Transcript of Bingu's war cry

Note: This speech was made on Thursday the 25th of August, 2011, at the occasion of opening the 2011 Agricultural Trade Fair by the President of the Republic of Malawi, Mr Bingu wa Mutharika

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters singing Zivute zitani ife Amalawi tili pambuyo pa a Bingu (translation: Come hail or high waters we stand solidly behind Bingu). Then they break into a chant: Boma! Boma! Boma! Boma! (Translation: We’re in power! We’re in power!)

Bingu:                   Chala m’mwamba! Chala m’mwamba! Chala m’mwamba! (DPP slogan/symbol Raise your finger, raise your finger!) Malawi woyeee! (Translation: Viva Malawi!)

Supporters:        Woyeee!

Bingu:                   DPP woyee! (Translation: Viva DPP!)

Supporters:        Woyeee!

Bingu:                   Nanga ulimi woyeee! (Translation: And viva agriculture!)

Supporters:        Woyeee! Boma ilo! Boma ilo! Boma ilo! (Translation: Viva! Look, we’re in power!)

Bingu:                   (Speaking in Chichewa) Honourable Mr Chimunthu Banda MP, Speaker of the National Assembly; Honourable Mr Lovemore Munlo SC, Chief Justice; Honourable Mr Matthews Chikankheni, president of the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Honourable Mrs Erica Maganga, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security; Honourable councilors and principals of chambers of commerce and industry; all honourable MPs here today; honourable members of the diplomatic corps; all honourable business captains; honourable paramount chiefs, senior chiefs and other traditional leaders here today; all honourable exhibitors; I recognize Bingu’s Women in the DPP; Bingu’s Women in the civil service; DPP Cadets; Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

                                First and foremost I greet you all.

Supporters:        Thank you!

Bingu:                   How are you?

Supporters:        We’re fine and you!

Bingu:                   I’m fine.

Supporters:        Thank you.

Bingu:                   Let me start by thanking all of you for coming in such large numbers. I say this because there are some people who, when drunk, say that DPP is no more, the Government is no more (Supporters interject ‘They’re telling lies!’), so by coming in such large numbers you have demonstrated that what they are saying is nonsense. The Democratic Progressive Party is growing from strength to strength and the Government remains strong as ever. Don’t mistake the Government’s silence for ineptitude. All those insolent people I can arrest them if I so wish. I want you to know that. Government remains in control but I choose to be silent because I believe in democracy. But there are some who, when drunk, go yak-yak-yak; don’t think I can’t arrest you. (Switches to English) I want you to know that just because somebody outside [this country] says so I cannot arrest you. I can arrest you! Let this country go on fire if you want to.

                                Koma (But) what I want you to know . . . (Switches to Chichewa) Ladies and gentlemen, I want to tell you enough is enough! I can’t stomach this insolence anymore.

Supporters:        Boma! Boma! Boma!

Bingu:                   DPP woyeee! DPP woyeee! A couple of days ago I was in that building over there. Somebody in there, complete with a clerical collar on his shirt front, there he was saying Bingu you’re the most stupid person Ndiwe Chindere ndiwenso chitsiru. With insults like these, would he have walked out of that building in the past? (Supporters: ‘Nooo!’) I want you to realize that I tolerate a lot; but some are mistaking this tolerance for stupidity. Please, that is wrong. When I stand up to fight back, you will see.

                                I am saying all this because we’ve done a lot in this country. I have taken this country from the poor position it was to the stellar position it now occupies.

                                In this country I have eradicated hunger.

                                In this country I have eradicated the AIDS pandemic.

                                In this country I have built roads.

                                In this country I have built hospitals.

                                In this country I have built schools.

                                But for all this somebody says (switches to English)‘it’s nothing.’ What is nothing?

                                (Switches to Chichewa) I have established the Presidential Contact Group on Dialogue. Some people are saying ‘no we don’t want this group.’ Tell me: what the hell do you want? (Switches to English) I have established a Presidential Contact and Dialogue group and you say you don’t want it. What the hell do you want? What the hell do you want?

