people cannot be taken for granted.

September in a nutshell

I have not been able to put together a blog this month and did less last August due to workload I had to deal with both at work and home. It has been very difficult to do so despite so many events unfolding before our eyes elsewhere in the world.

My Legal Practice Course is taking its toll but hey that is a good thing, I got to do this time. I cannot continue banking things for later.

What I want to do in this blog is to just comment on those popular events that have taken place in this month of September hitting headlines elsewhere in the world.

 But before anything else, Big cheers out there to all Moslems in the world who celebrated their Eid ul fitr marking the end of fasting in the month of Ramadan. This year too has seen so many forums on the actual sighting of the moon. Certain quarters believe that the sighting is just being blindly followed and not evidenced by real sighting of the said moon. Saudi Arabia is a culprit on this but this has been so for the past decade. Most parts of the Muslim world follow Saudi Arabia in almost everything including the sighting of the moon and these resenting groups have been there all the time. I did ask one cleric regarding this; he said to me that I should just get over it. I am hoping that there will be a solution to all this.

I begin with the United Nations, a speech made by Iran President Ahmedinejad, who claimed that September 11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers is an American government’s assault on its people led by former President George W. Bush. 

A number of delegates left the building in protest during the speech as they did not want to associate themselves with this kind of propaganda. Watching that on a local news network television, I was left inquisitive, pondered with so many questions. Most importantly, I wondered as to why some of the delegates remained seated and never seem to be bothered or taking an offense. As Netanyahu reiterated in his speech, that he expected all the delegates to have boycotted the speech and never let the Iranian president finish his speech.

Was he exercising freedom of speech? To some people including Ahmedinejad himself feel that way, they think they can do so as of an absolute right although this is not so. To others, he is a hero who could provoke America and make fun of its terrible incidents like that of September 11 right there in America. He is a brave man to sympathizers.

But does this make the United Nations an organisation that tolerates and encourage the exercise of freedom of speech on its corridors even if it is offensive in nature. My understanding is that this should be the case, if every speech and president was to be boycotted then what sort of an organisation would make the UN? United Nations knows that some countries are led by mad dogs and there is nothing they can do to deal with their issues. They can be isolated elsewhere but they should be given an opportunity of being heard in the United Nations like anybody else.

Still at the UN headquarters, the Palestinian bid of an independent state, President Abbas asked the United Nations to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state. This did not go down well, United States clearly expressed its position and some analysts claimed that president Obama was just destroying his historical speech he made in Cairo a year and half ago on Palestine.

Meanwhile the Israel Prime Minister urged United Nations to consider the dangers of seeing this bid through. As we expected the United States to veto, the only remaining question was to see which side the United Kingdom will take. What I make out of all these is that the Palestinian approach is that of moving on, and, peace process cannot be swayed by it.

In the same month we have seen the former leader of Egypt Hosni Mubarak bedridden to answer charges of corruption and murder in court. Shocking pictures of once the mighty leader of a great nation.

In North Africa, Libya’s Moammar Gadaffi’s regime finally disappeared; the Interim National Consultative council has moved its capital from Benghazi to Tripoli showcasing victory. The President received a warm welcome on arrival and promised to consolidate the broken relationship among the citizens and let there be peace again. The West has reiterated its support to rebuilding the country. 

While I am sceptical, I would have loved that Gadaffi be allocated wherever he is and put to task for the atrocities he has caused. If he is left out there how do we expect the people of Libya to move on while the beast is still at large?

In Zambia, the opposition candidate, Michael Sata, claims the hot seat of president in the General Election last week. To me Sata for the past years to last week has been considered as an underdog who posed no threat, despite being called King Cobra for his fire spitting tongue, to the sitting president of the country. Although his academic and life experience record is not attractive and might not look eye catching but no one could stop him from accomplishing his mission. Indeed colleagues at Victoria Station in London, where he used to work as a floor sweeper would be happy for what he has accomplished.

In Southern Africa today, most of surrounding countries neighbouring Zambia are either with a good president or a bad president whose head is sought come the General Election. As someone might have said that the wind of change is blowing again over Africa. I just hope this time it will leave behind useful debris than it did last time, it gave people hope that things were to change for the better and make the motherland once again a better place to live. But this is not the case today in Africa, leaders who take a country and destroy it until you feel like there is no hope of restoring this country… looting some prefer to call it. Citizens are reduced to beggars with no sense of hope that tomorrow will be different.

Injustice

Watching this week a minute appeal run on a national television to save men, women and children who are heavily affected by famine in Africa, something hit me in the face; I could not believe my eyes. It’s just appalling and unbelievable that even today in the 21^st century, some people somewhere in the world cannot have access to their basic familial requirements.

Why is this happening and why should people be subjected to such suffering, children in particular, whose fault is that? I was born and raised in Africa in a small house with a number of brothers and sisters; therefore I am aware of how bad things can be sometimes. I remember, we never used to ask for breakfast or lunch but we expected that at some point there will be something to get us go by. We did this because our both parents had no meaningful income and unemployed therefore bread winning was almost everybody’s responsibility including us children.

Now this situation in Africa brings memories back, to seeing those children dying before their mothers is something that reminds me that these parents are indeed helpless and cannot be  blamed for not trying because they have nothing left to save both their lives and the children.

