Amid calls from some quarters that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should field youthful State Vice-President, Saulos Chilima, as its torchbearer in next year’s Tripartite Elections because President, Peter Mutharika, would, beyond next year, be too old for another term, deserves sober and exhaustive debate.
There is debate already with Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe insisting that the state presidency is not for babies—in what is a jibe on Chilima who is supposed to be the Finance Minister’s boss— but this matter calls for healthy discourse devoid of partisan politics because it borders on the Constitution.
The Constitution sets 35 as the minimum age for one to vie for the state presidency but there is no cap, meaning that Chilima, 45, and Mutharika, 79 are within their constitutional rights to vie for the hottest seat.
After all, they say there is wisdom in grey hair but also the youth have every right to demand leadership positions now because they have always been made to believe they are future leaders.
In electing youthful leaders, countries such as Ethiopia, France and Botswana, have proved that the future is now.
Scientifically, there is correlation between age and productivity. However, it is a fallacy of generalisation suggesting that just because one is young then they can turn around this country we call home.
Beyond competence, temperament, qualifications, wisdom and intelligence, discipline of the highest order is a prerequisite for any State President, and we are not quite sure if this generation of the youth are, in general, models of discipline.
Therefore, it is important to call for national wide debate across the political spectrum meant to help the citizenry decide what sort of a leader they expect to lead Malawi forward.
The debate can even extend to the Judiciary and Legislature for running a state is not only about the Executive.
As a nation, we must whether it is okay entrusting septuagenarians and octogenarians with the weighty task of making and enforcing laws in the Judiciary and Legislature, instead of playing with grandsons at home.
This debate must not only be restricted to politicians but even technocrats because politicians cannot and must not be trusted.
There is a danger if politicians dominate such debate on age limit because as we all know, politicians peddle selfish agendas.
Indeed, how do you trust politicians such as Gondwe, who had no problems when Chilima was made running mate to Mutharika, yet now make a u-turn that the second in command is too young to rule the country?
Leave a Reply