By Kondwani Nyondo
Once, their only chant was ‘A’choke! A’choke!’ (she must go! She must go!), but they now threatened “Total War” against government and that included anyone proxy to it.
After the 2019 annulled elections, there was tension in most parts of Malawi.
From nowhere, unrest erupted. There was no known leader, no office, and no one to control it as some opposition party supporters terrorized the cities.
One of the places where rioting erupted was Nsundwe, a community that sprawls 25-kilometers outside the capital city, Lilongwe,where some notorious citizens turned themselves into soldiers of fortune under the cult monickered “Msundwe Barracks,”violently demanding electoral justice.
A line of blue-vans, also full of riot police that for long had been staple of violent confrontation across the country, arrived in the area.
Rowdy boys started hurling stones at them. And teargas and stun bullets rattled all day,untill they pulled back.
But the vans dumped one in the middle of rioting mob. He was pronounced dead at Kamuzu Central Hospital.
People lacked a feeling of security to their democracy after the mismanaged elections under the watch of Jane Ansah, the then Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson.
And a bullet could not stop them demanding her resignation for having mismanaged the elections.
More deadly clashes escalated in most part of the country. Peace were broken. There was more violence and the country became tense.
The following day,a fiery statement was issued,reverberated across radio, television, and social media platforms.
“Jane Ansah must resign! We’re prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the people of Malawi. We’re not intimidated. We cannot trust you, Ansah, with our votes.”
This ruffled voice belonged to Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo,chairperson of the Human Right Defenders Coalition(HRDC).
A leader, whom many believed, spoke.
For Fidelis Kumwenda,57, who had experienced earlier riots at the dawn of multiparty system, the emergence of a believable leader in a state of near anarchy, heaved a huge sigh of relief.
At least, there was somebody authorities could talk to,“Without Mtambo, there was going to be total chaos in the country.”
Kumwenda’s mind swirls with memories of the riots on 6 May 1992. Riots over pay went off in parts around Ginnery Corner in Blantyre which escalated to other places nationally.
There was no leader, it was total chaos. Property was destroyed and about 38 people lost their lives nationally.
During the 1992 riots, the then president, Hastings Kamuzu Banda quickly constituted a Presidential Committee on Dialogue which was going to speak for the government side, and the churches provided leadership on the other side—where they had Public Affairs Committee (PAC).
As now the two groups could talk, relative calm was restored.
Aside from the much publicized arrests, petrol bomb targeting his house—and being shot at, they were other run-ins with authorities that showed he is a “daredevil.”
For me, patriotism and integrity is why his name remains legendary for activism throughout the country and beyond.
However ,people don’t understand how he gained a foothold in activism.
There are some,who say it was when he signed up with Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation before he eventually became the founding chairperson of the HRDC in 2017.
A funny one is that of the mystical belief which centers on allegations of being traditional leader in his village,Chitipa.
Which is also backed by how he survived six bullets in an attempted assassination.
If you saw him speak, clenching his fist while carrying a stick to his right hand, coupled with a corpulent ring on his left hand, you could gullibly believe he had mystical powers.
In April,2020,Mtambo announced his resignation from HRDC—forming a political movement which he named; The Citizens For Transformation-People Power Movement (CFT) through which he helped in advertising the Tonse Alliances promises that were a pie-in-the-sky.
Worse still, what followed later— was his appointment as minister of the newly established Ministry of Civic Education and National Unity—before he was dismissed in 2022.
The immediate reactions from citizens were anger, not analysis.
But is anger enough to judge Mtambo’s decision? Was it wrong for Mtambo as an activist to join politics?
Well, the answer is no.
Activism in Malawi did not start with Mtambo. History is replet with examples of activists who turned politicians.
As early as 1912 Levi Ziliro Mumba and his team of North Nyasa Native Association lobbied for the good working condition for educated Africans.
Later,activits of other associations merged to form a political revolution which was called Nyasaland African Congress which is now Malawi Congress Party.
The group,at first,was led by Levi Mumba,before Kamuzu Banda who took it into independence in 1964.
Henry Chipembere,Yatuta Chisiza,Kanyama Chiume, Orton Chirwa became ministers in the Kamuzu Banda regime.
Activits became politicians and never discarded their hat as activists. They took activism inside government. Later,when they faced resistance inside,they pulled out and relaunched the fight,now against Kamuzu.
Earlier than that,John Chlembwe also protested against the Thangata and conscription in the British Army.
He later attempted to take over government by force. An activist became politician.
Since 1980, Malawi has produced many activists that include Bakili Elson Muluzi,Kamlepo Kalua, Chakufwa Chihana and many others who later became politicians.
The solace for people should have been found in this background, that despite joining politics, Mtambo would continue fighting like Kanyama and Chisiza. Taking activism inside the government.
As I was writing this encomium, Mtambo had given an interview to Nation Publication’s political index section, published a few months ago, explaining how he was a a revolutionary daredevil inside government.
Well,this is just me and some quick stupid thoughts on Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo birthday.
