By Vincent Gunde

Minister of Education responsible for Higher Education Dr. Jessie Kabwila was recently caught up in a leaked WhatsAPP conversation where he boldly stated that “Ndale”-politics is not about facts but perception.

Dr. Kabwila was reacting to public comments which were being made on MCP forums that President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera delivered a half-truth State of the Nations Address (SONA) advising members not to waste time seeking clarifications on these projects but to focus on the elections coming on the 16th September, 2025.

Presenting the SONA in Parliament, President Chakwera said he has enough trust in the Malawian people that they are fair minded enough to judge his performance as President by what he has done not by what other politicians say about him or by the disasters that have befallen Malawians.

Political analyst Burnett Munthali has described the statement made by Dr. Kabwila that “Ndale” is not about facts but perception as not only dangerous, but threatening the very foundation upon which democracy and good governance rest in Malawi.

Munthali writing in his speech said politics is not about manipulating perception, it is about service, it is about addressing the real issues that affect the people such as poverty, healthcare, education, job creation, and national development.

He said the country’s leaders are not elected to deceive their people but to serve their people with honesty and commitment claiming that when politicians embrace perception over facts, they insult the intelligence of Malawians.

The political analyst said politicians assume that the people can be easily manipulated and start believing in anything they say regardless of whether it is true or false saying governance is not a game of deception- it is a responsibility that demands truthfulness and transparency.

He said ministers and public officials in Malawi takes an Oath not a mere formality, it is a sacred promise to serve the nation with integrity,” I will well and truly perform the functions of the high office and at all times, protect and defend the Constitution. I will faithfully serve the people of Malawi and preserve the sovereignty, integrity and unity of the nation. So help me God,”

“If politics were simply about perception as Dr. Kabwila suggested, there is no need for public officers to take an Oath of office observing that the danger of lies in leadership leads to loss of credibility, political instability, weakened democracy and legal consequence,” reads Munthali’s speech.

He has urged Malawians not to allow deception to define their nation but to demand accountability, transparency and educating themselves to be vigilant in understanding their political systems and not allow propaganda to mislead them.

He said Malawi deserve leadership who govern with honesty, a government that tells the truth reminding Dr. Kabwila and others who share her views that politics is not about perception-it is about reality and the reality is that Malawians are tired of lies, they demand facts, integrity and real change.