                                I want you to know. (Switches to Chichewa) Malawians, I want you to ask yourselves. I have set up a contact and dialogue group yet these people say they don’t want it, what do they want? The Group is headed by no less a personage than the late . . . errr, retired Archbishop Dr Bernard Malango. He is a real doctorate holder by the way, not an ordinary person. Yet these people maintain that they don’t want. So what do you want?

                                Now, therefore, if you don’t want dialogue, tell me any day we can go to war, if that’s what you want (Supporters clap, whistle, ululate but some are heard saying Ayi bwana – ‘No Sir’).

                                All these things – these agricultural activities – will not progress with such spoilsports in our midst. Nothing will happen. Progress will lapse. Roads, schools, everything will be ruined. See, they already started with setting shops on fire. Now the same people who torched the shops are saying they are not the ones who did so, then who did it? They say it’s the vendors, who instructed the vendors to target the PTC shops?

                                I thus simply wanted you to know that in tolerating all this, I am not afraid, and neither am I stupid. If you continue speaking nonsense aimed at disturbing the peace and disrupting the progress we have made, you will face the music. Oh yes! I’ll deal with you. And I want you . . . Nation Publications, if the Nation Publications team is here, go and tell them that ‘Bingu is threatening you’ and I’m threatening them! Yes! So . . . (women supporters begin singing praise songs accompanied by the talking drum). Thank you. That was Nkhani za m’maboma (translation: that was ‘other news.’)

Transcription: Bishop Zuza's Sermon

My dear brothers and sisters, citizens of Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa:

We have come today to pray for our beautiful country which is at present experiencing a tremor. We’re all afraid of where we’re going. Each one of us is afraid of what is coming next. If you’re not, then ask yourselves why. You may be just like a peacock that hides its head in the ground when danger approaches.

Like the disciples with Jesus in the boat, we’re currently terrified with the storm that is blowing in our country. This is the reason that we have gathered here today. We are a believing nation and, therefore, like the apostles in today’s Gospel, we say: “God, do you not care that we are about to die?”

We are therefore asking God to help us that we may restore the tranquility that our nation needs so that once again we may live in peace and love.

Fellow Malawians, I hope that we all know that the storm we are now experiencing is of our own making as a nation. All of us, in one or another, to varying degrees depending also on our roles, have contributed to it. Since each one of us has a role to play in this storm, let us therefore play our role in calming it down.

Normally, when things like these happen among us, the tendency is pointing at each other. We start putting the blame on others. And we try to justify ourselves. And if we feel we have more authority, we even threaten others. Is this not what is happening right now?

For us as Church, sometimes we’re told, for example, not to interfere with politics. We as Church leaders are told to concentrate on preaching and on spiritual things. Za Mulungu – that’s what you should do. The church is therefore seen as an intruder and not part of the society.

Sometimes we put the blame on civil society or non-governmental organizations known as NGOs. We blame them as being misguided and leading people astray. We may go even further saying that these people have not been elected, therefore they do not have a mandate to act on behalf of the society or citizens of our country. Yes, they have not been elected, but they are working for the good of the nation. We may also put the blame on the media, especially these days, when the media reports as things happen. Just imagine that now, as I am talking here, somebody in the United States or Japan or Russia is listening and seeing the pictures live. We may blame the media as misguiding people and igniting dissent. However the truth may be that they are only fulfilling their noble duty of reporting and making people aware of what is happening.

Many times, my dear friends, we blame the Government and its leadership. Here, I tell you, many of us are professionals. And some of us have even doctorates and are called professors in this (or that, yet we’re busy) blaming the government for what is taking place. We may for example say that the Government of our President started very well but now has gone to (the) dogs. The Government does not listen. Members are only enriching themselves at the expense of the masses. We may even ask what type of advisors does our leader have. And the litany may go on and it will go on. And we can say a lot of things blaming others. As we say, “Mutu ukakula siulewa nkhonya,” – big head, big trouble. All the blames are put on the Government and our leader. (But does he have to be blamed for everything?)

