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Bakili Muluzi- the man who wore democratic credentials in 1994 and won people's votes to preside over the destinies (social, economic, political, religious, cultural, among others) and finished his Constitutional two-terms call in 2004, amid some thin-veiled reluctance to leave the centre stage through the miserably executed and failed Third Term bid- cut a very angry and sad figure the other day. The day was Saturday, the date was March 24, and the time of day was mid-morning.
Muluzi- a patient of dislocated back-bone disks whose pain has, many a time, forced him to fly (not to heaven but) to, towards and, then, into South Africa for medical attention- was, visibly, a patient of double blows: anger, which made him swagger from left to light after touching off at the archtectural-piece-of-confusion that is Chileka International Airport in Blantyre, and; sickness, in form of the dislocated disks that have but reduced him to a pale of his former self, as he looks older now than he were one year ago.
One thing must be clear on the case of the former United Democratic Front (UDF) chairman's sickness. Muluzi- now hardly the man who mocked former, and his own, Vice-President Justin Malewezi for taking medication in relation to a liver condition- carries his troublesome disks on his back because there is no choice, really- the disks are the sickness, the disks are the disease. So, when he goes to South Africa, he takes the disks there. When coming back, they are there, causing the pain he always controls through medication.
The nation wishes him well. That is why the tax-payer foots his bills. And, form what he has gone through, he seems to have captured some lessons on sickness: no one chooses, sickness comes as a pain the back (no pun intended).
Talking of lessons, Muluzi seems to be a man who doesn't take free lessons. This is clear from the way he has been managing himself, politically. The UDF, now as divided as residents of a border town, has split in factions: There is the faction of former Finance Minister, and Admarc general manager, Friday Jumbe; then, there is the faction that used to be headed by former Health Minister George Nga Ntafu. That faction has now transformed into the former President's son, Atupele Muluzi's, faction. This faction happens to be the faction of UDF secretary general, Kennedy Makwangwala.
Makwangwala, a one-time member of the Jumbe faction which, other than on the grounds of ideologies, united on the strength of their hatred for Bakili Muluzi's continued political machinations. Makwangwala has since gone back to the 'mainline' party faction, leaving Jumbe and others stuck with the wood of their faction.
Jumbe has been accusing Muluzi the senior of meddling in politics despite announced his retirement from active politics. Jumbe has accused Muluzi the senior of convincing his son, Atupele, to vie for the UDF presidency.
"(Bakili) Muluzi wants to rule through the back door through his son, Atupele. But this is not chieftainship. His (the former President's) behaviour is bringing confusion in the party," Jumbe told Zachimalawi.
Well, this is an issue for another day. We may do ourselves justice by delving into the issue of the former president; his interest, especially, in the death of former President, the late Bingu wa Mutharika. Other than being a predecessor to Mutharika, Muluzi seems to be interested in something, something unknown. But, as Malawians vey well know, it could be power he is after. He wants to take advantage of the current situation and 'sale' his son's presidency.
Any surprises, looking at the way Muluzi suggested the formation of a "Constitutional Forum" on Friday. He, surely, thinks that, through formation of such an 'illegal' (because it is not constitutional), Atupele may get a go, and real taste, at the presidency. But that won't happen. Joyce Banda is taking over.
From what seemed like a trip aimed at being together with his arreasted son, Atupele, on Saturday, March 24, 2012, Muluzi has gone full throttle in mainline politics.
Muluzi's arrival
Muluzi has been to, and outside, Malawi so many times. It is his 're-entry' on March 24 this year that we are interested in.
Muluzi arrived back in Malawi on March 24. He flew from South Africa, where he has been receiving medical treatment. The treatment is bankrolled by tax-payers.
Upon arrival, Muluzi drove (well, he was being driven) to Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Blantyre. His son and aspiring presidential candidate, Atupele, was taken ill. He was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (experts said to make the disease, whatever ailment it was, appear "serious. Now, that was strange. Atupele himself said it was Malaria. Malaria gives our people problems; it robs Malawians of their children. But no one among the general populace goes to the Intensive Care Unit for something as 'small' as Malaria. Especially now that our public hospitals are short on drugs. People get Aspirin for Malaria here; they don't go to the Intensive Care Unit. That tells you how detached from reality Atupele is. How luxuries have littered his life. That is the strange part).
