Flag reversion presently a luxury

With all due respect I would like to point that the sentiments I Share in the article are a total reflection of my personal economic views as a writer and observer of the national economy.

I should admit that that  when the DPP led government changed the original flag of black, red, green with a rising sun to the present red, black, green with a full white sun in the middle, I was one among the many Malawian citizens who had reservations on the development.

Perhaps I was not fully schooled why the change was necessary or maybe I wanted to be in the bandwagon of the then government critics.

However, if my memory dares not to mislead me the late president  Bingu Wamutharika (may his soul rest in peace) brought a good argument.

Where he said national flags are a symbol of developments and struggles undergone by a particular country and the old flag he thought was out of date since the rising sun depicted the dawn of independence, forty years down the line Malawi is a matured nation with outstanding economic, infrastructure developments among others, worthy the full white sun in the middle of the flag.

While the argument made a lot of sense to all subscribers of the Ngwazi, most Malawians thought the situation on the ground reflected very little on the major developments in the forty years which deserved a full white sun as a true depiction of our country’s status.

Asking me why I am not fully supporting the reversion, here is my take.

My problem apparently is that at the moment as a nation we cannot manage to see other filthy amounts of billions plus of kwachas being spent in the process of returning to the old flag on things like Vehicle plates, Government official budges, car stickers passports, driving licences etc.

The average Malawian is already frustrated and devastated with the economic exertion; the civil servant pay rise of 21% is far from mitigating the losses currently being faced.  And the reversion means they have to dig into their already perforated pockets to have passports, licences and other things bearing the old flag.

It is a mockery to send a such suffering people to the agonies of expenditures on same things in a period of just a year or so.

Asking of my take on this, I will tell you that it would have been better if the Joyce Banda administration concentrated on rectifying the economic injuries the Bingu administration caused to Malawians by way of avoiding petty expenditures as much as it can afford.

In less than two years Malawians will be taking it to the polls. Whoever leader triumphs then, will have ample time for such major changes not now when an average civil servant cannot afford the luxury of two copies of daily newspapers every day.

If it the DPP government spent a staggeringk2.6 billion on the same how much would it cost the PP government after a 40 plus percent devaluation

As quite a number of people would argue that the reversion would simply mean getting back on board the abandoned amenities with the old flag because not were destroyed...trust me there are still more things which will quite demand manufacturing and those are the unnecessary expenditures that can be avoided presently.                                     

A CUP OF PORRIDGE A SOLUTION TO MALAWI'S DWINDLING ECONOMY

Ever took time to sit down and think of how little things like a cup of porridge would transform the retarded economy like that of Malawi? The irony in this statement unveils a very simple formula which would eventually take the country to achieving the much anticipated economic stability.

It was a chilly Wednesday morning when we set off for John Bande Foundation, an under six children centre where Mary’s Meals runs one of its School Feeding Projects (SFP). Our car treaded slowly through the rough bumpy road to the eastern part of Kachere one of the heavily populated townships of Blantyre, that is where the centre is located.

The sound of our car caught the attention of the children just outside the school fence. Their screams in excitement upon seeing our car drew the attention of their counterparts who were inside a classroom. They all flocked at once and surrounded our car while waving at us with wide smiles on their faces.

They sang rhymes of welcome to us while others kept telling their counterparts to keep the calm.

From the group of about 200 children I singled out Melifa Joshua who seemed to me to be one of the clever ones.

I first started by asking her what she wants to become when she grows up.

‘’When I grow up I want to work in the bank.’’ She responded

Looking at her nevertheless, I was able to tell of the strenuous path she had to take in order to realise her dream.

Melifa is one among many Malawian children whose households are living below poverty lines and have sought solace in the Mary’s Meals feeding centres. The nutritious Likuni Phala portion which they get every morning triggers them to go to school every day hence getting an education by the end of the day. 

Education is the major tool of eradicating extreme poverty which tops the lists of the United Nations Millennium development goals. However research shows that extreme poverty is the primary factor that hinders most children from attaining an education.  This is where Mary’s Meals comes in.

By way of providing school going children with meals the organisation is one of the power engines driving towards a sustainable economy in the country through intellectual investment in the young ones.

Mary’s Meals complements governments’ efforts of eradicating poverty through sending children back to school so that they clear their course towards becoming responsible and productive citizens someday. 

Statistically Mary’s Meals is feeding over 600, 000 children in various schools across the country. These children report in the under six centres every morning. Due to their tender age theses children are kept until late afternoon so that they have access to lunch which most of their families can hardly afford.

The 600,000 is only 20% of children of school going age in the country. Ironically the meals provided to these children do not only let them escape the starvation in their homes but they also expose them to environment where they acquire education. Apparently since the inception of Mary’s Meals in 2002 enrolment in most schools has significantly risen.

Farhana, is communication consultant for Mary’s Meals and she told this writer that they feedback from the centres is always encouraging.

‘’ we always get encouraging feedback from our centres, and that is our inspiration to expand to other parts of the country’’ said Farhana.

However, she was quick to point out that the 20% is not a figure enough in order to realise the dream of redeeming the nation from extreme poverty in the next years.

This is to say if different stakeholders came in and jointly embark on the mission with organisation’s like Mary’s Meals over half of the country’s children would be taken back to the path to shape their future.

Among other achievements, concentration of the children in class has improved thus yielding better results. Mary’s Meals has also helped in taking the girl child back to school. Locally, girls graduate into early parenthood in times of orphan hood as they are supposed to fetch basic amenities take care of siblings.

Practically, it will only take a cup of porridge given to one needy child which will eventually change the whole face of Malawi’s economy.

LET US LEARN TO EMBRACE CHANGE

It must be to the knowledge of every malawian that our currently is going through serious metarmophosis
politically, socially above all economically.

Suprisingly, some people are conducting themselves in a manner as if things have been the same in their lives since time in memorial.

Let us take note that flexibility is the route to development. All economic giants of the world had at some point in time to face the harsh realities of change in various aspects.www.faceboook.com/mandickzera

WELCOME NOTE

I should take this time to welcome and invite you to my simple blog, a platform where I will take time to tackle some of the Social, political, and economic issues of interest.

I hope you will be helpful and surpotive throughout the experience.
Cheers!!