“Are Museveni and Zuma racists?” by Nkwazi Mhango

During his address to The East African Legislation Assembly (EALA) in Kigali, Rwanda on 24^th April 2004, Uganda’s long time President Yoweri Museveni said, “Why Africans forget easily… it is really amazing”. Museveni asked EALA Members of Parliament if they remember Mau Mau. As it seems, they did not respond the way Museveni wanted. So he pointlessly attacked all Africans based on the reaction of a few MPs, saying that they forget easily. Is Museveni a white man he likes to beg and blame? Did Museveni utter this out of irresponsibility, arrogance or mere ignorance and forgetfulness?

Today’s piece will pick a bone with Museveni who seems to say much without thinking. Are there any Africans who forget easily like Museveni and Robert Mugabe? I am trying to imagine. If such rubbishes would have been uttered by a white person what’d have been our reaction? I’m wondering. The media didn’t pick this abuse to show how racists sometimes some of our people can be.

Museveni isn’t alone in this racist race. Who’s forgotten how South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma, recently showed disrespect and racist remarks about Africans as if he weren’t an African? He said, “We can’t think like Africans in Africa generally. We are in Johannesburg. It’s not some national road in Malawi.” For Zuma, J’burg that’s built by white racists is a big deal. J’burg for Zuma is a symbol of pride that one can pointlessly use to discriminate other Africans. Has he forgotten how J’burg’s built? Is Zuma among the Africans Museveni says forget easily because of the powers they abuse and misuse? None withstanding, Zuma’s forgotten that he’s not one of those whose policies of robbing the public and build his home village, built J’burg. In other words, Zuma’s trying to take credit where he didn’t perform. This is theft by legal definition.

As for Museveni, it is sad for the guy who’s been in power forcefully for decades to say such degrading words. Try to imagine. If such words were uttered by UK Prime Minister or the President of France, what’d have been the response from our Think Tanks and media, even the likes of Museveni? Has he forgotten that he’s an African like Zuma? Does Museveni remember some of his vows, some of which is the one of not overstaying in power? Again, for over two decade now, Museveni’s nary remembered that he’s overstayed in power!

Swahili sage that Museveni likes to mix with English has it, “Nyani haoni kundule namely the monkey does not see its back.” Interestingly, it is the same Museveni who seems to forget easily and think that all African do the same. For instance, Museveni took a dig on others for calling United Nations into their affairs which he called the vote of no confidence from the people. Obviously he’s referring to the DRC after it called UN to flush M23 away. He forgot that DRC was weakened by his invasion and his clandestine support to M23. Again, when the same Museveni tried to catch and kill Joseph Kony failed, he went himself to the same UN. Indirectly, his target was Kenya that took her case before the International Criminal Court (ICC). To Museveni this is failure.

Museveni went on showing how he easily forgets. He said, “China and Japan were backward technologically at that very time. This is not true. Historically, China was ahead of other countries in the world save that the king abolished his ambitious programs of building bigger ships that Europe had ever seen. The Europeans tried to colonise them but failed.” Even when Brits arrived in China for the first time they were baffled with the level of development and technological advancement China enjoyed. History shows and proves that China and Japan were vanquished and colonized. Museveni mentioned Opium war. To prove how he forgets easily he said that the British were defeated. Really? After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, if my memory serves me rightly, Britain won after its troops and those of France under General Sir James Hope Grant and Lieutenant General Cousin-Montauban defeated China three years thereafter. Again, whose fault’s this? Is it Museveni’s or his speech writers? Again, for the person who’s well educated and sane, you don’t pick up the speech and read it as it is. You do your own research in order to corroborate the facts and issues instead of regurgitating just like Museveni did to end up abusing all Africans and telling lies.

Again, Museveni’s naked abuses that Africans forget easily should be taken seriously.  And he’d be told to his face that generalization’s the refuge for uneducated and lazy people. Academically, nothing’s sacrilegious to commit like generalizing everything without any gist of research. Mao Tse-tung used to say, “No investigation, no right to speak.” Africans don’t forget easily. If they do, they do so like any other human beings. So too, China didn’t defeat Britain in two Opium Wars.