Fellow citizens of Malawi, putting blame on others will not help us at all. Always remember that when you are pointing a finger at your friend, three others are pointing at you. Let us examine our own consciences and see what our role is in all these things that are now happening. Let us not be like our ancestors, Adam and Eve. After sinning, Adam said: “It is not I who has sinned but it is this woman, Eve, who misled me.” And then the woman said: “No, God, Our Father, it is not me but it is the snake that misled me.” Fellow Malawians, the culture of blame will not help us.

All of us have strengths and weaknesses. What we need to do is to accept our weaknesses and find ways and means to turn them into strengths. We can always improve for the better. If we are open to this, God will help us.

My dear brothers and sisters, the person who thinks and believes that he or she is perfect is actually the most stupid and foolish person. In Chichewa and Tumbuka we call such people as “chitsiru chamunthu,” (a veritable idiot) or “chindere chakufikapo.” Do we want to be called “chitsiru” or “chindere” because we think and believe we’re perfect and therefore we have all the best solutions for the storm that is passing through our country? Fellow Malawians, let us not become stupid people.

Let us accept our roles and see how best as a nation we can calm the storm that is before us. Remember that with every right we have, there are corresponding duties. We have the right to choose the way things go as a nation, but we also have the duty to make that be realized for the good of all citizens.

Today, we have come here to pray. We believe God will help us face this turmoil. However, we also know that God helps the one who helps himself or herself. If you want a good harvest, you need to prepare the garden well, plant the seed in good time, take care of it until it matures, and finally you reap a harvest. After the harvest, you enjoy the fruits of your work together. In the same way, let us work together to restore the peace Malawi has always enjoyed.

Our ancestors had great wisdom when they said in Tumbuka “Kakwiza kekha kakulaula” or, in Chichewa (I am not very good at Chichewa but I understand in Chichewa the exact translation is “Sikadza kokha kaopa kulaula). Let us, therefore, dear fellow citizens of Malawi, do something, each one of us, on our own to calm the storm that is around us today.

And that’s why we appeal to Your Excellency and to your Government, as well as your party, to do something to calm this storm down. We appeal to the opposition parties to do something, something positive, to calm the turmoil. You civil servants and NGOs, please do something tangible to extinguish this fire that is burning in our country. Politicians, both in the ruling and opposition parties, do something positive and not just blame each other pretending you’re better while you’re just as bad as the others and sometimes you’re even worse than the others. You journalists in our different media houses, please do something positive for the good of our country.

Fellow citizens, challenge us, your leaders, so that we may truly be responsible for our decisions for you. My fellow church leaders and leaders of different faiths, let us all fulfill our prophetic roles. Let us not compromise this by the scone we may be given by those who want us to follow their trail. Let us all do something so that our beautiful nation of Malawi may be a better place to live in.

These prayers we are offering today will be fruitless if, on our part, we do not make any effort to reconcile and to calm the storm that we have.

My brothers and sisters, fellow Malawians, let us choose life and live. I recall the great excitement we had during the referendum in 1993 when we chose to follow the multi-party system of government. During that occasion, we the Catholic Bishops issued a pastoral letter entitled, “Choosing our future” as a way of guiding the people of Malawi during the referendum. We have been guiding you, fellow citizens, all these years including during the last elections we had in 2009. And, most recently, we did issue our pastoral letter saying “Reading the signs of the times.”

As church leaders, we do not tell you what you should do, rather we suggest possibilities so that you may make well-informed decisions. To you our leaders, you are free to accept it or not. But remember, always, we’re closer to people since we live and we work with them and many times they tell us what they feel.

You know, one of the best gifts God has given us is the gift of freedom to choose. The choices we make shape our lives and make us unique. We have to own these choices we make. For example, today I was asked to give this sermon. I accepted wholeheartedly. And I am happy and proud to do it because I have accepted it in freedom and I have chosen to do it. My dear friends who are married, you made your choice to get married to that particular man or woman. Some people looking at you may wonder “How can such a beautiful or handsome person marry such an ugly one?” Yes, we say beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Let us be happy with the choices that we make. As a nation, we have chosen multi-party democracy and have rejected dictatorship. Let us be happy with this choice and let us make it work. It depends on us as Malawians. Like the Israelites in the first reading of today from the Book of Deuteronomy, let us choose what is good for our nation. And let us be proud of our choice.

