PAC HAS TAKEN THE NATION FOR FOOLS
The ease with which the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) bowed out of the December 13th demonstration is as appalling as it is bewildering.
Recognizing its apathetic let-down, Pac in its Tuesday public address opted to use ‘postponement’ as opposed to ‘cancellation’ of the demonstration with the hope of furthering two effects: to keep the expectation of the masses intact and threaten the government apparatus with a suspended demonstration against any missteps towards the enactment of Electoral Reforms Bills. In essence, yet, the demonstration was cancelled not postponed. Postponement goes with certainty of occurrence which Pac was not confident about.
The error of Pac that occasioned the relaxed cancellation of the demonstration goes to the core of considering its objective. It being a quasi-faith-based institution its interests lie with the public and that of shared decency. One of such interests is the resilience and development of our democracy. When Pac stood against the arbitrary suppression of the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Bill, the so-called 50+1 Bill, there was a shared concern with the public. The advancement of our democracy was at stake.
It was evident, instead, that while the objective of Pac was with the people, Pac focused a little too much on the targeted and specific conduct of the executive, not how that conduct impacts out democracy as a whole. In a manner of speaking, its objective was narrow and deprived. Pac was absorbed on getting the Electoral Reform Bills into parliament. It did not focus on strengthening our democracy and admonishing such demeanor, future or present. If that were the case, Pac’s stand would have been uncompromising.
Pac perceived correctly that the submission of the executive to present the Bills before the parliament was not free from the blemish of bad intention. The executive extended the application of the 50+1 provision to the Members of Parliament and the Councilors. There is an intrinsic intention from the executive that the MPs are restricted from passing the Electoral Reforms Bill as the said provision will equally threats their chance of re-election. At the same time the executive’s extension hopes to make the 50+1 Bill too expensive to implement as the bill seeks a fresh election when a winning candidate does not achieve more than fifty percent of the votes. Thus, elections will not only be redone just for the presidency but also MPs. That alone demonstrates how impenitent and evasive the executive is at the expense of the Malawian people. It is curious thus that Pac after making such an observation opted to proceed to call off the national demonstration.
Further, in the key messages prepared for the demonstration which was dubbed ‘Time to Reclaim our Destiny’ they were not centered on the 50+1 Bill alone. The message was far-reaching in the problems solidly distressing the steadiness of the nation. Some of the highlighted messages included rampant corruption, abuse of the independence of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and persistent power outages. It is thus astounding that Pac’s submission due the presentation of the bills makes it alright to leave the rest to the problems at the fate of merciful providence. If indeed Malawi is to claim its destiny will it do so by playing into the tangential tricks perfected by the executive? What message is PAC sending to the public? That the fight against corruption is not worth the salt? That the persistent blackouts form an acceptable inability?
PAC is not a pressure group. It has credence among the public. Its purpose is not to threaten the executive with demonstration now and again, no. Its purpose is to express the interest of the public and where possible encourage the public express its interest. The December 13th demonstration was a wasted chance to let this be engrained in the nation. Even after the relevant Bills making it to the parliament the demonstrations would have ensured that the Members of Parliament are sure of what the voice of the public is on the said subject. The MPs represent the many voices of the people.
Otherwise, PAC has been a letdown.
