Thought of the week

The wheel of change always turns in the direction of what I put into my mind.

Thought of the week

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." William Shakespeare (1564-1616) in “Measure For Measure”

Out of the blues...

The social, political and personal events of my past year leave me searching for answers to so many things. I wish I had blogged more and kept a record of my thoughts and ideas at the moment...With that said, I think I am back, back to the world of reflection...writing purposely and maybe stepping on some people's toes. Cheers to my new year of blogging!!!

Thought of the week

"Aim for success, not perfection.
Never give up your right to be wrong,
because then you will lose the ability
to learn new things and move forward with your life"~ Dr David M Burns

A Twist in African Aid

Today I woke up to news that the UK has cut its aid program to Malawi on account of mismanagement and declining issues of governance. Like most Malawians, I was worried of the impending predicament of my people. It is inevitable that the poorest in society will suffer more, not because the aid money meant for developing their communities is no longer available but rather the lack of such money to finance the activities of the political elite.

Before I proceed, let me make it clear that I for one am not a proponent of aid (in this case, aid refers to the bilateral and multilateral development assistance excluding humanitarian/emergency aid). For a long time, the idea of aid as a solution to development has been over rated. While it might have worked in the reconstruction of Europe, developmental theorists fail to learn from the experiences of the Marshall Plan.

For African countries, aid has done more harm than good. It has successfully reduced the accountability of governments and has undermined self-initiative. Governments are less keen in fostering entrepreneurship but more adept at financing their own interests. In most functioning economies, the people pay taxes in return for accountability. Aid on the other hand circumvents this route making government depend less on its people and owe them nothing.

While cutting aid will definitely affect the poorest in society, the worry does not emanate from the fact that money for the construction of schools and drugs will no longer be available. Rather the poor with their meagre resources will now have to finance the activities of the political elite through paying of higher taxes and social services. Since the “free” money used for maintaining the political base mostly “ethnic groups” is no longer accessible the political career of those in power is at threat. The most vulnerable groups in society will bear this costly burden.

Although some aid has been used for construction of school blocks and maternity wards, a large proportion of it has found its way in European banks. Doing what? I equally wonder. Maybe aid wouldn’t be so bad if the African leaders reinvested the stolen money domestically like their Asian counterparts.

Thus even though aid is not an ideal method for the development of Malawi, the cry of the civil society and citizens to this predicament can only make sense through the understanding of the political system and its activities. Therefore I will join in the plea for aid from the UK government to feed the political egos and let the ordinary citizen enjoy their life free of exorbitant taxes!

Malawi at 47: A Journey from Colonialism to Autocracy

I do not consider myself a politician. However, some things must be said for "there are times when silence becomes an accomplice to injustice"~Ayan Hirsi Ali

Today marks 47 years since Malawi attained its independence from the British Colonial rulers. For many, it’s a liberation that has turned sour. A struggle that has left us in the same place we were during colonisation. It is without doubt that the demand for liberation from the white rule was democratic although in practice it has subsequently led to more authoritarian rule.

It is legitimately hard to characterise the situation in Malawi. It is not a one party state because political parties are allowed although most elections are far from fair and they do not necessarily prohibit elections. Power transitions have occurred although not frequently and have most of the time been in favour of the ruling government. Similarly while the press is not free, its more liberal than it was before 1989 and new innovations such as private ownership of radio stations and broadcasting stations provide a more dynamic environment as opposed to that by the state or party run stations. This creation of these modern identities within a power structure that favours party loyalty is partly the reason autocratic regimes persist.

After 47 years defining democracy remains a mystery to many. For starters, democracy is often viewed as a system that allows people to participate in vital decisions affecting their lives. But when powerful persons impose their values on the society on the presumption that it is a suitable model, then democracy loses part of its meaning and becomes an imposed form of rule. So has been the case with the current leadership in Malawi. From unpopular amendments to the constitution to the change of national symbols such as the flag, the current government has defied the core values of democracy. This takes us back to our colonial years when our grandparents had little control over their land, resources and freedom. Freedom of association, freedom of worship...

In other words, Malawi under the DPP has an autocratic system disguised in a people’s government. Democracy has been confounded with “democratism” which is “primarily concerned with forms rather than the content or implementation of democratic ideals. Apparently the presidents’ opinions have become law. His supremacy extends from his party’s sovereignty thereby amassing all power in the judiciary, legislative and executive arms of the government. This concentration of power has weakened the autonomy of the assembly and the proliferation of kangaroo courts where terror is institutionalised through the creation of secret police.

However, the issue of autocracy has no simple explanation. While the president may be the top of the pyramid we citizens constitute a large base with immense power to change the direction of our ship. Although the officials in their own right are the main agents we provide the fuel for the system to endure. But in such times when fuel has become an uncommon sight one wonders what is running the system.

This is indeed Malawi. We might be facing the worst economic turmoil with consistent fuel and forex shortages. We might be coming home to another blackout every other day for the next six months but we are still proud. Proud of our Malawi Queens making it to the quarter-finals of the Word Netball Championship...maybe

As we celebrate 47 years of self rule, let us all reflect on our role in the system and the legacy we are building for generations to come. Happy Independence Day my countrymen!!!

Memoirs from abroad

Facts and figures were not the reason I went abroad. Ithaca winter may have been part of it. I flew thousands of miles to learn about myself, the person you would think I could learn about any day. Rather, it took the experience of leaving my new found home, carrying two slightly overweight suitcases and a tote bag full of stuff. I arrived four weeks after my due date, thanks to the rather cumbersome visa process. Throughout this waiting time I realised the value of time and how often I had taken it for granted. I came across the following passage highlighting the value of time

To realize the value of one year, ask a student who has failed his final exam
To realize the value of one month, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby
To realize the value of one week, ask an editor of a weekly newspaper
To realize the value of one hour, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet
To realize the value of one minute, ask a person who has missed the train, the bus or the plane
To realize the value of one second, ask the person who has survived an accident
To realize the value of one millisecond, ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics

Landing in Brisbane was a dream come true. From my kindergarten years, I have always admired the kangaroo. Not surprising K is the first letter I ever learnt! My airport experience was a great insight into the friendly nature of Australians. Customs was actually easy, fast and very friendly. And so was the lady who picked me up. When I got accepted to study abroad in Australia, I created a list. A list of things I wanted to do and things I hoped to see. Running through my list I feel accomplished as I check my adventures in the unknown land. Seeing the Kangaroo, cuddling the Koala, rugby and netball matches, attending the Dalai Lama lecture and the night of Worship by Hillsong are all memories I will cherish.

Being at a university for four months one is bound to learn a lot. From learning about food porn to debating about the uprisings in North Africa, my intellectual base has been challenged in fun ways I never imagined before. I learned just how little I could live with, how outgoing I am and how confident I can truly be. I have learnt to value my friendships for some are there for a season. Saying goodbye will be harder but I am coming to terms with accepting change. While letting go of valuable things is painful, I am reminded of the journey I am trekking. To embrace my destiny and rise higher, I often have to make difficult changes and leave my comfort zone. Just like a caterpillar during metamorphosis, I am evolving to develop wings and fly into the skies.

While I might have developed a new sense of identity and reminded of some valuable things, some things have not changed. For one thing I can’t wait to travel more. Europe? Maybe. Even though I was unable to buy my favourite Vaseline brand, and had to pay twice as much for a Subway sandwich my time abroad was amazing!!! I truly enjoyed Australia and part of my heart belongs to the amazing people who touched my heart in countless ways 