Pointing fingers at each other will not help us. The ball is in our hands. Let us choose wisely. Remember, God assists those who help themselves. Yes, indeed, “kakwiza kekha kakulaula” as we say in Tumbuka and in Chichewa “sikadza kokha kaopa kulaula.” Fellow Malawians, let us make a good choice as we forge ahead. Remember, “wakutsina khutu ndi mnasi,” “kauzganga nifwiti yayi, kweni fwiti n’tilinganenge.” The choice is ours.

Bishop Zuza's Preaching

Here is the famous preaching by Bishop Zuza, as borrowed from Zodiak Broadcasting Station:


http://zodiakmalawi.com/zbs%20malawi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=155%3Aapril-podcasts&catid=58%3Apodcast-today

A CALL TO PRESIDENT MUTHARIKA: STOP BEING UNPREDICTABLE

In his song, Multipartidisme, Alpha Blondy sings:

The teachers are angry

Their trade union rights violated
Students are angry
They want more freedom!
Doctors are angry
Because they are poorly paid
The workers are angry
Because they have been oppressed
The government is angry
The empty state coffers emptied

Everybody is angry!

We all know, of course, how this story ended. The people of Ivory Coast – where Alpha Blondy comes from -  did not live happily ever after. The tragedy is still like a fresh wound on the continent of Africa. Thousands of lives were lost. God knows how many years it will take for the wound to heal.

In our case, the country is obviously on a dangerous path. The person leading in the fracturing of our nation is President Bingu wa Mutharika. The President has never made secret of the fact that he is unpredictable. Unfortunately, this unpredictability is hurting the unity of our nation. On 21 July, for instance, he spoke of the need for dialogue, and the following day, he was all for confrontation, threatening to ‘smoke out’ the demonstrators. On Sunday the 14^th of August, in his national address, he reiterated the call for unity, but on Monday and Tuesday, in his whistle-stop tours, he incited street vendors to harass demonstrators. It is like being ruled by a mad man, this “unpredictability” thing. We need a stable mind.

On Tuesday night, the newly formed Presidential Contact Group released a joint statement with Civil Society announcing the commencement of dialogue. Here is hoping this is not another exercise in vanity, seeing that the President is unpredictable and might reject any suggestions that come from the dialogue.

As we went to bed on Tuesday, the people in my home town of Lilongwe were angry, agitating to spill onto the streets even without the leadership of the civil society. Some, out of anger, went as far as voicing suspicions that civil society leaders had pocketed K10 million each in bribes from the Government of Malawi to discontinue the demonstrations, which is, of course, not true.

I call upon the President of the Republic of Malawi to stop this unpredictability nonsense and to lead with a sober mind. The majority of Malawians are angry. In Chinsapo these days, it is dangerous to walk while wearing the cloth of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

While the President has a huge part to play in restoring sanity to our nation, we the people also have a duty in expressing ourselves in as peaceful a manner as possible. We must not let temper get a hold on our reason. It is uncalled for, for instance, to beat up anybody because they are wearing the DPP uniform. It is their right to associate with any political grouping of their choice. We also all agree it is wrong to loot or to be violent. The moment we become violent, the whole process is discredited. Civil Society leaders need to put in place mechanisms for the prevention of looting and violence, if these demonstrations are going to bear any fruit.

Everybody is angry, but our problems are solvable – if only the President stopped being unpredictable.

Malawi's Presidential Contact Group: an anonymous professor asks pertinent questions

Dear Readers, I see the transcription of the Peter Mutharika secret tape has attracted a lot of attention, with 1,063 viewings of my blog half a day alone. But you will recall that in his 11 a.m. Sunday 14 August national address, President Bingu wa Mutharika announced the formation of what he calls a Presidential Contact Group to "facilitate the mediation process" between the Civil Society and the Opposition on the one hand and the President on the other. An anonymous Malawian professor has the following valid questions. Here is what he says:

Hey, people, I have some VERY SERIOUS questions. In fact, I am totally confused. Will somebody out there put some sense in me?

