A new 'Ngwazi' in the making in Malawi

Last week I talked about how the Malawians chaffed under late dictator Mzee Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda. As biology was slowly but surely claiming the 'Ngwazi', Life President of Malawi , the country was being ruled by a cabal comprising of his chick, Cecilia Amanda Kadzimira and her much-reviled uncle John Tembo. Ngwazi is Kingoni for 'warrior'.

Born in 1932, Tembo went to university in Lesotho and worked as a schoolmaster before being appointed to Banda's cabinet as Finance Secretary in 1963, an appointment which was unpopular with other cabinet members for it smacked of blatant nepotism.

In his early years, Tembo played a sycophantic role in Parliament, using his position primarily to acquire a personal fortune. By 1990, he was a director in practically every business sector that dealt with government, including Malawi's main bank.

John Tembo who was Banda's hatchet man came to be seen as his natural successor, and in January 1992 he finally became, in name, the Minister of State in the Office of the President. In effect, John Tembo was appointed the executive president of Malawi .

The long suffering Malawians let out a loud grumble and, reading the times, the Catholic bishops of Malawi wrote a protesting letter which documented in graphic detail the failings and abuses of power of the Banda administration. The letter was read aloud in every Catholic church in Malawi .

Banda's response to the letter was to place the bishops under house arrest. For that move, the ageing 'Ngwazi' was condemned by governments and churches worldwide. Within Malawi , for the first time since independence, there was a climate of open dissent. May 1992 saw Malawi gripped with strikes and protests, culminating in the Lilongwe Riot of May 7, in which 40 people were gunned down by the police.

In October 1992, Orton Chirwa, the founder of MCP and a leading member of the short-lived independence cabinet, was murdered in Zomba prison , reportedly at Mzee's orders, where he was being held since 1981.

Banda's unpopularity left him with little option but to announce a referendum on the question of multi-party election. There arose two new parties: AFORD, and the UDF that challenged Banda's MCP.

The Malawians gave the MCP the boot in favour of UDF led by Bakili Muluzi, a businessman. Muluzi became the de facto owner of party. John Tembo became owner of what remained of MCP and AFORD was led by the late Chakufwa Chihana.

Bakili Muluzi soon found out that two five-year terms in the presidency were too short a time. So he became victim of the power disease which afflicts most African presidents. He wanted to change the constitution which will allow him stand for a third term. The Malawians gave him an overwhelming NO. He was left licking his wounds.

But Muluzi was not finished yet. He decided that he could rule Malawi by proxy. He picked a bright economist within his party, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, and made him the UDF president while Muluzi remained chairman.

He taught Mutharika what and what not to say, making sure that he (Muluzi) edited his speeches. Muluzi even wrote Mutharika's acceptance speech as the next president of Malawi .

But Mutharika had other ideas. He crafted his own speech and departed from the puppeteering by Mr Muluzi. Once installed as president, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika publicly said he was no one's puppet. He also established a new party, the Democratic Progressive Party, which now rules.

Malawians have also hastily decided to wipe out last vestiges of Banda's legacy. They have removed his portrait from the Malawi Kwacha in favour of John Chilembwe, a 19th century Malawi nationalist.

Now over the past fortnight or so, Malawians have been zapped by what they claim to be delusions of grandeur by their president. He let it slip into the Malawi public that he won't mind being given the title of 'Ngwazi'.

The first 'Ngwazi' was Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Now there is a Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika. Presently, there is a spirited debate on whether Mutharika should wear such a title. Some hope that he does not add the title of 'life president' in the future as the late Mzee Banda did.