The Dearing Dialogue

United Democratic Front (UDF) and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) officials threw in the towel on their long (over a year) fight to implement section 65 of the Malawi Constitution that calls for MPs, “who defect from the party that sponsored them, which is described as ‘crossing the floor’, are to be declared vacant. Rather than joining the DPP, those MPs who crossed the floor would now be excluded from parliament” (Relief Web).  While many have called Section 65 an “important” guideline in the Constitution to ensure the rule of law and democratic goverance is followed in this young democracy, I would say that is somewhat narrow thinking, given the current state of economic affairs.

Malawi and its MPs in Parliament need to concentrate on poverty alleviation measures, not avenues for redemption of loss power, something both MCP and UDF members face today (even though UDF holds a majority in Parliament, it fails to pass effective legislation).  President Mutharika, who moved from the UDF to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2003, did so in order to be an effective policy-maker.  He knew the crutch of Bakili Muluzi’s presence as both former President and present UDF party chairman (and hopeful future Presidential contender) were matters that would hold back a progressive agenda of economic change.

With the recent end in the Sect 65 fight, Malawi has the opportunity to bring forward effective legislation.  Instead of bickering over power and political nuances, legislators can argue over how to implement poverty alleviation programs, issues they were elected to solve.

Last week, President Clinton and Scottish philanthropist, Sir Tom Hunter, visited Malawi to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the people of Malawi through President Bingu wa Mutharika.  The MOU is designed to provide private money for rural development projects.  The unique quality of this MOU is that it keeps power and decisions in the hands of locals in the community, as opposed to outsiders with little understanding of local needs.

 

Too often in the past, development aid initiatives had been disconnected from the participation and fundamental ownership of the people at grass root level who were the ones heavily affected by poverty,” said Clinton.

Speaking with locals in Malawi, I learned that many programs failed to fund the needest people because of a lack of both local and cultural understanding.  While the intent of international donors may be noble and altruistic, they often fail to meet the needs at hand due to misunderstandings and a lack of local control.  This program looks like it can solve many of the past shortcomings, and will be one which researchers of development should follow.

See Video of Clinton visit: Clinton Foundation

“Malawi cannot feed its present population of 13 million - and every year its soils become more degraded and yields steadily fewer crops.

By 2050, the UN forecasts that it will have almost 32 million people - more than twice as many as today. Population growth on this scale will almost certainly leave Malawi permanently dependent on international food aid to keep millions of its people alive. (Telegraph online)”

These are harrowing statistics.  While urbanization is an important factor towards economic development, it is also dependent upon an industrial economy - in the demographic sense, an asset Malawi lacks.  Malawi’s chief exports are tobacco and maize, not cars and computers.  Farming exports typically grow GdP at a slower rate since the price of these products, especially tobacco, are typically weak in a marketplace dominated by international buyers with greater influence and options then the weak and powerless growers. 

Malawi’s cities are lacking in development focused on future population growth.  What is growing are the amount of slums in Malawi.  Currently 1.8 out of a 13 million Malawian population live in slums.  Trash is typically burnt on the city streets, power cuts are a daily occurrance, water is rationed for a few hours a day.  Transportation is painfully lacking.  Mini-buses clog the crowded streets, their exhaust spewing black fog on every corner.  Foot-traffic blocks the roadway and the news of a pedestrian being hit by a car or bus is a daily occurance.  Most city streets remain in the dark as pedestrians come within inches of passing cars as sidewalks are either lacking or blocked by makeshift vendors. 

Unemployment is rampant as more people arrive from the villages in hopes of capturing some of the riches they hear of from outside the tribal community.  The reality is that rural areas are increasingly unable to support the amount of people living there (UN Habitat).  Environmental disasters such as drought and the degradation of land from farming and deforestation has made life less habitable.  While the small amount of money they may earn as servants, vendors, or day-laborers help the home village, it also creates a reliance upon outside income, bringing more people from the rural areas to the city. 

The condition of Malawian health is at risk as well.  With a growth in urban slums, the opportunity for diseases like HIV  spreading is increased.  According to the UN, malnutrition, hunger, and disease are increasing in the urban slums such as Ndirande township in Blantyre, or Area 19 in Lilongwe.  With such growth in urban population, Malawi and development institutions will face difficult obstacles and critical decisions as economic and social problems persist. 

See State of World Population 2007

Bingu wa Mutharika, President of Malawi, has done a decent job cracking down on corruption in Malawi’s young free market democracy.  He has even taken his predecessor, Bakili Muluzi to task in accounting for numerous issues of corruption to include using his office in order to empower himself and his party the United Democratic Front (UDF).  Mutharika’s years in office may be enticing him to follow a similar path as his predecessor.  Allegations that he purchased 4 Toyota vehicles duty-free and gave them to his political party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) raises the spectar of corruption because it is the same allegation placed on Muluzi.  I can’t imagine Mutharika getting involved with the same misconduct as Muluzi, so the explanation should be interesting.

It looks like he is throwing his hat in the ring of the Malawian presidency one more time.  How will he fair?  That depends if he can rally the support of both the public and his own party members.  Presently as UDF (United Democratic Front) party chairman, he is being defied by his own allies. 

See:  UDF MPs defy Muluzis Instructions

He has a close group of powerful colleagues that may be able to provide the support he needs to lynchpin his way into a successful campaign.  Key to his success are members of parliament.  If they rally behind him, it will be for their own survival.   Muluzi is likely to play the dirty game of ethnic politics in order to rally groups towards his favor.  Hopefully its stays relatively clean, given the growing division caused by years of rough and tumble politics and a glut of self-interested politicians. 

President Bingu wa Mutharika on the other hand has the support of international organizations and governments.  These are likely to aid him in a re-election campaign.  If he’s smart, he’ll stay out of the ethnic game and carry on with his ministry against corruption.  His hands will likely get dirty looking for mud to sling on Muluzi, but that shouldn’t be too hard to find given Muluzi’s tainted years in office.