At first, mdzukulu, it was the rumour circulating in several African websites claiming United States (US) of America Republican presidential candidate then Donald Trump made a host of racist remarks at an unspecified event in Indianapolis.
\nIt was hard to find any evidence supporting the claim.
\nNumerous African websites alleged Trump described black people as \u2018lazy and only good at sex and stealing\u2019.
\nThe first version that lacked a date, context and the name or type of event at which Trump purportedly spoke further \u2018quoted\u2019 Trump as, among other remarks, saying: \u201cFrom the government to opposition, they [Africans] only qualify to be used as a case study whenever bad examples are required. \u2026 I hear they abuse me in their blogs but I don\u2019t care because even the Internet they are using is ours and we can decide to switch it off from this side.
\n\u201cThese are people who import everything including matchsticks.
\n\u201cIn my opinion, most of these African countries ought to be recolonised again for another 100 years because they know nothing about leadership and self-governance.\u201d
\nBut, mdzukulu, whosoever created this satire surely had an accurate image of African leaders, Malawi inclusive, in mind.
\nAnd Trump is at it again, this time causing a global storm by referring to Haiti and African countries as \u201cshithole countries\u201d that do not produce desirable immigrants for the US.
\nThere are some quarters who argue that the President of the largest economy in the word has broken the diplomatic etiquette by calling it as it is.
\nYou know, mdzukulu, Africans in particular are full of euphemism and would prefer their countries being politely referred to as \u201cdeveloping nations\u201d or \u201cemerging markets\u201d.
\nOthers, of course, argue that Trump\u2019s are not \u2018offensive words\u2019 about Haiti and African nations. They argue the US President told the raw truth about these countries.
\nAnd Trump is winning support of 63 million American taxpayers who voted him into power. The economy is booming. There was even more good news in the past few days. Over two million Americans are getting bonuses because of Trump\u2019s tax law.
\nUnfortunately, mdukulu, Malawi in 21st century is beset with mediocre, selfish, corrupt, myopic, predatory and firefighting political class which is dearth of practical reason in 13th century philosopher Thomas Aquinas\u2019 sense such that being a rich politician because a person next door is poor and deriving some satisfaction is now a norm.
\nToday, the circle of monopolisation of the State media, repudiation of the critical voice, the thumping of mediocrity such as traditional leaders and the personification of power that characterised the past three multiparty Malawi presidents\u2019 regimes has resurfaced.
\nEconomically and socially, Malawi is standing below where it was 24 years ago and there are telling signs the country will stagnate economically in probably another 100 years from now.
\nTwenty-four years, more ink can be spilt on paper to let somebody see that poverty in Malawi remains deep, widespread and severe while the gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening.
\nYet our neighbours, mdzukulu, Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique have made tremendous economic advancement. Mozambique \u2013 a country once embroiled in a 16-year-old civil war \u2013 is hitting headlines for having experienced growth rates at or above seven percent for more than 10 years.
\nAgain, smaller countries such as Mauritius and Singapore that were as poor as Malawi is, if not worse, when they attained independence, are now prosperous.
\nToday, Mauritius has the largest bank in eastern Africa, according to one issue of African Business Magazine.
\nUnfortunately, mdzukulu, President Peter Mutharika enjoys wearing, in already governance-ailing eyes, green-tinted spectacles so that he sees dry grey grass green.
\nTo me, mdzukulu, we are really a shithole!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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