Malawi Calls For Adoption Of Federal System Of Governance

A CALL FOR ADOPTION OF FEDERAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE BEFORE FRESH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Parties:

Malawi National Assembly

Tonse Alliance Partners

DPP/UDF alliance

Faith Groups

SCOs

All Citizens.

Malawians have seen it all since 1964 that development and politics have been bleached by political players and something beneficial to all must be considered before we escalate into unfixable divisions and poverty that is yet to come.

For the past 56 yrs Malawi has been a haven for political criminals and not all its citizens, we’ve seen tribal supremacy than national unity, we’ve witnessed some of the most devastating times on earth due to political power wrangles. Pre-multiparty we lost noble men and women who wished Malawi prosperity and honour but only to be labelled as enemies of the state.

Post one-party rule we’ve seen wolves in sheep skins preaching peace, unity and prosperity on podiums while their brains are glued to nepotism, corruption, murder, tribalism and all the isms that endanger national growth, unity and peace. Today is the day for Malawi.

We’ve fought on party tickets, we’ve given in to greedy individuals in suits and ties and also in noble head gears and national wear suits. Malawi has to rise above the curse bar now and not tomorrow. This I write with pain and shame as a citizen who was born in the one party rule, raised in first multiparty president and became a man 25 years after ataining multiparty democracy.

Malawi was among the first to gain independence in southern Africa, we are the second or so generation in attaining independence in Africa after countries like Ghana but we’ve been surpassed in all sectors by almost all countries and proudly we’re sitting at number 3 as a poorest country on planet Earth since the creator’s day of our creation. This must not be entertained by anyone, non must accept this as our dream.

As we’re transitioning politically for the third time it’s noble that all political parties, tribes, regions, SCOs and faith organisations realise our potential to grow as a country through adoption of a new governing system that enhances growth, real unity and above all productivity across the country. This calls for the adoption of FEDERAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE as soonest as June this year. This adoption must be viewed as a tool to develop, unite and build all citizens of Malawi in our conductions as a country. We’ve tasted autocracy and unitary systems of governments and looking through them academically and practically we’ve to all agree that they’re not governing systems for the citizens but few elected who behave like gods by nature. Whatever our political leaders are doing in these governing systems isn’t by mistake but that’s how these systemes guide them, no politician will rule us smoothly under unitary and autocratic systems. These are bush animals governing systems where the strong survive all the time, as people we need a governing system that views all citizens as equals in rights, do’s and don’ts. All citizens must have platforms for change, all citizens must have a piece of power and all citizens must feel their existence to be significant without anyone being marginalized by another. This is the type of a governing system that will promote unity, development and prosperity to all Malawians.

Adopting federalism now saves alot of time, energy and resources because we’re already in a transitional period, after fresh pools the coming government will not balance immediately because we’ve lost alot of revenues and resources, hosting two presidential elections in a period of just 12 months is too costy especially to a country like Malawi. It’s a norm in our country that regime change registers alot of loses because the outgoing governing parties steal everything from our coffers, this is so because the powers to own all state coffers is in one hand of that president of the day. We’ve to move with time as a country in recognising our shortfalls associated with this unitary system.

Adopting federal system of governance now will reduce the burden of reforming this country by the coming governing. Federalism will broaden the participants from a across the country, for example, all regions will be entitled to fix their regions or states while the national government will be left with national matters only. This will boost the competence of the government to come and also fastening the national services deliver across our country. Federalism benefits all citizens and parties regardless of regions or tribes, this shall mean that even after one of the two contesting parties lose the coming election still the losing party will have opportunity to make a government of their state (s). This also helps the winning parties to have minimal resistance in other states that are governed by other parties, each state government is held responsible for their failures without necessarily putting a blame on one national governing party and president.

Malawi has lost alot of its wealth under unitary, we can’t afford to rescue this country by arresting all those responsible because in so doing we’ll lose even more, for instance how much has our country lost in pursuing 2013 cashgate case? How much have we lost pursuing Bakili corruption case? We lose everyday without achieving anything like justice. This we can fix by fixing the future which is more important than the past.

Some politicians are afraid of federalism, I understand they’re those who’re lazy and can’t make it without stealing which is easier under unitary system of governance but this time everyone must understand that we can’t all be thieves, we can’t all be politicians but we all need Malawi and good lives from our very own resources.

Let the parliament adopt federalism this very budget sitting so that come July the new government is able to fasten development by involving the local citizens genuinely through their autonomy. We need a country that competes in development constitutionally and not tribalism, regionalism, nepotism and all ills. Malawi has the potential to beat the entire southern Africa in development once it adopts federal system of governance, it’s size and resources fit the jigsaw puzzle without frictions.

Let Malawi and all its citizens win and not a political party and it’s party officials, a developed and prosperous Malawi is needed now. Let’s hold our hands together for the adoption of federal system of governance for a permanent change, change that will live for centuries to come, benefiting millions of generations to come.

Federalism systematically reduces presidential powers which is toxic to our nation, a podium promise to reduce presidential powers has landed us into this mess hence subscribing to such promises without adhering to a system that permanently reduces presidential powers is a lie of a politician. No leader develops a country alone, it’s the large number of citizens participation in development that develops the country. For the large population to participate we need power (autonomy) over our resources and not just a good leader. This is the time political parties must come open and endorse the adoption of federalism as a new governing system.

In Kenya all parties campaigned for adoption of federalism during their election campaigns to save public resources, this helped Kenyans to understand federalism better such that after the parliament adopted the federal system of governance Kenyans were not alarmed, our political parties must get out of self glorification to national glorificaton by giving Malawians genuine hope through the adoption of federalism. We might love this person today believe you me tomorrow we’ll hate him or her as no president is poised to per form under unitary only benevolent dictators do. Should there be an alliance government there will never be stability without sharing of power in a federal way. Forget the positions as power sharing you’ll remember this prophesy not long form now. We need to perfect the system not individuals who’re fully grown doing what they do with full knowledge. Power intoxicate the wise and never be fooled that your presidential candidate will never change.

God bless Federal Republic of Malawi.