THE CHANGED JZU & THE "CULT OF PERSONAITY" IN MALAWI'S POLITICS

“During the decades we have worked together in the ANC, we have had the great fortune that our movement has consistently repudiated the highly noxious phenomenon of the "cult of personality", which we saw manifested in other countries” (Thabo Mbeki 2008 sourced at BBC News 24).

This is one of the leaders of Africa pointing to what is generally a cancer in political leadership, not only in our country, but in most parts of Africa. What prompted me to write this short peeve is the news that is coming of a changed jzu and MCP. While I may want to give all this benefit of doubt, I have problems accepting the change wholesale and wholesome. It must be borne in mind that JZU has been on our political scene for the past 40+ years. Added to that It must further be remembered that he was one the most vocal opponents of the coming and ushering in of political pluralism in our country. The vehemence with which he articulated his opposition to democratic politics does not seem to match inch by inch with his pronouncements that he has changed. What has he changed? How has he changed? When did he experience that change himself? When did he think it was right to share that change with the country? How does he want us to celebrate his change? Does he have any confessions to make? Is he ready to let go of the mantle of power within the MCP? Or he believes in the cult of personality in as far as governing political parties is concerned?

When looked at from this angle, the change that jzu and MCP are talking about, in the view of the writer, should have taken a different form – one of which could have been “I have done my party, I therefore pave way for another leader in the party that I love most – the MCP.” However jzu has decided to choose another path for that change – “I will be the leader, as I have been for the past…years and expect that I have changed.” This is a tough call for me – and probably for many others. The very fact that he can not decide on taking the initiative of stepping aside to allow for totally new faces contesting for the top notch job within MCP sends a chill down my spine as to what change he really is talking about.

Let me try to take this issue a step deeper and further. Tracking his political diary, one will find that jzu has concentrated his campaign rallies and meetings in and around the central region of Malawi (can we outlaw these regions, by the way?). Looked at even from the surface, one wonders if jzu you really wants the whole country to rally round his “new shape and image” – if at all that new shape and image is there.

Then there is this notion that jzu has his first vice president from the south and his second vice president from the north – well and good – but if I may ask, what are the roles of “two vice presidents?” (those that have the answers please do enlighten me on this one). As for me and my thought pattern, this kind of approach entrenches the fact that MCP can only be seen to be inclusive if all the three regions are seen to be catered for. My view, however, particularly in regard to inclusivity in a Malawi that should be – not the one that is – is that a leader can be picked from anywhere, from any spot in the country and for any party and still command national support without having to look over ones shoulders as to whether or not everybody feels accommodated. The “regions” dimension needs to be looked at very critically in a Malawi that can be truly progressive as a nation. While many a politician think and feel they benefit from this regional divide, it is a divide that divides us more than it unites us and in the process we lose the agenda that can be described as truly nationalistic. “Regions” in my view, play a negative role in making us to be in a position where we can play a truly national agenda. That said, I would still love to listen to those that think our inclusivity should entail a set-up like the one MCP has adopted (and I think for a long time now)…and remember Gwanda’s presidency of the party was riddles with a lot of “pseudo-problems” that then led to a real feud between jzu and Gwanda – and some conspiracy theorists think it is because Gwanda was from the southern region. Need we require to remind ourselves that there has been nobody from the northern region taking the command in and within the Malawi Congress Party? Is this by default? Is this by design? Is this supposed to be the norm? – I do not know but probably your guess is as good as mine.

Let me be clear…saying this of and about the MCP does not exonerate the other political clubs. We see the same trend in and within the UDF. Can one honestly tell me if we have seen any other leader apart from Bakili Muluzi? And do we anticipate to see any other leader within that party in the foreseeable future? Your answers to those questions are as good as mine.

The same culture seems to be growing in and within the DPP. We have not seen or witnessed any real and tangible participation of the “people” in and within the DPP in electing their leaders. The National Governing council was decided upon in the “boardrooms” and it is becoming increasingly clear that the decision to have Bingu as the flag carrier in the forthcoming presidential elections will be endorsed in the “boardrooms”. Further to this, while there is a surge on the number of people who want to stand on a DPP ticket in the parliamentary elections in many a constituency, there seems to be dragging of feet in setting the scene for healthy competitions and eventual primary elections. One would actually be tempted to think that the decisions on who should or will stand on their ticket in the parliamentary elections may be getting decided on in the “boardrooms”. And with the fierce title of “Ngwazi” bestowed on their leader, the DPP seems even more at risk of slipping into a crashing, “unilateral-deciding” party.

While we all should applaud the coming in of a democratic dispensation in 1993, that seems all we have managed to achieve. We do not seem to have “political leaders” ready to truly embrace and contest with democratic tenets and top on the agenda that people should be involved, in real terms, in electing the leadership of political parties – not necessarily endorsements – but electing them.

“The highly noxious phenomenon of the "cult of personality" (Mbeki 2008) is real and palpable in our country and particularly in the way political parties are run – and nobody should raise hands in applause for such a highly entrenched political culture in my, our country, whenever and however it manifests itself… And with so many questions in my mind about the change that jzu has pronounced, I find it hard to celebrate it…and I may not be alone.

Isaac Cheke Ziba
Livingston
United Kingdom.