Here are some of my questions:

1.      What is this group: Mediators? Negotiators? Steering Committee/Group? Arbitrators? A fact finding Delegation? A Commission of Enquiry? A Public Hearing Committee? An Inquest Group? I do not get it!

2.      Do the terms of reference for this group reflect the issues? Will this group be answering the petition by the CSOs? What will they be addressing?

3.      Where is DIALOGUE in the terms of reference? What will they be dialoguing on?

4.      Should most of these people not be part of civil society? How “presidential” is this group?

5.      Where is the face of government in this group? Can one see GOVERNMENT in it? Or can one see the PRESIDENT’s OFFICE in it?

6.      What methodology will this group be using? And what will be the reporting methodology?

7.      How much mandate does it have to resolve some of the issues “there and then” without reference to the appointing authority?

 

What I would have liked to see

1.      The face of government – Ministers and Principal Secretaries, Executive of key Statutory Corporations concerned with the issues at hand, eg Reserve Bank (for forex), MERA (for fuel), Vice Chancellor of the University of Malawi (for issues to do with the University). In other words the composition should be GOVERNMENT officials and the officials from the sectors or institutions that are supposed to respond to the specific issues in the July 20 petition

2.      No politically controversial or interested individuals in the team – meaning those who have already shown their deep-seated personal interests in the issues at hand

3.      Clear terms of reference related to the specific issues in the July 20 petition.

4.      Clear mandate for the group ie specific issues that can resolve on their own and those they would be required to refer to the appointing authority

5.      Clear statement on methodology to be used by the group in relation to the issues at hand

6.      Clear statement on what this group is

7.      [Possibly] statement on how the outcomes of this process will or is likely to be used, and possibly by who as well.

 

 Terms of Reference

 

*   To act as a platform for contact and dialogue between government and various interest groups in the country including representatives of political parties, non-governmental organizations, women lobby groups, youth representatives, vendors, the business community, the media, the elderly, people with disabilities, and any concerned citizens.
*       To mediate, guide, and propose ways of amicably solving any disputes and suggest how the people of Malawi can be united through mutual agreement, understanding, reconciliation, and tolerance in order to resolve any disputes among the people of Malawi with the view to safeguard the peace, security and stability of Malawi.
*       To prepare and present reports of such contacts together with proposals of other groups on how issues raised by them should be addressed.
*        To make public as appropriate the outcomes, understanding and agreements reached between the government, civil society, political parties and any other concerned citizens
*       To undertake any other such functions as may be assigned to them by the president.
The report further says Malawians are encouraged to use the grouping as the most appropriate channel of communicating with the president.

Members

Chair - retired Anglican Archbishop Bernard Malango.

Deputy chair  – Goodal Gondwe, First Vice President of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party

Rapporteur - DPP Secretary General Wakuda Kamanga

Other members of the committee –

* Paramount Chief Lundu,

*   Sheikh Alhaji Alide Likonde of the Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi,

*   Sheikh Alhaji Ali Kanyamula of the Muslim Association of Malawi

*  Inkosi ya Makosi Mbelwa IV

*   Mrs. Catherine Munthali, president of the Society for the Advancement of Women (SOW),

*  Reverent Bishop Bvumbwe, Chairman of the Malawi Council of Churches and

*   Apostle Dr. Madalitso Mbewe, Founder and President of Calvary Family Church.

Transcription of the Peter Mutharika Secret Tape

(Phone rings)

Peter Mutharika (PM):  Let me answer this . . . hello!

Radio:                                Hello. Good morning, Professor.

PM:                                        Yes. Who’s this?

Radio:                                xxx from xxx Radio.

PM:                                        I . . . I’m sorry, who?

Radio:                                xxx from Radio xxx.

PM:                                        Yes . . . What do you need?

Radio:                                Ah . . . I was talking to the DPP spokesperson, Honourable Dr Ntaba . . .

PM:                                        Yes . . .