When faced with reality of America being hated by many people under George W. Bush, Michael Moore, in his book “Stupid White Men”, wrote, “Friends, when are we going to stop kidding ourselves?” The same token fits Museveni and Zuma. Guys, when are you going to stop lying to us yourselves included? Again, Arabic proverb has it that arrogance diminishes wisdom.

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

“Is ICC targeting Africa or vice versa?” by Nkwazi Mhango

There is a silent conflict blowing between the Africa Union (AU) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). This conflict started after the ICC indicted some untouchables namely heads of states. AU urged its all 34 members to exit ICC. All in attendance agreed with this move except Botswana, that did not see any logic in exiting ICC.

Since independence, African presidents took the role and place of the colonial governors who were above the law. They too decided to be above the law so that they could lord it over their earthlings. And, indeed, they have always done that for decades. Essentially, they became new black colonialists replacing old white ones. To successfully do their things, they made sure that their constitutions clearly stipulate that the president is above law.

This colonial carry over, if anything, is the one that is disturbing African potentates, even after unwillingly consenting to multiparty democracy for those that bother to have it. Due to their newfound infallibility, many African dictators became gods in their own light. Insane and sacrilegious as it may seem and sound, untouchability and sacredness became the symbols and prerogatives of African rulers. Ironically, when such infallible and untouchable rulers appended their signatures to ratify the ICC, they did not know that their licenses to do as pleased would be wound up. They did not know that they wouldn’t have any power whatsoever nor any way they could interfere in ICC business as they just used to do with their judiciaries.

Ethiopia stole the thunder in this onslaught against ICC. Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quoted as spewing bile saying, “What the summit decided is that President Kenyatta should not appear until the requests we have made is actually answered.” Again, the AU proved to be fully throwing its weight behind indictees. What the AU did not get is the fact that what they advised Kenyatta to amounts to contempt of the court, something which guarantees an arrest, if not opening new charges against their sacred cow. What makes AU’s calculations difficult to decipher is the role it has played in crises resulting from human rights violation such as genocide that was committed on Dafuris in Sudan. On the one hand, it fully supports Sudanese strong man Omar Bashir saying he should not be prosecuted. On the other hand, the same AU sent its forces to Darfur to stop genocide.

Ghebreyesus added his salvo against ICC saying, “The unfair treatment that we have been subjected to by the ICC is completely unacceptable.” Ghebreyesus did not explain more on how ICC unfairly treated or maltreated Africa. Such lack of explicit and lamenting forced wise people such as Kofi Annan, former UN secretary General to refer to AU’s hanky panky “badge of shame.” Indeed it is a badge of shame which former Archbishop Desmond Tutu reprimanded saying, “Those leaders seeking to skirt the court are effectively looking for a license to kill, maim and oppress their own people without consequence.” Annan and Tutu know our rulers too well. They have worked with them for long. They know how they behave like babies who poop in diapers and start crying while they actually are the ones who created the mess they are in. The reasonable and important thing to do for African rulers is stop thinking backwardly. Stop your gross violations of human rights. Stop behaving like babies by accusing the West of neo-colonialism and still kow tow before it asking for AID to enable you to rule your people. Stop serving two masters, your thirsty opposition of western-originated system of governing and cup-in-hand begging missions to the West. Nobody calls you. You present yourselves. I would applaud the AU‘s move of exiting ICC shall it go in conjunction with stopping begging and doing under-table deals.

I’d urge Kenyatta and William Ruto to pooh pooh AU’s advice for their safety. Shall they heed AU’s malice aforethought to break the law, it is for their peril. The voice of reason says that law is not politics. They need to understand and underscore that the ICC is the court of law, but not the court of politics. We in the legal trade normally agree with a Swahili sage that the law is like a saw. It cuts both sides.

“As for the men in power, they are so anxious to establish the myth of infallibility that they do their utmost to ignore truth,” Boris Pasternak (1890-1960). Will the Truth with a capital “T” ignore them? What a lie one lies to himself thinking all will buy it! Is truly the ICC targeting Africa or vice versa?

