WHILE most one-party administrations in Africa are crumbling, President Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi still insists that the multi-party system is unsuitable for his country and will cause corruption and strife. As such there is no question of introducing it in his country.
This is increasingly isolating the land-locked country since almost all the governments in Southern Africa have adopted the multi-party system. Whether it is functioning or not is something else.
While it is understandable for governments to resent policies that are imposed upon them by the International Financial Institutions as a pre-condition for aid, Malawi’s case is different in that the people of that country are demanding democracy. They are, however, thwarted mostly through imprisonment without trial.
The major fundamental difference between Malawi and its Southern African counterparts is that in Malawi, the one-party system is legislated, unlike in Zimbabwe and to some extent, Botswana, where it has become de facto by virtue of the ruling parties sweeping the polls at every general election.
Another major point against President Banda’s argument that pluralism breeds corruption, political instability, poor economic performance and civil and tribal strife, is that even under the present one-party system all these ills are rampant and the country has not been faring well.
Malawi’s greatest problem, however, seems to be centred on the uncertainty that will befall the country in the event of the nonagenarian’s death. The country can easily plunge into chaos as his so-called favoured successors are very unpopular and will have to grab power by force if they are to take over.
Reports from Malawi say President Banda’s favourite, John Tembo, ably assisted by his nieces, the official hostess Mama Tamanda Kadzamira and her sister Mary, Banda’s private secretary, is already slowly but surely seizing the reins of power as the ageing Banda loses control of the day-to-day affairs of the state.
The reports say Tembo is deliberately keeping Banda in the dark about mounting international and domestic pressure and other cabinet ministers are becoming increasingly frustrated by the manner in which they are blocked by the trio to get the President’s ear.
Tembo is reported to be now in control of the intelligence and military services with the chiefs of those two wings, Inspector General Chinkuta, and Major-General Robby Liabunya reporting to him directly.
He is also reported to have ensured that all his “yes” men are in government and has integrated the much feared Young Pioneers into the civil service. Some senior ministers are reported to be physically bowing to Tembo in public, a thing normally reserved for the “life President”.
One of the most disturbing features, though, is that reports say President Banda himself also no longer trusts anyone including his own army.
These reports say Banda solicited the help of South African policemen to crack down on pro-democracy demonstrations in his country in May because he believed his own army could not be relied upon to do this.
The crack team is reported to have been headed by Lieut. General Basie Smit, who headed Pretoria’s security policy at the height of the African National Congress’s civil disobedience in the 1980s. Smit is reported to have provided special briefings on political unrest and crown control at the police academy in Lilongwe.
(0 VIEWS)
