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| Columns |
| Twist to the tale |
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by
Edward Chisambo, 13 February 2004
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13:47:27
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If the UDF primary elections, which were conducted over the last two weeks in the Southern and Central regions, are anything to go by then Malawians should brace themselves for turbulent general elections in May.
The UDF, with its tradition of imposing leaders on supporters, met resistance from groups of their faithful, which were for sometime assumed timid and gullible by the party’s national executive. Surely, it is the executive that chose the presidential candidate and his running mate and imposed them on the humble followers, who did not dare question the decision.
But during the primaries, some constituencies successfully replaced incumbent MPs in this centrally controlled party.
Aspiring MPs, who lost but did not agree with the way the primaries were conducted, quickly sought the intervention of the courts. It was all drama.
With this new found courage from the supporters, some cabinet ministers met their Waterloo as also did other influential figures. But the violence that characterised the primaries, forcing several postponements, is what should be worrying that segment of Malawians which is looking forward to smooth parliamentary and presidential elections.
Judge Chimwamasana was sitting on his favourite tree stump at KSG, draining one bottle after another. He was riveted by the seemingly abortive efforts by the opposition to forge the Mgwirizano Coalition. The problems with the coalition were centred on party presidents shamelessly jockeying for power. Simply put, it was greed for authority to lead the alliance to victory on May 18 that spelt its undoing.
Clergymen, who have been working tooth and nail to get the Mgwirizano Coalition on track, were learning fast that it is dangerous to let politicians decide their destiny. They saw that politicians have one trait in common — that is getting into power at all cost and not serving the masses as they always publicly proclaimed. The coalition was the most realistic way for these parties to get into government but because the presidents of the parties wanted to be president of Mgwirizano as well, the talks were dragging and time was running out.
“This just shows that the clergy should not distinguish between politicians since they are made of the same clay. Those in opposition behave like angels to get the clergy’s support. The moment they are in power they tell the men of God to leave politics to politicians. This is why the men of the collar who are facilitating the coalition talks should caution the parties involved to have the welfare of Malawians at heart and not aim for the riches.
“If the clergy are not careful and do not warn the voters of the greed for power demonstrated by presidential aspirants in the coalition, they are committing a sin. They will likely lead Malawians to vote into office individuals who will not be different from what the voters are trying to get rid of just now. Sister Wangwiro! You are close to church circles, do you think the church is playing the right role in the electoral process?” Chimwamasana asked while beckoning barman Wendewende to replenish his half empty glass.
Wangwiro ignored the advancing Wendewende, who sometimes doubled as a UDF Young Democrat and had been actively involved in barring aspirants from reaching venues for primary elections recently. At one election, he was asked to ask the contestants — a gentleman and a lady — to take refuge in a toilet so that they should not witness the way the polls were run by officials from the party’s national executive committee.
In another constituency the YDs, led by the stocky Wendewende, blocked an aspirant, who was posing so much challenge to the incumbent, from reaching the venue of the elections. They simply stopped the vehicle which was carrying the challenger and his supporters, deflated the tyres and shattered the windscreen. That was the end of their journey.
But Wangwiro was interested in what the clergy were trying to achieve by coaxing presidents to form a coalition.
“Our priests and pastors have in the past paid dearly for supporting politicians in opposition. Those in opposition now and trying to form a coalition are showing insatiable appetite for power. They are failing to give power to one person as president, what will stop these people from seeking a third term when voted into office?
“What is making it difficult for leaders in opposition to accept that they cannot all be president at the same time? In a coalition, like any other group, one party cannot have it the way it wants. There is what they call give and take. The problem with parties in our country is that they are owned by those who founded them. These are individuals who believe they deserve the presidency. Only one opposition party is currently led by an individual who was not among the founders. It is probably the most democratic.
“The clergy should stand up to those presidents in opposition, who show incredible thirst for power, and tell them they will not have the support of the church because they are not demonstrating one of the primary virtues of a good leader and that is humility and promoting unity. They should condemn greed in opposition with the same zeal they condemn violence by the ruling party because both are sins not acceptable before God,” Wangwiro ended her lecture and received a fresh glass of Madeira Wine from Wendewende.
The barman was overheard boasting above loud music on how the YDs helped an incumbent MP to shift the venue of the UDF primaries just to make sure he was elected unopposed. |
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