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

Aminata Touré: New Prime Minister of Senegal

Click on image to read her story:

The French African Connection

Informative 3 part documentary by Aljazeera on the history of French colonial and continuing neo-colonial policies in Africa. Click on image below:

“He who’s without sin throw stone at ICC” by Nkwazi Mhango

Although I believe not in the Bible, I like some of its wisdom. John 8:7 says, “He who is without sin among you can cast the first stone at her,”. Jesus was responding to a mob justice that brought a woman accused of adultery. He wanted to assassin the tendency of better than thou among Jews.

Recently, some quarters in Africa proved to act as those Jews in Jesus’ story. Some are now accusing the International Criminal Court of racism, selectivity and targeting black leaders. Is ICC really targeting anybody or it is doing its work? A couple of current and former African rulers are facing charges before the ICC. Indicted are two sitting presidents, Omar Bashir (Sudan) and Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya). One sitting deputy president William Ruto is also charged. Two former presidents, Charles Taylor (Liberia) and Laurent Gbagbo (Ivory Coast) are behind bars waiting for their cases to be heard and determined. Suspects along with wannabe suspects and desperados are giving ICC a bad name by accusing it of racism and targeting African rulers. Bashir is charged along with his two lieutenants, Ally Kushayb and Ahmed Haroun. Actually, those people do not advance any legal and logical arguments. Instead they are yelling and politicizing ICC through duping their people to support their evil plot.

Other African indictees are Ugandan fugitive Lord Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony, along with his lieutenants and other rebel leaders from Darfur, DRC and the son of former Libyan strong man, Saif al Islam Gaddafi to mention but a few.

On the one hand, ICC has already confirmed charges against African who’s who, while in the other hand, it has already dismissed other cases involving Africans such as Henry Kosgey, Mohamed Husssein (Kenya), Bahr Idris Abu Garda (Sudan) and Calixte Mbarushimana (Rwanda). Also ICC has already acquitted other Africans such as Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui (DRC). So too, ICC convicted Thomas Lubanga Dyilo (DRC).

Yes. Looking at the above mentioned people, it is true they are all Africans. Again, were they charged because they are Africans or just because they were accused of committing crimes ranging from rape, crimes against humanity, genocide and what not? It is important to underscore that ICC is a legally enacted instrument to deal with legal but not political matters. One would think that those accusing the ICC would produce logical evidence to prove their assertion. Instead, they are making rumpus unnecessarily. Recently Rwanda and Uganda led the choir of taking shots at the ICC. When this happened many asked one major question: Why now, not when African countries willingly and knowledgeably consented to and ratified the Rome Statute? Were they forced or duped into consenting and ratifying the same? Didn’t they know what they were doing? Did they know what they were doing save they didn’t know what would be the impacts of the ICC? Isn’t this double standard in the first place?

Rwanda’s Justice Minister Johnston Busingye was recently quoted as saying, “Africa seems to be taking the lion’s share of the ICC, for example, in the last one decade or so. So our position has really been this kind of justice is selective, and we do not want to have international justice being used as a tool, or being perceived as a tool to control Africa”. I concur with Busingye that Africa took a lion share in committing crimes. Is this ICC’s fault? The whole world knows that Africa has a big chunk of conflict globally.

It is sad to see people we thought to be of integrity such as Ethiopian Premier, Haile Mariam Desalegn jumping into the bandwagon of desperation. Desalegn was, in May, quoted as saying, “The process ICC is conducting in Africa has a flaw. The intention was to avoid any kind of impunity and ill governance and crime, but now the process has degenerated into some kind of race hunting.” Again, who is hunting who if African countries took their cases before the ICC?

Stephen Musau, chair of the Rights Promotion and Protection Center in Kenya however has the answer as to why African countries should not complain but instead put their houses in order. He was quotes as saying, “The failure is what led us to the ICC and that failure cannot be blamed on Kenyans. It is the state machinery, which failed to show the way in terms of how we deal with these issues and because we failed in that, we are supporting the ICC.”

By and large, all being said, we need to know that those accusing the ICC of
selectivity.