Atupele was arrested on Tuesday, March 20. The authorities said he had incited violence. It was until Friday that he finally got the police bail his lawyers so gallantly fought for. That is an example of human rights violations has littered the Democratic Progressive Party regime.
Later, the police officers who were handling Atupele changed tune, and charge. The charged him with the strange offense of ignoring instructions from government authorities. Government officials did not like the idea of Atupele holding a public meetting in Lilongwe's Area 24.
When police officers disrupted the meeing, people went amok. They turned a police unit 'upside down' with fire. The people also stole a gun from the police unit they baptised with fire.
Bakili Muluzi spent an hour with Atupele.
He emerged afterwards. He had one message condemnation.
He condemned the Malawi Police Service for being brutal in their handling of opposition figures. He sounded as if he were different from the Malawi leader who, between 1994 and 2004, let his Young Democrats terrorise the country.
He was not happy with the police officers arrested his son at Bunda Turn-off, took him to Lumbadzi Police (some 30 kilometres from Bunda Turn-Off), where he was dumped in a police cell without electricity and infested with mosquitoes.
Now, there is nothing strange in that. Ordinary Malawians have put up with such treatment both during Bakili Muluzi's regime, and that of the late president, Bingu wa Mutharika. Bakili Muluzi did nothing to change that.
Bakili Muluzi was angry that the police officers wanted to transfer Atupele to Ntchisi. That, too, is not strange. People get transfered to Ntchisi all the time. Infact, there used to be people on remand at Ntchisi Police during Muluzi's regime.
What has changed now? Nothing. Just the people at he helm of power!
"This only shows that Bingu is targeting me and my family," Muluzi fumed. The same Muluzi wose regime arrested the ageing former President, Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
But Muluzi, who said he would return to South Africa within 14 doctors, on the advice of is doctors, has forgotten about all that, and started meddling in Malawi's politics.
He has already called for the formation of a 'Constitutional Forum' to decide on who will take power.
But the Malawi Constitution says the Vice-President (in this case, Joyce Banda) takes over.
On Saturday, Muluzi also expressed disappointment at the delays to announce (formally) that President Mutharika was no more.
People fear that Muluzi could be positioning his son for the country's top job.
People feel that Muluzi wants his son to take over through hook or crook. That he wants to 'confuse' the Malawi nation tyhe same way he has managed to 'confuse' the once mighty UDF into factions.
Just what Muluzi's real interest is, nobody knows. He knows it himself.
He knows it; he hides it inside.
Muluzi- a patient of dislocated back-bone disks whose pain has, many a time, forced him to fly (not to heaven but) to, towards and, then, into South Africa for medical attention- was, visibly, a patient of double blows: anger, which made him swagger from left to light after touching off at the archtectural-piece-of-confusion that is Chileka International Airport in Blantyre, and; sickness, in form of the dislocated disks that have but reduced him to a pale of his former self, as he looks older now than he were one year ago.
One thing must be clear on the case of the former United Democratic Front (UDF) chairman's sickness. Muluzi- now hardly the man who mocked former, and his own, Vice-President Justin Malewezi for taking medication in relation to a liver condition- carries his troublesome disks on his back because there is no choice, really- the disks are the sickness, the disks are the disease. So, when he goes to South Africa, he takes the disks there. When coming back, they are there, causing the pain he always controls through medication.
The nation wishes him well. That is why the tax-payer foots his bills. And, form what he has gone through, he seems to have captured some lessons on sickness: no one chooses, sickness comes as a pain the back (no pun intended).
Talking of lessons, Muluzi seems to be a man who doesn't take free lessons. This is clear from the way he has been managing himself, politically. The UDF, now as divided as residents of a border town, has split in factions: There is the faction of former Finance Minister, and Admarc general manager, Friday Jumbe; then, there is the faction that used to be headed by former Health Minister George Nga Ntafu. That faction has now transformed into the former President's son, Atupele Muluzi's, faction. This faction happens to be the faction of UDF secretary general, Kennedy Makwangwala.
Makwangwala, a one-time member of the Jumbe faction which, other than on the grounds of ideologies, united on the strength of their hatred for Bakili Muluzi's continued political machinations. Makwangwala has since gone back to the 'mainline' party faction, leaving Jumbe and others stuck with the wood of their faction.
Jumbe has been accusing Muluzi the senior of meddling in politics despite announced his retirement from active politics. Jumbe has accused Muluzi the senior of convincing his son, Atupele, to vie for the UDF presidency.
