ANYAMATA AZIKWANJE SADZATHA

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Someone has merely glanced at the title of this piece and is already fuming, ready to fire off a thousand angry paragraphs. Ndilemba mchizungu mukhaule.

One thing politicians relish, almost depend on, is our astonishing forgetfulness. If medicine existed that could erase people’s memories, politicians would buy it in truckloads. In fact, they would sweep every shelf clean so no ordinary citizen could ever access it. The opposition and the ruling party alike would purchase it as a joint venture. Bwezinso akumachita kusonkhelana. Why? So they could dose us with it until we forget everything they ever promised us. Until we forget our own needs. Until we forget the foolish policies they craft, the corruption they choreograph, and the simple truth that politicians, regardless of colour or party, are all children of one house.

But here in Malawi, perhaps they don’t even need such medicine. It is as if we Malawians were born with an inbuilt capacity to forget.

Right now, everyone is talking about the MCP zikwanje boys, as though the existence of violent political gangs began only yesterday. We have forgotten the UDF era’s Young Democrats who also roamed around carrying *zikwanje*, beating anyone who dared oppose them. We have forgotten the DPP youths who assaulted people in broad daylight while the police stood by. We have forgotten that not so long ago, some Malawians suspected of supporting MCP were killed. A former President’s motorcade was stoned. Many other things happened.

Politicians want us to remember only what suits their purpose. And by politicians, I mean all of them, MCP, UDF, DPP, AFORD, and every other formation scattered across this land. I am not saying this behaviour is admirable. What I am saying is that instead of pretending to be saints, they should sit down together and find a permanent solution to this culture of political violence. If they do not, we Malawians will continue to suffer high blood pressure caused by Anyamata azikwanje.

Today we complain about MCP; tomorrow, depending on who occupies State House, it will be DPP. Anyamata a zikwanje ali ponseponse, konsekonse, mu zonse.

All politicians are crooks, and if you are not careful, you will dance to their tune like a bewitched puppet.

I heard a certain woman the other day, her voice trembling with rage, attacking Kabwila simply because Kabwila had dared to visit the alleged zikwanje youths. The way the woman spoke suggested that if she had the chance, she would have slapped Kabwila without hesitation. That is how politicians operate. They want us to carry their anger, fight their battles, and bleed for their interests, while they sit comfortably on their thrones.

If we truly want to solve this problem, we must go to its roots. Only then will we understand how to cut it off.

Written by

Shadreck Chikoti

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