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

“After getting rid of Morsi, next is the army” by Nkwazi Mhango

What transpired in Egypt recently tells a tall story of the future of the country. However, many wrongly thought that the deposed president Mohammed Morsi with his Islamic outfit was Egypt’s major problem. True, Egypt’s problem is bigger than Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood.

If we face it, chances are that soon Egypt will experience more unrests and chaos than it has ever evidenced throughout its history. Those who bother to muse on what causes people to be disgruntled and pull down a democratically elected government will agree with us that the problem is more economic than political. Egypt’s such humongous population that it cannot handle. If anything, this is the real and major problem. Thus, to save the country from itself, population control must be the first priority. Egypt has the population of 82.5 million that is cobbled on an arable land along River Nile and its delta. These areas are among the world highly densely populated with the average of 3,820 persons per square kilometers. Out of 1,000,000 square kilometers Egypt occupies only 2.87% is arable land.

Egypt’s a high educated and vibrant young population. Nobody can harmonize Egypt without addressing the whole issue of the population and unemployment which was 12.5 according to CIA Fact book, as of 2012. And the number surges even higher as days go by. This is the keg awaiting the army to foil. Will it foil it? The army, after being bundled out of power, waited for any opportunity to lord it over whoever that stands on its way. Indeed, Morsi was standing on its way, especially when he fired its former chief and king maker Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, who presided over the government after his mentor, former strong man, Hosni Mubarak was bundled out.

Military takeover after revolution did not sink well with either opposition or the citizenry. Due to high demand to kick the army out of power, Egyptians voted Muslim Brotherhood en masse without knowing that it was another anathema. The situation at this moment was like making a choice between a rock and a hard place. Facing two evils, Egyptians opted for Muslim Brotherhood which later proved to be a liability as the army was.

Now that the army is in a bigger picture once again, what’d we expect? Should we expect anti-Morsi opposition to ascend to power and be kicked out due to the fact that it doesn’t have the edge to return Egypt to calmness? Will anti-Morsi-fragmented opposition stand without the support of the army? If the army stands with anti-Morsi to form a government, will it be able to rule amidst chaos perpetrated by pro-Morsi forces, that have proved to be hell-bent to see to it that Egypt is becoming ungovernable? With all these difference plus economic tanking, will Egypt remain the same or forge ahead really?

Although the international community has refrained from becoming players in Egypt’s fate, chances are that we must brace ourselves for evidencing another Iraq, even Syria in Egypt soon. As it seems, there’s no way any of the major players, namely the citizenry, weak opposition, Muslim Brotherhood and Army, can let go or be compromised. The army, on its side, will try to flex its muscles as a short time solution. But as the look of things is, tells a different story. There’s no way a hungry population will give in. How can they give in while what they need is food on the table? To calm Egypt down is enable everybody to bring food on the table. Where will food come from amid chaos and unrests?

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, through his spokesperson, Farhan Haq, was quoted by BBC as saying, “The Secretary-General believes strongly that this is a critical juncture in which it is imperative for Egyptians to work together to chart a peaceful return to civilian control, constitutional order, and democratic governance.” Again, looking at lip services the international community has offered, Moon’s advice does not hold water. How will Egyptians work together while they don’t pull together? Is working together the solution if at all a democratic government can be easily toppled?

One thing many ignore is the fact that Egyptians are desperate after being ruled by corrupt and inept dictators for long. Such hungry population has lost commonsense. What it needs is food, regardless whether it is brought by devil or angel. And nobody can sufficiently supply food to such huge population facing economic and political upheavals.

Although the Muslim Brotherhood was accused of secretly trying to install a theocracy, it’s a sound mechanism with which to rule. When it comes to fragmented and weak opposition that desperately went to bed with the army to overthrow Morsi, it offers neither hope nor alternative. This being the real situation, the truth is: Egypt’s a long way to go. What we’re witnessing is but the beginning of a long, rough and complicated road ahead. Again, who’ll save Egypt from itself? Will the international community chip in or just stay aside and look as it is currently? Who wants to be blamed for somebody else’s mess in the first place?

When Morsi was toppled, many thought that the ‘fathers’ of democracy would stand with him and demand that he be reinstated. But nay, nobody dared to step in knowing how deeper, protracted and complicated Egypt’s situation is.

