Maravi

(NYASATIMES) Inkosi M’Mbelwa IV explains his political loyalty

Inkosi M’Mbelwa IV explains his political loyalty
By Nyasa Times
Published: May 13, 2010

“My area has people of different political affiliations but I work with the government of the day,” he told Capital Radio Straight Talk programme.

Presenter Brian Banda asked him to explain his political loyalty after supporting the one-party dictatorship of Kamuzu Banda, later supported Bakili Muluzi regime including the failed third term bid and now he is supportive of the current Bingu wa Mutharika administration.

Inkosi Mbelwa said he was a not a party functionary but is like a civil servant as a chief working directory with the President through the Local Government ministry.

He denied promoting third term bid for former president Muluzi.

“If there were people who were not behind the Third Term Bill, I was one of them, but I was pushed to be on the forefront,” he said.

Pressed to explain, he said: “It wasn’t that I was pushed but because of my position I was meant to be spokesman for the chiefs.”

On naming the incumbent the title Ngwazi, which was also used by Kamuzu, he said President Mutharika merited the title.

“First and foremost I looked at the subsidy programme, the food situation of this country. People were dying of hunger in this country but when Bingu came in with his principles and policies that he had instituted, the people all over a sudden had changed.

“When we were celebrating in Mzimba, we decided to give Bingu wa Mutharika a skin of a lion. Usually in Ngoni [culture] he who put on a skin of lion is Ngwazi,” the Ngoni chief said.

“It was the Mzimba people after getting satisfied with the Bingu policies that we decided to give him the skin of the lion.”

Speaking on the education quota system which has provoked the people of the Northern Region, the paramount chief said he was not in opposition to the controversial policy.

“The issue on quota system if I tell you the way I am brought up in my tradition… if an elderly person has said we would do this, you don’t question it.

“You just look at it until such a time when things have worked. After things have worked you relook at them, have they worked positively or negatively,” he said.

Inkosi Mbelwa said President Mutharika’s statement when he opened the National Bank branch in Mzuzu said the “equitable access to higher education” allow improvements and that he was waiting for people to submit their views.

“We have seen the selection, at first the quota system was being said for university but the implementation has started from secondary so we would want to sit down and see how best we would approach government on this issue.

“We will have to create a room for discussion which I am happy the President has created. We create room for an audience with the President.”

He denied being a governing party functionary.

“I am not DPP but I am an affiliate of government. Whichever government comes, I will support. I have never been corrupted by any government,” said Inkosi M’Mbelwa who is also chairman of Television of Malawi.

He also said he had got wind of rumours that a political party is being formed in the Northern Region but said if the rumours were anything to go by; it “will bring division or widen divisions”.

Labels: NGONI

posted by MrK @ 6:24 AM