Radio:                                Who-o said during the NGC meeting, your name was endorsed unanimously as the party’s torch-bearer in 2014, and I’d like to get your reaction to that news now that the party has come out in the shell (clears throat) to endorse your name.

PM:                                        Ah . . . I’m in a meeting now errrm . . .  Can you call me back in a . . .(speaks to himself) I’ve another meeting and then . . (back to addressing xxx Radio) Can you call me about 12:30?

Radio:                                At 12:30?

PM:                                        Yeah . . . I’ve a meeting . . . Between 12:30 and 2:00 I’m free; then I have a meeting at 2:00. Errrm, call me around 12:30. What’s your name again?

Radio:                                xxx.

PM:                                        xxx .  . . O.K. Call me at 12:30.

Radio:                                O.K., no problem. (Cuts the line)

PM:                                        Do you know who’s this? xxx . . . they are not on our side, eh?

Charles Mchacha (CM): Who’s that?

PM:                                        xxx Radio or something  errrm . . . .

CM:                                        xxx, yeah, yeah.

PM:                                        They are not on our side, are they?

CM:                                        xxx? xxx Radio?

PM:                                        Yeah, I think xxx.

CM:                                        Sometimes . . .But . . . .

PM:                                        They wanted to know about . . . (slurs) yesterday’s (slurs again) endorsement . . . What should I tell him? I have to talk to him?

CM:                                        Yes!

PM:                                        With all these people now I cannot refuse. What should be my reaction? You know, my reaction was to say that, you know, this has been there for a long time . . .

CM:                                        Yes . . .

PM:                                        That there is nothing really new . . .

CM:                                        Yes . . .

PM:                                        Slurs.

CM:                                        You know . . .

PM:                                        Wait! (Answers another call) Yeah . . . yeah . . .Yes. I do at (slurs). Did you hear? OK, tell him to . . . that I’m in a very important meeting. It may take about ten minutes more and just ask him to wait. Alright, thank you. Bye. (Grunts to recall Mchacha’s attention).

CM:                                        Yeah, you have to now

PM:                                        (Interrupting Mchacha) This guy is calling from the UK.

CM:                                        (Ignores PM’s explanation of the origin of his phone call and speaks at the same time as PM speaks) People they have been asking. Ha, Prof, hey chiyani-chiyani, muyimilire mupange chiyani-chiyani, but you have been quite (sic), making meetings, kampeni ya makhansala, chiyani-chiyani ya . . .

PM:                                        (Laughs briefly) Ya MP . . .

CM:                                        Ya MP chiyani-chiyani (Both laugh together)

PM:                                        (Amid laughter ) I didn’t tell you  . . . (continues laughing)

CM:                                        (Still laughing) Kampeni! Tipange Kampeni! Kampeni ya makhansala (They both laugh heartily) Been a long way.

PM:                                        Yeah.

CM:                                        Now today it’s a reality.

PM:                                        Yeah.

CM:                                        (Tries to say something not clear)

PM:                                        It’s in the open.

CM:                                        It’s in the open. So I think you will receive more phones, more questions . . .

PM:                                        There will be more nasty things of course . . .

CM:                                        Kuti chiyani-chiyani-chiyani. Because people have been speaking, hey, you can beat this one, you can that one (sic), you can this one (sic), but you have been quite. Now time has come yoti nkupanga respond . . .

PM:                                        Yes, exactly . . .

CM:                                        Pa zomwe anthu akukhala akukakamba.

PM:                                        The other teams have started now.

CM:                                        Have started?

PM:                                        Phoya has started. Joyce Banda has started. So they have started the campaigns now. (Slurs) How to . . . What I was thinking was to say look . . . just like I did when the chiefs were endorsing me that time, I said . . . even when I told a BBC guy in Istanbul when they pushed me on Network Africa I . . . I said look, I appreciate that people like . . .

CM:                                        Yeah . . .

PM:                                        We all like it for somebody to say nice things about you.

CM:                                        Yeah.