In a nutshell, however, the army in conjunction with revenging judiciary and confused opposition overthrew Morsi… this is not the end of the story. Soon the trio will find themselves in tug of war so as to start scheming against each other. Surely, after deposing Morsi, the army will follow next any soon from now.

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

“Mrs. Gbagbo indictment long overdue” ‏by Nkwazi Mhango

News that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Simone Gbagbo (63), the wife of former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo, charged with committing crimes against humanity is a welcome.

Mrs. Gbagbo and her husband were dug out of the bunker by UN and French forces who assaulted their residence in April 2011 after a five month standoff that left the country paralyzed politically, socially, and economically.

For those who hate the snowballing malpractices whereby the spouses and children of presidents usurp their relatives’ power, such bold move is commendable and welcome. At least, somebody somewhere can keep tabs on these mighty creatures of our dirty politics.

Africa is currently evidencing broad light robbery committed by a new crop of rotten and corrupt rulers who pointlessly allow their families and friends to abusively use their power to rob the public. Almost in many African countries, there are unofficial “presidents” behind the curtain in the name of wives, children and partners, not to mention the cabal of courtiers in the upper echelons of power. They make much money by simply vending the office of the president. In this business of vending presidency, many African countries have become wantonly bankrupt.

Back on Mrs. Gbagbo, the BBC reported of the warrants. It wrote, “She was responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, other inhumane acts and persecution.”

Gbagbo’s regime was booted out in 2011 after a long standoff between his forces and those of his former rival-cum-opponent, current President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattra. Gbagbo organized sham elections and once he realized he would not win, he decided to cling unto power unconstitutionally, the move that force international community to intervene. This move saw Gbagbo off from power after chaos left 3,000 people dead and thousands displaced.

Now it is obvious that Gbagbo and his wife are going to face the music. Gbagbo was captured and handed over to the ICC by the authorities in Ivory Coast in April 2011 after his government fell. Apart from facing charges before The Hague, Gbagbo and his wife also were charged with economic crimes such as robbery, looting and embezzlement in Ivory Coast.

Simone, a doctor of History was instrumental ideologically for her husband. She is said to have orchestrated violence against ethnic and religious groups who supported Alassane Ouattara, her husbands rival. She waged unfettered humongous power during her husband’s presidency. Differently from other seating African presidents, the Gbagbos, just like any other African kleptoclatic and nepotic rulers, did involve their children effectively. Gbagbo’s son Michel is facing charges of participating in violence that saw over 3,000 dead. This means that the whole family is behind the bar simply because they were able to abuse the power of the president.

What transpired in Egypt where the former dictator and his sons are behind bars is once again repeating itself in another African country. Like a blind family, there was nobody to warn others of the bandwagon of benefitting from the power of the president. Greed comes first and regrets later the Swahili sage has it. Whether the children are likely to surface before ICC is the matter of time. Given that the whole family partook of the dirty fame of violence, chances are that they’ll be issued with the warrants.

Simone becomes the first African woman and the first “First Lady” to be indicted by ICC. If there is anything Ivoriens won’t forgive Simon for, is nothing but forcing her husband to cling unto power knowingly such a move would lead to mayhem as it subsequently happened.

Now that Simone is facing the charges as a wife and confidante of the president, will the seating presidents, their wives, families, friends and majordomos get it? Again, time will surely tell.

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.

“Is vengeance Banda’s way of forgiving?” ‏by Nkwazi Mhango

News that some senior ministers and former Mutharika’s inner circle were arraigned in Malawi answering for various charges, real and trampled on, yanked the country and the world at large. Authorities in Malawi recently arrested Professor Peter Mutharika (brother to the late former president, Bingu wa Mutharika and president of opposition party Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Patricia Kaliati (former minister of communication and civic education also government spokesperson), Goodall Gondwe (Minister of Economic Planning) and Bright Msaka (Chief Secretary) and other high profile officials in the country.