"(Bakili) Muluzi wants to rule through the back door through his son, Atupele. But this is not chieftainship. His (the former President's) behaviour is bringing confusion in the party," Jumbe told Zachimalawi.
Well, this is an issue for another day. We may do ourselves justice by delving into the issue of the former president; his interest, especially, in the death of former President, the late Bingu wa Mutharika. Other than being a predecessor to Mutharika, Muluzi seems to be interested in something, something unknown. But, as Malawians vey well know, it could be power he is after. He wants to take advantage of the current situation and 'sale' his son's presidency.
Any surprises, looking at the way Muluzi suggested the formation of a "Constitutional Forum" on Friday. He, surely, thinks that, through formation of such an 'illegal' (because it is not constitutional), Atupele may get a go, and real taste, at the presidency. But that won't happen. Joyce Banda is taking over.
From what seemed like a trip aimed at being together with his arreasted son, Atupele, on Saturday, March 24, 2012, Muluzi has gone full throttle in mainline politics.
Muluzi's arrival
Muluzi has been to, and outside, Malawi so many times. It is his 're-entry' on March 24 this year that we are interested in.
Muluzi arrived back in Malawi on March 24. He flew from South Africa, where he has been receiving medical treatment. The treatment is bankrolled by tax-payers.
Upon arrival, Muluzi drove (well, he was being driven) to Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Blantyre. His son and aspiring presidential candidate, Atupele, was taken ill. He was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (experts said to make the disease, whatever ailment it was, appear "serious. Now, that was strange. Atupele himself said it was Malaria. Malaria gives our people problems; it robs Malawians of their children. But no one among the general populace goes to the Intensive Care Unit for something as 'small' as Malaria. Especially now that our public hospitals are short on drugs. People get Aspirin for Malaria here; they don't go to the Intensive Care Unit. That tells you how detached from reality Atupele is. How luxuries have littered his life. That is the strange part).
Atupele was arrested on Tuesday, March 20. The authorities said he had incited violence. It was until Friday that he finally got the police bail his lawyers so gallantly fought for. That is an example of human rights violations has littered the Democratic Progressive Party regime.
Later, the police officers who were handling Atupele changed tune, and charge. The charged him with the strange offense of ignoring instructions from government authorities. Government officials did not like the idea of Atupele holding a public meetting in Lilongwe's Area 24.
When police officers disrupted the meeing, people went amok. They turned a police unit 'upside down' with fire. The people also stole a gun from the police unit they baptised with fire.
Bakili Muluzi spent an hour with Atupele.
He emerged afterwards. He had one message condemnation.
He condemned the Malawi Police Service for being brutal in their handling of opposition figures. He sounded as if he were different from the Malawi leader who, between 1994 and 2004, let his Young Democrats terrorise the country.
He was not happy with the police officers arrested his son at Bunda Turn-off, took him to Lumbadzi Police (some 30 kilometres from Bunda Turn-Off), where he was dumped in a police cell without electricity and infested with mosquitoes.
Now, there is nothing strange in that. Ordinary Malawians have put up with such treatment both during Bakili Muluzi's regime, and that of the late president, Bingu wa Mutharika. Bakili Muluzi did nothing to change that.
Bakili Muluzi was angry that the police officers wanted to transfer Atupele to Ntchisi. That, too, is not strange. People get transfered to Ntchisi all the time. Infact, there used to be people on remand at Ntchisi Police during Muluzi's regime.
What has changed now? Nothing. Just the people at he helm of power!
"This only shows that Bingu is targeting me and my family," Muluzi fumed. The same Muluzi wose regime arrested the ageing former President, Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
But Muluzi, who said he would return to South Africa within 14 doctors, on the advice of is doctors, has forgotten about all that, and started meddling in Malawi's politics.
He has already called for the formation of a 'Constitutional Forum' to decide on who will take power.
But the Malawi Constitution says the Vice-President (in this case, Joyce Banda) takes over.
On Saturday, Muluzi also expressed disappointment at the delays to announce (formally) that President Mutharika was no more.
People fear that Muluzi could be positioning his son for the country's top job.
People feel that Muluzi wants his son to take over through hook or crook. That he wants to 'confuse' the Malawi nation tyhe same way he has managed to 'confuse' the once mighty UDF into factions.
Just what Muluzi's real interest is, nobody knows. He knows it himself.
He knows it; he hides it inside.
1 comment:
u pipo hv nothing to write about!! pure nonsense!
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