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| Opinion |
| MPs risk losing trust of the people |
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by
Alfred Ntonga, 19 August 2003
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08:07:51
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That Big Brother Africa is back on Television Malawi gives hope that all is not lost despite the lack of sanity on the political arena in democratic Malawi.
Not that the programme itself is a big deal. Our concern was on the dictatorial powers our Parliamentarians suddenly assumed to act as the old Censorship Board and impose on the people what to watch on the national television.
We hope our MPs—who tend to waste more time on the trivia than on matters of national significance such as the flawed Public Procurement Act—have realised that they do not have the legal authority to play the editor of TVM. They may have to first amend the law if they really want to edit content of what is shown on TV.
But more worrying is the fact that MPs, who claim to make decisions on behalf of the people, have had their decision rejected by the same people, reminiscent of what happened when some MPs claimed that Malawians wanted the president to stand again.
The people formed a formidable opposition and rejected both the open-term and the third-term bids. Eventually, government had no choice but to admit that the extension of the presidential term of office, in any form and manner, was simply unacceptable to the majority of Malawians.
So to lie again so soon, even on an issue as small as a TV programme, shows that MPs still toy with the idea of deciding for the people—as opposed to representing them—as was the case in the one party era. This is simply unacceptable in democracy.
Although Information Minister Bernard Chisale thinks such a development is a sign that democracy is coming of age in Malawi, we think if our MPs continue to make decisions that are illegal and without consulting the people they represent, they risk losing credibility. |
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