Topic: Greetings from Malawi... 'Time to show strong leadership'

Lake Malawi/Nyasa row: Time to show strong leadership

By Cedrick Ngalande | August 6, 2012

At around the time of independence quite a few people in Tanzania wanted to claim a huge part of Lake Malawi or Lake Nyasa . Cool heads eventually prevailed, as most Tanzanians, including the legendary President Julius Nyerere, understood the importance of respecting boundaries emanating from colonial times.

During most of Dr Kamuzu Banda’s rule, Tanzania never really pushed this crazy idea of dividing up the lake. The issue was almost forgotten during the rule of Dr Bakili Muluzi and thereafter. In fact, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika commissioned a company to start exploring oil in the lake. Tanzania said nothing at that time.

Now we have a new president and all of sudden the Tanzanians are demanding that our government stop all exploration activities in the lake until all border issues have been clarified. Why now?

Folks, there is a reason why we have tradition. Tradition may appear useless and outdated but it is important because it usually become established after a long experience. In politics there is what is known as ‘presidential protocol’. These are small things which over the years have proven to be niceties a president must or must not do in order to represent his/her country correctly.


Test for President Joyce Banda to diplomatically manage the dispute on the boundary

You would think some of them are not important but they are. Here are a few of them – presidents never bow for other presidents in public; presidents never escort anybody to their car; presidents walk with their arms spread outwards apparently projecting power and being in control; presidents usually put on a solid color (one color) necktie because it portrays power; when two presidents greet each other while facing the camera, each of them jostle to be on the right side so that his palm will face the camera- another sign of power, apparently; when in company of other presidents, they try to be the last one to enter the door – a fatherly gesture; there is an interesting video clip of Chairman Yassier Arafat and PM Ehud Barak jostling to be the last one to enter a room at Camp David.

The sight of President George W Bush gently pushing PM Gordon Brown into Number 10 Downing Street before himself angered some British political experts.

Statesmanship is a game because image is everything in international politics. A country’s image depends a lot on the demeanor of its leader. President Barak Obama likes to pat other leaders on their back after greeting them; you thought that was an unplanned coincidence? Just remember, how your father used to pat you on the back when you were a good boy!

It is said that Bill Clinton failed to get a good deal at his summit with Boris Yelsin in Moscow because President Clinton having sprained his ankle arrived in Moscow on a wheelchair. The sight of a sick American president is said to have psychologically emboldened Boris Yelsin. Ghana is said to have regained its respect in West Africa when President J.J. Rawlings arrived at the 25th Organization of African Unity meeting in Togo in July 2000 in a military uniform portraying a very youthful image.

The presidency is acted on a world stage. What a president says and does is very important!

When Joyce Banda took over the presidency, she made it appear like Malawi will now be doing everything the donor community tells her to do. In fact some British newspapers were so pleasantly surprised with this that they called us ‘a donor fearing nation’.

President Joyce Banda went to London and even bowed before Queen Elizabeth, a very strange gesture considering that both are heads-of-state. Well, all these words and actions have now collectively given an image of a weak leadership in Malawi. The world has sensed blood. Now Tanzania has decided it is time to split up the lake. Notice that they did not bring up this crazy idea when Muluzi or Mutharika were in charge.

If we dignify Tanzania’s unreasonable request, one wonders what the next thing will be. Are they now going to claim Chitipa? Will Mozambique now claim Mulanje Mountain?

Government must make clear that no part of Malawi is up for discussion – full stop! It is time to show strength. Tell Tanzania that Lake Malawi was, is and will always be Malawian.

Surprisingly, after all these arrogant statements by the Tanzania government, our government’s response is at best a whimper. The minister of foreign affairs has issued a statement saying the issue will be settled ‘amicably’. Really, Mr. Minister? What could be an amicable statement? Are you planning to even dignify Tanzania’s unreasonable demand? Do you plan to divide up the lake? How can you have an amicable settlement to an unreasonable demand?

