By Counsel Alexious Kamangila
When LAZARUS CHAKWERA became President, we used to agree that he was destined to be better than APM coz APM was so bad that there were no standards. I vividly recall that we even used to joke that even a stone would do better.
We were so convinced that Chakwera was going to create standards, such that the President that replaces him, would have big shoes to fill. Of course, as per the Tonse Alliance Agreement, SKC was going to be the next President.
Now, with that, there wasn’t therefore so much worry on those Chakwera’s shoes being big for him. In fact, for whatever reason, many people have always believed SKC could run the country better than Chakwera.
Make no mistake, when Justice Dr Kachale announced Chakwera as the winner of the re-election, there was so much relief in many Malawians. After a year of Demonstrations, largely violent in the Central, the economy feeling the pitch, it felt like the dust was settling.
Yes, after the Election case that had so many twists and turns including the ATTEMPT to BRIBE the Judges, it all seemed it ended in smiles not tears.
I recall vividly seeing and hearing people, immediately after MEC Chair announced Chakwera as the winner, people running to the streets jubilating.
I was in the sitting but felt like a huge weight laid off me and my face was hit with a certain sense of freshness, a new Malawi was promisingly born.
Achewa anati, papsa tonola nudye, sudziwa mtima wa moto. Komatu moto uwuwu ndiye unatichenjerera, but chisanapse mkomwe, moto wapsereretsa mmera onse… Inu, from the first speech, thus his inauguration, it was clear that we were sold dummies. And of course we saw a NISSAN PATROL, which we didn’t know we were ever going to see. Lol Sattarment.
Then slogans like BOLA DPP INACHOKA to DPP ISAZABWERENSO have been the dominant themes, evidencing a Sattarment/Government without an agenda or something properly to show. NOW we are 1 year to go, and the slogan is “INU BOMA NDILOMWELI”.
Like, there is no case really to be made to support why this government needs to retain power. Such that the easy (lazy) thing to do/say is, we are not changing President, we are changing only the leader of opposition. Okay, thanks.
And indeed, just like that, CHAKWERA has performed, at all indicators, worse than APM. Apart from the number of trips taken (local and international) and motivational speeches, CHAKWERA has floored this one… Life is so unpredictable.