PM:                                        So I put it on his face and said don’t you like it when people say nice things about you? He said: ‘Oh, yes I like it.’ So I put it on his face! But I said I’ve not yet made up my mind, but now, I have to say that . . . errrm . . . I, I, I think I’ll take this line . . . I, I, I think I’ll say look . . . errrm . . . people have endorsed me . . .

CM:                                        Yes . . .

PM:                                        I’m flattered . . .

CM:                                        Mhhh . . . .

PM:                                        And I accept the endorsement of the NGC.

CM:                                        NGC  . . .

PM:                                        But there is still a convention coming. And, after the convention, that’s when I’ll make a formal . . . if the convention selects me, that’s when I’ll outline my policies and so on.

CM:                                        Yes . . .

PM:                                        And that I don’t know when the convention will be held . . .

CM:                                        Yeah . . .

PM:                                        But I think we need to hold the convention soon.

CM:                                        Yes . . .

PM:                                        Because Chimunthu Banda has a plan . . . that’s why (slurs) was worried, because he was the one playing the double standards. He was campaigning with me . . .

CM:                                        But he’s against you . . .

PM:                                        He’s against me. They are vying for supremacy on this thing. Kandodo would like to run and so would Kutsaira like to run and wants to be either candidate or running mate. (slurs)

CM:                                        Yeah . . . yeah.

PM:                                        And so Kutsaira has been (slurs) with (slurs) Chimunthu Banda’s side, but Chimunthu Banda is not Chewa.

CM:                                        Mhh . . .

PM:                                        He’s Tonga from the North.

CM:                                        Tonga, yes.

PM:                                        Even the way he speaks Chichewa (slurs)

CM:                                        Yes . . .

PM:                                        (Slurs) the State House will keep an eye on him . . .

CM:                                        (Slurs)

PM:                                        Yeah, yeah. So they’ll keep an eye on him, errrm, and see what he is doing. That’s why I should say look, certainly I’m glad the National Governing Council has endorsed me but we’ll wait for the convention and at the convention I’ll outline my points. What do you think I should say?

CM:                                        Just accept kuti NGC has endorsed me to be candidate in 2014. I am happy, because when people have appointed you, when people have endorsed you it means that they have trust on you (sic). So don’t say much. Don’t say much because poyamba timve kaye ma reaction a anthu kuti kodi ma-reaction a anthu akhala bwanji.

PM:                                        Ehe . . .

CM:                                        From there tikhala ndizosavuta kuyankha tsopano.

PM:                                        You have a good point. I think I’ll just say that they have endorsed my name but this is just a proposal because the decision (slurs) but I’m glad that I received this endorsement just like I’m glad that I received the endorsement from chiefs and other parties – and just leave it at that.

CM:                                        Yeah! What I’d like to hear is that kuti outsiders anena kuti chiyani, and also these people amene ali ndi intention ya . . . (Voice recording interrupts: ‘Sorry, you have one minute left for this call’).

PM:                                        Yes.

CM:                                        Chifukwa izi zachitika tsopano, what can they do? Ndiye kuti Chimunthu Banda abwera kwa inu. Kandodo mmh . . .

PM:                                        They’ll come out.

CM:                                        Kutsairanso aona kuti kodi anthu awa ali pati . . .

PM:                                        Kandodo is on our side.

CM:                                        Yeah, yeah.

PM:                                        Kutsaira was but we’re not sure now.

CM:                                        Yeah.

PM:                                        Kutsaira and Masangwi . . . these people are smugglers, that’s what they are, smugglers.

CM:                                        Oh, Oh, Oh, you know? I thought that kuti you did not knew (sic) . . .

PM:                                        Iiiiih, Ambuye, kuti mpaka . . . (they laugh together)

CM:                                        I thought that you are not knew (sic) kuti these people ngakhale mu meeting . . .

PM:                                        They’re smugglers.

CM:                                        Mabizinesi awo akamagula makapenta . . .

PM:                                        Yes . . . And they’re using their positions to intimidate people at MRA . . .

CM:                                        To the extent kunena kuti no, iwe wa Mulhakho ukuwononga zinthu . . . .(line cuts).

~ END OFCALL ~