Lake Malawi/Nyasa row: Time to show strong leadership | Malawi news, Malawi - NyasaTimes breaking online news source from Malawi

SOME COMMENTS:

LET THEM(MALAWIANS) USE WHICHEVER KIND OF ABUSIVE LANGUAGE TO US(TANZANIANS).I PLEDGE DEAR TANZANIANS TO BE CALM UNTIL WHEN THE WHOLE MATTER OF WATER BORDER CONFLICT BETWEEN TANZANIA AND MALAWI IS GIVEN RESOLUTION. IF THE LAKE BELONGS TO MALAWI OR TANZANIA OR THESE COUNTRIES SHARE BORDERS IN LAKE NYASA ALL WILL BE REVEALED THEREOF. What we want to see at the end of the day is justice being weighed in an egalitarian way for the tranquility of the two nations. Where is the war coming? who is to just begin war? Is JAKAYA OR JOYCE? IF THE ORDER IS STATE OF WAR AND NO WAY OUT TO LIVE THAN WAR IS FAIR WE GO WAR.

36

TAIFA Says:

August 6th, 2012 at 9:01 pm

IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MALAWI IS A WEAK NATION IN TERMS OF MILITARY POWER. I KNOW THOSE MALAWIANS WHO ARE SHOUTING THAT THEY ARE READY FOR WAR ARE HOPING THAT THEY WILL GET AN ASSISTANCE FROM U.K OR U.S.A JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALLOWED GAY MARRIAGE.

35

Dr Chimwemwe Banda Says:

August 6th, 2012 at 8:50 pm

What makes Tanzania pompous stupid morons. thieves you have no right to claim what is not yours. why do you want Malawi to consult with you to change the name of their asset? Lake Malawi belongs to Malawi period. 100% of it. we want WAR!!!

34

Dr Chimwemwe Banda Says:

August 6th, 2012 at 8:42 pm

This my plea to all Tanzanians. what gives stupid Tanzanians the faint idea that they are a Military might? Malawi is a very dangerous country with a disciplined military force, ask the Mozambicans. malawi has the back up of both USA and great Britain. This is day time robbery, Lake Malawi belongs 100% to Malawi, the boundary has been there since 1890. Why stick to Malawi’s old name “Nyasa” when the country’s name has changed. Even the old name you are sticking to belongs to Malawi for God’s sake!!! You bunch of thieves, we are ready to smoke you out. You have Indian ocean, Lake Tanganyika and you still want to claim our lake!!! stupid bastards, we do not want to share our assets.

33

BigMan Says:

August 6th, 2012 at 8:40 pm

We can take these Taifa’s with the right strategy, their military is too old fashioned in its structure. 5 × infantry brigade 1 × tank brigade 3 × artillery battalion 2 × air defence artillery battalion 1 × mortar battalion 2 × anti-tank battalion 121st Engineer Regiment 1 × central logistic/support group Yes they have an air force but its in very bad shape. Mostly made up of second hand crafts bought from Iraq, Iran or stolen from Idi Amin’s Uganda. They have 27,000 active troops altogether, we have around 26,000. Our troops are professionally trained and we are known worldwide for the skills and discipline of our soldiers, let these Swahili’s not dare to make the mistake of underestimating the might of the Malawian army or the pride of its people, lest they pay a bloody price.

32

Spawk Says:

August 6th, 2012 at 8:34 pm

To the foolish backward Tanzanians posting nonsense, go to your stupid Swahili blogs. You think by defeating a lunatic Idi Amin makes you a super power? You were all brainwashed by another lunatic in the name of Nyerere. Despite all the bragging about that war, it were the Ugandans themselves that won that war. You only found an already defeated lunatic Amin and your own lunatic Nyerere made you believe you won the war. Anyway, that’s not the main issue here but I just wanted to shed some light into what your god Nyerere hid from you. Lake Malawi is only shared between Malawi and Mozambique. You backward Tanzanians deal with it! You cannot unilaterally abolish the 1890 agreement to suit your greed. Can’t you ask yourself why Malawi agrees that it shares the lake with Mocambique and not you? Go to hell you Nyerere worshipers!

