The Winds of Change: The Road to Freedom. The coming of Multiparty in Malawi

The Winds of Change: The Road to Freedom. 

The coming of Multiparty in Malawi

Late 1991, Gogo Florence Tsamwa summons General Khanga of the Malawi Army to arrange a private meeting with Dr Banda at Sanjika.

Gogo Florence Tsamwa with General Khanga briefs Dr Banda that due to the sensitivity of the meeting ... they would not allow the meeting to start in presence of the Minister of State, John Tembo [who was always hovering around the ailing Dr Banda.]

Dr Banda orders, he be left alone with Gogo Tsamwa (OLM)and General Khanga [The Presidential Advisors] at Sanjika Palace.

In a no holds barred, Tsamwa undresses the MCP leaders and evils that the Ngwazi's people were suffering with the party cards, the effects of the unfortunate northern teacher transfers, corrupt leaders, hunger in Malawi. 

Kamuzu for the first time is informed that party officials are selling party cards  to  pregnant women for the unborn babies. Pregnant women were  being turned back at antenatal by party officials for not having party cards.

The ailing Dr Banda gets an eye opener of the deterioration of MCP leadership but could do nothing much due to age.

Kamuzu cries to one expetriate that he now knows nothing, everything is now being done behind his back. He emphasises that he is isolated. 

Meanwhile in the diaspora, Kanyama Chiume summons a meeting of UFMD in Zambia Lusaka. to gunner a united front to topple Dr Banda late 1991.

Who was to gather some courage amongst them to come to Malawi. None is willing to risk his life to return to Malawi and challenge Dr Banda.

Chakufwa Chihana at that meeting... stands up and said, I will go back to Nyasaland and confront  Dr Banda. 

Simbi ya Moto.

March 8, 1992, Malawi's Catholic Bishops,  read to their congregations a Pastoral Letter famously called "chibaluwa" expressing concern that "bribery and nepotism were  growing in the  political, economic, and social life." 

John Tembo, Watson Deleza and Eliya Phiri and two MCP party colleagues, Hilda Manjankhosi and Charles Kamphulusa meet secretly conspiring to kill Arch Bishop Chiona and the other bishops. 

Mai Manjankhosi is heard on a recorded tape shouting, "I will urinate the Bishops in their mouths."

March 15, 1992 students from Chancellor College, the University of Malawi's  march to the Zomba Cathedral in support of the bishops allegedly encouraged by the Junior Officers of the Malawi Army. The Police failed to intervene.

Protests at the Polytechnic in Blantyre staged a day later receive an entirely different response; Police there storm the student hostels, fired into the air, indiscriminately lobbed tear gas around and arbitrarily arrested some seventy students.

Students arrested at Polytechnic included Teddie Chanza, Tiwonge Kaluwa, Clifford Matunga, Lewis Mbwelera et al.

April 6, 1992 Chakufwa Chihana returns to fight Dr Banda and was arrested in the middle of his Speech at Kamuzu International Airport before he checked  into Malawi Immigration Offices.

In Blantyre and Limbe, a strike by workers at the David Whitehead fabric factory led to more general disturbances on Wednesday May 6, 1992. By mid-afternoon vandalism had begun in Blantyre's city centre.

Thursday May 7, 1992.. the Daily Times, openly asks..."What is happening?" in a page one headline. That day's evening, Dr  Banda went on the radio to urge calm and to assure people that "all genuine grievances should be looked into expeditiously and corrective measures should be taken with speed."

Friday...May 8, 1992...Order was restored but the damage had been enormous. The death toll was at least twenty and probably more.

Saturday... May 9, 1992...the Malawi News, admits that: "the events of the past few days have shocked and surprised many."

There had been considerable physical damage, and the looting of virtually every PTC Kwiksave, a chain owned by the Life President, again demonstrated the intertwining of political and economic grievances.

May 14, 1992 Kamuzu Day... Malawians boycott the Celebrations at Kamuzu Stadium signalling a vote of No Confidence to the dismay of Dr Banda. MCP leaders are powerless for the first time to coerce people to attend the celebrations attended only by faithfuls.

Nyasaland natives make it clear that they were not out out against the ailing Dr Banda but the under hand of John Tembo and niece Mama Kadzamira who are now running the show ruthlessly in Nyasaland behind the senile Dr Banda. 

May 16, 1992...the ailing Dr Banda launches a sprited defences of Mama Kadzamira and John Tembo..claiming that the two officials had always been "loyal servants of the President, the Government and the country." 

Dr Banda insists that neither Kadzamira nor Tembo have ever "aspired to political power." Banda also reminded his listeners that "I am the real, genuine and effective ruler of this country - nobody else." But Malawians had no trust on the ailing leader. They could withstand his dictatorial tendencies but they couldn't take it anymore for these 2 to take over.

Matembo Nzunda, Mainga Mkandawire et al distribute propaganda leaflets thrown everywhere in  towns exposing  all the Tembo/Kadzamira dirty linen.

Escom employees are arrested in connection to the printing and distribution of the propaganda, Gilford Kapyola, a secretary and others are locked. 

 

On October 18, 1992, President Banda announces that a referendum would be held regarding multiparty politics.

December 1992, Chihana is sentenced to two years in prison, which causes more demonstrations.

December 31, 1992, Banda decree that the referendum would be held on March 15, 1993. 

The opposition complains that the date is too soon and would not allow them sufficient time to campaign.

The United Nations sends Banda a letter, which convinces him to move the referendum to June 14, 1993 so that the United Nations could be there to monitor the proceedings.

Chihana is released from prison  the day before the referendum. 

Of the total number of registered voters, 67% voted that day, and of those voters,  64.7% voted for multiparty politics.

The 35.3% who refused multiparty and voted for single party on 14 June 1993 are the ones running the government today.

When Kamuzu returned on 6 July 1958, the Colonial government did not arrest him at Chileka but when Chihana returned on 6 April 1992 Kamuzu and his government arrested Chihana  at Kamuzu International Airport.