CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Patrick Mawaya, Malawi, June 1998
THEME = DEMOCRACY
Has four years of multiparty democracy
taught Malawians of the need to live together with unity in diversity?
Or are our differences growing each day
because of our political ideology?
Malawi's people made history, but they don't seem happy about it. Voters succeeded in electing their first multiparty government after three decades of single-party rule. First came the 14 June 1993 referendum when most Malawians voted for multiparty politics. Some sections of the Constitution then had to be repealed, especially those stating there can only be one political party, and the President is president-for-life. (Dr.Banda became life-president in 1971).
General elections were held on 17 May 1994 with Bakili Muluzi of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) emerging as the winner. Dr.Banda accepted defeat with humility and wished President Muluzi "all the best".
President Muluzi declared 14 June a public holiday and called it Freedom Day. Freedom indeed came after thirty years of autocratic rule. But four years on, there doesn't seem to be much freedom. The Constitution has been raped in broad daylight; democracy is but another bunch of litanies to be sung at public rallies; insecurity continues.
The economy is virtually destroyed. Most victims are women and children, trapped midway to meet the basics of survival and the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) with support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Malawi is not yet free from want. The health and education sectors leave much to be desired, and the country's infrastructure is run down. Health institutions have been running without adequate funding so there are not enough drugs in the hospitals and hospitals are inadequately staffed. Education is in a mess. The University of Malawi operates on low-level funding, standards are falling, and university education has become more of a luxury than part of the country's integral development. Emphasis has been placed on primary education which has been made free but not compulsory. Schools operate without qualified teachers so as to meet the increasing number of pupils.
Not much attention has been given to Malawi's infrastructure. Roads are not properly maintained - contractors prepared to do the job "on the cheap" win the contracts - and what happens? A few days later the roads are once again completely wrecked. There are frequent power blackouts and this makes business operations very difficult.
Telecommunications are another mess especially when it comes to applying for a telephone line. Lines are only available when the engineers have had their hands well "greased" by the applicant. If you're stingy with your money, you'll be without a phone for a long time!
The need to participate in decision-making was thought to be a high priority especially at a local level. However, the people's dreams have not been fulfilled. Upon assuming power in 1994, the ruling UDF dissolved the local councils. Since then the country has been operating without local councils. The result has been declining social services in both urban and rural areas.
Efforts by the civil society represented by human rights non- governmental organisations to force the government to hold local elections, have been futile. The government dilly-dallies by delaying the required legislation. Although the Local Government Bill is believed to be now in its draft form, it has not yet been presented to Parliament and is still regarded as a secret document.
Indeed, Malawians are free to say what they want but they are not yet free to take part in decision-making as far as the country is concerned.
Meanwhile the economy is in ruins. Basic commodity prices increase daily, so much so that it's difficult to budget. There's rising inflation and devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha against the US dollar. For instance, the dollar was pegged at MK15.00 in July 1997, but is now at MK25.00. In addition, unemployment is on the increase. Retrenchment is the order of the day. In the civil service more than 3000 industrial class employees will have been retrenched by June this year.
Addressing the National Assembly on 22 May 1998, President Muluzi said: "In 1994, we came to power on a promise and commitment to change the standard of living of every Malawian for the better. Our commitment is total and uncompromising. For us to achieve this, we put into place our poverty alleviation policy as the centre- piece of our development programme".
However, poverty alleviation is not for the poor Malawians, it is for those who are already rich. In fact, only those with connections to people in high places, benefit from the poverty alleviation programme. Over 60% of Malawians (Malawi-pop:12 million" are still waiting to experience the benefits of this programme.
Inflation is increasing. President Muluzi said: "Inflation is the number one enemy of our poverty alleviation programme. The continuing increases in prices of basic commodities are, without a doubt, causing hardships among the majority of our people". In 1995, inflation reached 80% - reasons for this include: high levels of borrowing by government; expenditure higher than income; government's failure to control expenditure.
The government has been to the forefront in a wholesale liberalisation of the economy. What's been the result? Local industries are shutting down with consequent unemployment. Callisto Madavo, vice-president of the World Bank (Africa Region) has warned against such a practice. He says: "When it comes to liberalising the economy, we have to be very careful not to open-up the economy in an abrupt way. We must ensure that local industries are competitive and that they operate efficiently. I urge African countries to modernise and create industries that are efficient".
Madavo is quick to point out key challenges facing Malawi's economy. "These include putting the macroeconomic situation in order especially fiscal policies; addressing fundamental structural issues, that is prioritisation of expenditures, civil services reform, privatisation and infrastructural development; and addressing long term development needs such as education, health, empowerment of people at the grassroots level".
From the look of things, it appears the UDF government is determined to run the country without any opposition - a situation that might develop into having a single-party government in a multiparty era. The UDF is accused of "buying" opposition Members of Parliament mainly from the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). In his rallies, President Muluzi has often said that no opposition Member can bring development to a region. So if people want their region to develop they must vote UDF in the next elections.
Mahtma Gandhi once said: "Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes". With Malawi's "freedom" being far from real, all one can say is that Malawians are still hankering for freedom.
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement