Monday, April 5, 2010

Malawian Vice-President's Harrassment Worries Me

Joyce Banda, Malawi's Vice President, is being harrassed by her boss. Reports indicate she has been made to vacate her official Mudi Residence. She has been stripped of her role as AU Goodwill Ambassador for Safe Motherhood. Her fleet of motor vehicles has not been given back to her.

Why is the President harrassing his Deputy?

Well, we all know why. Bingu wants his younger brother, Peter, to take over in 2014. He, therefore, wants to keep JB as obscure as possible. When choosing her, he must have thought she would be a lame duck VP whom he could control at will, the way we remote-control the TV. When JB refused to play by the rules, Bingu decided to sideline her.

Remember the former VP, Cassim Chilumpha? They came up with trumped-up charges that CC wanted to assassinate Bingu. To this day we have heard very little progress in the case.

But isn't it a monumental shame and a colossal disgrace that the only woman to hold the highest position in Malawi is being frustrated by the very man who claims to champion the advancement of women in leadership? It's a paradox, really.

Personally, I think this whole idea of moving mountains for Peter to take over is much ado about nothing. Let's wait and see.

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