When I was a kid, this kind of suffering seemed temporal and I spent day and night dreaming of having to wake up one day with a good life that’s enjoyed by our fellow kids elsewhere in the world. But I realise now that this was just a fantasy and seeing Children dying from starvation and malnutrition in Africa today tells me the same story that the problem is still there 30 years on.

The question is who should take a blame for all these untimely deaths? I reckon the culprit is an injustice that has rocked most African countries, the rich gets richer and the poor get poorer?

Injustice generally refers to misuse, abuse, neglect, or misfeasance that is uncorrected or else sanctioned by a legal system. It is gross unfairness suffered by the electorates who put these people to power and contribute to the well being of the country through their income tax.

In Africa, Political injustice is the most contributing factor of all the suffering that we have witnessed in this century. People are denied and deprived of their social and economic rights because of their mere choice of belonging to a certain group or having a different political ideology to that of the state.

Most people are impoverished not as a result of famine or anything but because of oppression and injustice by dominant groups.

No wonder, Somali militias played down the reports that the country is facing the worst in terms of food shortage. They deny that this is not true and maintaining that Western countries are exaggerating the extent of the problem and shouldn’t be believed. In Ethiopia, allegation of aid diversion and misuse levelled against the Ethiopian Government, instead of putting those funds where they are needed most and alleviate human suffering, they use international aid in cramping down political opponents and highly disregard the rule of law.

There are no food stocks, no good hospitals and personnel, no better schools and poverty is beyond belief.

It is injustice if people cannot be provided with their basic needs in any state or country while their leaders are massively enjoying the same. Innocent children are left to die with no fault of their own just because the country is so corrupt to an extent of even selling their own food stocks.

 It is injustice if the state fails to provide better education system in the country while their children and relatives are enlisted in overseas institutions just because they can afford it.

It is injustice when hospitals are turned into mortuaries where people just go to die because of lack of medical personnel and medicine.

Citizens fighting to get on the bus, while the president and his family is riding a convoy of the most expensive automobiles in the world.

Until injustice is stamped out entirely in Africa, African people shall remain in repression and suffering. Development will be the word they would live to hear every five years when a political leader is renewing his term in power.

The Holy Month of Ramadan

 Fasting in Islamic Jurisprudence

In Islamic Jurisprudence, Fasting is divided into two; Obligatory fasting and Optional (Man dub) fasting. In the first category there are also three types; what is obligatory because of time/season e.g. fasting in the month of Ramadan, what is obligatory because of the defect or reason e.g. fasting to compensate unfulfilled vow/oath made to oneself. Taking an oath in the name of Allah is in actual fact making Allah a witness to ones actions and going against that oath would be belying Allah.

My blog will focus on the fasting that occurs in Ramadan which is obligatory because of the time or the month of Ramadan according to Islamic calendar. It is one of the basic beliefs or acts that a Muslim is supposed to do.

Sources of Fasting

The Holy Quran 2:183: O you who believe! Observing the fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the pious Al-muttaqun.

The Sunnat: The sayings of the prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him), where he is reported to have said “Islam is built on five”, meaning five pillars of Islam and one of these pillars is fasting in the month of Ramadan. He is also reported to have said to an Arab villager (bedouin) when he was asked as to what is required of him, he replied “and fasting the month of Ramadan”.

Consensus: All the Jurists/scholars of Islam agree to its obligation and no difference in opinion is reported from any of them. They agree that fasting is prescribed to a mature Muslim, intelligent, not on a journey, fit to fast which excludes those suffering from different illnesses and menstruating women.

In the Muslim world the Holy Month of Ramadan is more of a rejuvenating time and religious festival than being apprehensive about the consequences of fasting. Ramadan requires a Muslim to abstain from food and any worldly desires/materials from early Morning Prayer till the sunset for the whole month of Ramadan. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and obligatory in its observation as prescribed in the Holy Quran except those whose lives are in peril due to illness or on a journey.

Ramadan emanates from Arabic word ramd which stands for dry sand, drought, emptiness and dryness. It denotes the fact that by observing fasting abstinence from all worldly desires including food is a fundamental requirement. It was prescribed to Muslims and became obligatory in the second year of the prophet’s migration to Medina.

It is always regarded as the tool that assimilates an individual who is fasting with those that cannot because of illness or in famine. Fasting is not only a supplication but it’s a disciplinary act imposed on the Muslim. It is the only way of connecting with those that are suffering; in return they take care of them by sharing the little that Almighty God has bestowed upon them. It is always said that you cannot understand the suffering of others unless you become part of them. Fasting is considered as a means of practicing self-control, a means of knowing what hunger is all about. Showing sympathy to the poor and the needy and the way of thanking the Almighty God for everything you have received in this world.

Everywhere I have travelled including Saudi Arabia, Muslims at this time of the year open their doors to accommodate and welcome everybody to join them and eat together during Iftar (breaking the fast). It is the month of unity, good deeds and more charity and no one would want to lose this chance that comes once in a year. But work to do more just in case he never lives to seeing another year.

As a Muslim therefore it is important to observe fasting with pure intention of pleasing the Almighty God and not anyone else. Being wary of the fact that Fasting is the only act of worship that God Almighty reserves the right of ownership and mere declaration of fasting does not make it good or acceptable. It is God and God alone who knows as to whether your fasting is good or not. As a way of an example you may go behind your colleague’s back, drink or take some food while pretending that you are still fasting. And no one can ever judge you differently because they have no clue as to what you have just done but only God the Almighty is aware of your actions.