by Yvonne Chideme
Malawians celebrated their first anniversary of multi-party democracy under a spirit of reconciliation despite astronomic economic problems.
Immediately after being sworn-in on May 21 last year, President Bakili Muluzi began destroying the instruments associated with Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s shameless violation of human rights.
He ordered an instant closure of Mikuyu and Nsanje prisons as well as Dzeleka Camp, commuted all standing death sentences to life imprisonment, ordered an immediate release of all those convicted for political crimes and declared that all international human rights organizations be allowed into the country’s prisons without hindrance.
Muluzi also ordered that the multi-million kwacha Lilongwe State House be turned into a Parliament Building, and a committee was set up to dispose of other state residences which he said, were not necessary. He also reformed the civil service to improve its efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Muluzi appointed opposition leader Chakufwa Chihana of the Alliance for Democracy (Aford) as the second vice president and minister of Water and Irrigation as a conciliatory gesture. Muluzi, whose party the United Democratic Party (UDF), only secured SS seats in Parliament while the remaining parties commanded 92 seats, also appointed several Aford officials as ministers.
President Muluzi, a former top aide of ex-president Banda, did not give any ministerial position to MCP and has often said he would not work with Banda’s party. The appointment of Chihana into cabinet broke a seven-month alliance between Aford and MCP. The alliance had been a source of embarrassment to Aford since it joined the UDF government in a coalition.
Aford officials were quoted as saying that their party could not be bed-fellows with the MCP, while at the same time serving in the government. In an interview with the Daily Monitor, a Malawian newspaper, the MCP Publicity Secretary, Dr Heatherwick Ntaba, questioned Chihana’s integrity since they only heard about Aford’s decision to rescind the alliance. “As a party president and also a country’s vice·president, we held Chihana as a man of integrity so much that we wonder what could have happened to such a man to go against his words,’’ Ntaba said.
After four months in power, the UDF set up a Compensation Tribunal which receives complaints from victims of Banda’s oppressive system and has approached the Geneva-based Human Rights Commission to help set up a Truth Commission to investigate cases of thousands of people who either died, disappeared or were detained for political reasons under Banda’s regime.
“The MCP is a party which has got to answer so many questions and it will take a long time for people in this country to forget We may forgive but not forget what MCP did,” said Muluzi.
In June 1994, Muluzi appointed a 13-man commission to inquire into the contentious 1983 Mwanza road accident in which three ministers and a parliamentarian were killed. The commission, chaired by Justice Mtegha found that the four politicians were instead clubbed to death and put in a car which was pushed into a ravine and made to look like an accident.
Former president Hastings Banda, his top aide John Tembo and three former top police officers have been implicated in the murder and are currently being tried. However, Banda is being tried in absentia, since doctors have certified him senile.
Muluzi says that although his government would not work on retribution or vengeance, investigations would still be conducted. “We will not go witch-hunting, but if people have evidence of their uncle or brother that such a person was killed … the law will take its course,” he said.
Meanwhile, unemployment is rising and the government attributes the economic hardships largely to the bad fiscal policies of the previous MCP regime and the drought which hit most of the southern region. The situation was also aggravated by the sharp depreciation of the Malawi Kwacha, which led to soaring inflation which was 37 per cent by the end of 1994 up from 33 per cent.
“The year 1994/5 turns out to be a difficult one, in sharp contrast to the 10.8 percent growth achieved in 1993, real gross domestic product (GDP) in 1994 declined by 12.4 percent,” said Muluzi. In the 1994/95 budget released recently by the Finance and Economic Development Minister, Aleke Banda, fuel prices went up by 5 per cent, vehicles by 150 per cent, textiles went down to 35 per cent from 60 per cent and tobacco, tea and sugar face a temporary duty of 10 per cent.
The political changes that took place during 1994 in Malawi led to substantial adjustments in wage rates in both public and private sectors, following a number of demands by employees. In some cases, however, this led to massive lay-offs and shutdowns as the margins of some firms fell. “If UDF want to win a second term in 1999, they must put food in our mouth and jobs in our hands. But if they cannot show the fruits of serious development before then, then the election result will be an open question,’ warns a Blantyre man.
Perhaps one of the greatest achievements of the UDF in its first year is that it managed to live up to its campaign promise to provide free education. At least 3.2 million children are now attending school, free for the first time. Initially, the concept of free education was dismissed as an election gimmick as critics questioned the feasibility of the promise materializing, considering the country’s poor economic performance and the vast sums of money that would be required.
On foreign relations, Muluzi said it was time Malawi moved away from its self-imposed isolation and work with other nations to foster good relations and has been actively campaigning for local and foreign investment. “Malawi should play her role in promoting peace and harmony not only in this region, but the whole continent of Africa and the world at large… that is why we sent troops to Rwanda, and I am proud of the good job the boys are doing there, and we are ready to send some to Angola,” he said.
Muluzi says his government would like to open up to the world by launching a television station. The country will also start manufacturing telephones, mobile telephones and other electrical appliances with assistance from the Malaysian government. (SARDC)