The above bigwigs were accused of, among others, plotting to overthrow the government after the death of Mutharika on 5^th April 2012. It came to light that the accused officials wanted to illegally install Peter Mutharika as President after the sudden demise of his brother, contrary to the Malawi constitution that stipulates that the Vice President shall assume power shall the President die or become incapacitated to run the business of the state. Whether what the accused committed or attempted to commit amounted to treason or not still remain to be seen. Again, why did it take almost a year to bring them to book? Why were some left in office for such a long time if there aren’t elements of vendetta and dirt games?

True, many legal minds are in limbo given that the alleged person who was supposed to be overthrown had since already died. It becomes legally untenable even if we consider the fact that the person whom they wanted to stop from taking over the office of President was then suspended. In law, this creates lacunae. For, even if the constitution stipulates that the Vice President will succeed the President in such eventuality, did Banda qualify? Banda was not President, therefore, not legally subject to be overthrown in any means. For, by then, Joyce Banda was neither President, nor Mutharika alive. Again, even the person they wanted to install (Mutharika) had no locus standi. In fact, if one legally examines the offence said to have been committed or attempted to be committed, one comes to the conclusion that the said case is likely to be politically motivated, aimed at either silencing those officials or intimidating them, especially when the question why its taking such a long time is addressed. This means: Mutharika was not there, for after a person dies everything stops. Cadaver nullius in bonis. A dead body is no one’s property. If this case goes on and suspects are convicted, Mutharika will become the first President to be overthrown posthumously. So too, Banda will become the first person against whom plot was made to overthrow without actually being President. This being the case, how then can one sue people for treason that would not be committed under the said circumstance even if we question the breach of allegiance to the sovereignty and the constitution? Will the Malawi judiciary accept such humiliation that will leave it in disrepute?

Looking at the vows Banda made on 7^th April 2012 when she was assuming power, that she would forgive those who wronged her so as to reconcile the nation, this recent move is going to affect national integrity, even unity so to speak. Banda emphasized forgiveness on 10 April 2012 when she was outlining her vision for Malawi. She was quoted as saying, “I made a statement for everybody to forgive each other and to demonstrate that I formed an all-inclusive Cabinet so that Malawians can see that I was serious when I [said] I will work with even those that persecuted me,” Now Malawians are asking themselves, is this the way of forgiving and working with those who persecuted Banda really? Does it mean that the good lady has easily and within a short time, forgotten her vows and promises? Former first lady Calista Mutharika has the answer. She was quoted as saying, “We are told that women leaders are better because women are empathetic, is this what we are seeing now? She (Ms Banda) goes on public podia preaching forgiveness, even quoting biblical verses, is there forgiveness here?”

Further, on the day Banda was assuming power, Xinhua quoted her as saying “I had a cabinet meeting with honorable ministers this afternoon and I want to let you all know here that the Holy Spirit descended upon us. To me this was very significant because that’s where we should begin from.” Again, is this the way the ‘holy spirit’ works? Banda also assured Malawians of running the government fairly. In her acceptance speech Banda said, “Mr. Speaker we seek to replace the society which in many ways has been brutal, exclusive and humiliating to our people.”

Those who heard Banda preaching reconciliation and forgiveness can’t believe that she’d embark on such gimmick-cum-gunk. This shows Banda in the bad light as a liar or an unreliable person, if not hypocritical. This is not good for a President who is faced with elections after lapsing her term in office. If anything, shall this go on, it tells of the hurdles head. If this is Banda’s take, it might wrongly be interpreted as her attempts to circumstantially create good ground for rigging come May 2014. For, what she’s doing does not help to nourish and nurture democracy in Malawi. What makes the charges leveled against the accused officials suspicious is the manner in which their case is dealt with. Interestingly, the government appointed two private lawyers to prosecute the case in lieu of the office of DPP. Does it mean Banda does not trust the office of DPP or is it just rent-seeking behaviour of awarding lucrative jobs to cronies and courtiers? Detractors see this as an opportunity for Banda’s cronies to rake money in through such deals. How can such vital case be prosecuted privately in the first place?

Malawi has been in economic ICU for long. Methinks Banda would use her stint in power to revamp the economy instead of pursuing personal interests by dividing the country. Again, is vengeance Banda’s way of forgiving? Who knows?

Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.