CONVICTIONS THAT COST

Change gets impacted better when anticipated. Dreams get realized fruitfully when well-thought. And actions have the potential of sowing seeds – be they good or otherwise.

Since the dawn of the year 2000, stories of ‘night schools’, where kids got enrolled without their consent and that of their parents, have remained prevalent in the country. Records can reveal of cases where kids from different homes have been testifying against cruelties and oddities from some identified persons who they (kids) called their ‘teachers’ at night.

Complaints from grievously concerned parents about their children being taught witchcraft would also in no way go unvoiced on June 16, 2010, the Day of African Child. They whined about the future of children of Malawi, in Africa, the beloved country in the words of Alan Paton, which is steadily being splotched by such publicity-shy voluntary night ‘teachers’.

GOOD GONE DAYS

The youth are leaders of tomorrow, people were made to embrace. Now the direction seems to have changed, slightly though, taking a rather popular and smart one to most young individuals: the youth are leaders of today. But some, wondering with the status quo, have asked innocently yet thought provokingly: which today? Good question.

Many are mentalities convicted in the belief that whenever citizens are to contribute to national development, the role of youths should not be all that earth-shattering, easy to point at. They must be similar minds, probably, deeply lost in some fruitless sea that keeps on demanding ten years of work experience from three hundred thousand fresh graduates who are baked annually, ready to sweat for countable thirty five thousand available employment opportunities. Pathetic.

Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, the first president of Malawi, to an enviable extent, had an effective and realistic approach on citizens’ contribution to national development. And, too, it was sustainable.

TRACING THE UNTHOUGHT

When notes on the misuse of public funds during festive times at Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) were shared in 2008, they made news. People were amazed. Many found it irritating just to learn that a public-fueled body would exploit such millions of kwachas which they, in trying to be responsible citizens, patriotically contributed, and still were, through taxes – all in the name of parties.

What people noted bizarre was not necessarily the idea of having parties, especially during such rare moments when parties are adored most, no. It was the amount; so strange, and really, blood-curdling.

But parties, as we hold, have been there and will always be. It is their tradition to come and immediately go. They are like visitors; they are just for a moment. This is a moment of spending money (Chilembwe?) through eating and drinking with friends, relatives, workmates, and, of course, lovers while appreciating and exploring the beauty of this life. But the costs annually incurred through such parties matter.

WORD FROM THE CITIZEN

There was once Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda

To Malawi he is the ‘father’ and founder

Many considered his approaches capitalistic

But they were just realistic

He died at one hundred and one

Then came Dr. Bakili Muluzi

Who never expects in any election to lose

He championed multiparty democracy

Upon defeating the country’s long time autocracy

He’ll die a good orator

There’s now Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika

Who’s so proud being born in Africa

His actions are leaving many discussing

They’re really notes worth pondering

He’ll die a man of the many

Fellow Citizen (FC), I feel distraught we often painfully realize the decency or depravity of something or somebody when time has already elapsed. Sometimes we are too negatively curious at pointing out only weaknesses and failed attempts of our fellow nationals without mentioning any point when their successes rumbled. That won’t take us anywhere.

LEAFING THROUGH TIMES

For the public? No. Not for every being. It was purely meant for members, members only.

The paper (nay document?) which got accessed in 2003, was dated 1991 –about two decades ago. This is probably the year in which some college students now were born. In a country like Malawi, where culture and traditions have always been respected, many a girl who cherish this year as their one of birth are now married.

The document was produced (under Satan’s rulership) by those who accepted to sell their souls to him, the devil, the father of lies, whose intention on the mankind is nothing short of killing, robbing and destroying. Yes, they are those who are best known as satanics. Realizing how important communication is, they thought is wise also to communicate to their fellows.

SODA ON TRAFFIC

Life is now pricey. It needs money. Money is a necessary part of life. Money refreshes and challenges. We all welcome money. Like true love. But it shouldn’t be at the outlay of our embrace of values and elements of justice, truth and rationality. Never.

Raw Stuffer in the Weekend Nation once called it Soda in one of his well-groomed articles. It’s a term used by those who partake in such uncanny means of fishing money from wells that are legally, morally, and spiritually prohibited. Those experienced just use this term with abandon. Some coin other equally effective ones so long as they communicate.

The role the police play in our societies is quite adorable: they bring order and security through their unstinting efforts in getting rid of darned criminals; they reduce road accidents to some good extent by ensuring vehicles are roadworthy; and they are handy sometimes in coming in time when their service is needed most. That we know.

TRACKING THE RIGHT

A grown man, we know, does not, after spitting out something, go back and lick it again. But when one does, we know too that his senses –two or three– are gone, lost or perhaps warped.

One lover of wisdom once said: a bad man is bad because of ignorance; a man who fails to do good fails to do so because he does not recognize it.

Our history is loaded. And history, lest we forget, has never disappointed. Many decades ago, our ancestors used to grow, gather, and hunt. In them was also knowledge of the existence of some supernatural being, nay Creator, called Leza, Mphambe, Chisumphi, Namalenga – the list we can reserve for posterity.