Huyo wa mwisho kawachana wabongo hadi basi kudadeki. Eti Nyerere worshipers ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Time will tell, hopefully the issue won't be resolved by war!

The trouble facing USA is due to Afghan and Iraq wars. I don't think these poor countries deserve even to spare little they have for amunitions! Come back to your senses before commiting lifetime unwise decisions guys.

Nilienda kwenye hii site nikacheka wanyasa wanavyotukana dah!lakini na wewe ingia ucheke kidogo....Lake Malawi/Nyasa row: Time to show strong leadership | Malawi news, Malawi - NyasaTimes breaking online news source from Malawi

maneno mengi tu hawa, watuambie kama ile treaty ya heligoland watanganyika na wanyasa ndio walikaa wakapanga au ni waingereza na wakaoloni wengine kwa maslahi yao?
wakumbuke wakati huo hatukuwa taifa huru na hatuko bound na treaty za kikoloni.
sasa tuna sheria mpya kusu mgawanyo sawa wa maji baina ya nchi na nchi.
isitoshe hao ni kuwapa kichapo kikali ili wajue Tanzania hatutanii.wajeshi wetu nawaaminia kwa kazi
Kitwete speak out soon.

Sa we Radhia furaha ya kicheko chako ni nini?

Hawa watunza bustani zetu vp? wamejaa huku wanakuja kututunzia bustani halafu wanamtukana Nyerere wetu.Hapa mchezo mchezo lkn unaweza kuta ngumi zinapigwa.

...see how idiotic some of the comments read: eti.."malawi has both the backing of usa and britain.." what a bunch of **ck suckin weaklings!! tutawatwanga kama hatuna hakili vile, **enzi type!

By Ngaliba Dume

Sa we Radhia furaha ya kicheko chako ni nini?

...ever came across a prcking weirdo that wont stop having a giggle at funeral??!

Mlifikiri Viongozi wa malawi ni kama vile viongozi wa Zanzibar mnawachezesha mchezo wa karagosi wasogeeni wamalawi muone joto ya jiwe mtarudi nyuma mika hamsini 50

Cedrick Ngalambe, first of all, must be sick and naive failling to notice that if Tanzania decided to take on Malawi, the loser is obvious Malawi. Again, airing vituperative pieces won't solve the problem. Instead, they will aggravate it.

How can a sane and enlightened person trusted to write to the people say that dividing the lake is a crazy idea? Tanzania does not want to divide the lake and after all, Tanzania is not as poorer as Malawi is when it comes to owning lakes. We have lake Tanganyika, Victoria and Rukwa among hundreds of lakes and rivers we have.

It is only insanity of its high order that can accommodate the view that Lake Nyasa belongs to Malawi except the fact that its waters are in Tanzania's territory. What a false understanding. How come that Malawi allowed Tanzanian fishermen for decades if not since time immemorial to fish in its lake?

What Malawi stands for, as per Ngalande's frozen ideas, that the lake is wholly Malawian is as good as saying that the shadow of anybody has nothing to do with the body. Think twice poor fella.

Duh...!
Wamemtukana huyo Bi.Joyce mapaka basi...hata hivyo Ziwa Nyasa 50% lazima waiachie tu kama kweli hawataki tuinyanyue hiyo "skirt" ya Joyce wao HADHARANI.

Father of All,

Never mind that guy, he was just VOMITING his stupid ideas...let them dare us!

The bad thing is that Idd Amin Dada is dead...I wish he could be alive to "whisper" some SENSES to Joyce!

By Radhia Sweety

Huyo wa mwisho kawachana wabongo hadi basi kudadeki. Eti Nyerere worshipers ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Radhia wewe Sio Mbantu... wewe mstaarabu wa ki-Omani lazima Uwacheke wabantu...

HL Deb 24 March 1959 vol 215 cc198-362 198 § 2.48 p.m.
§ LORD OGMORE rose to draw attention to the unrest in Nyasaland


"....... Nyasaland, as your Lordships know, is a land area roughly the size of Scotland. It is land-locked, so far as communications with the sea are concerned. It lies in a belt along the western shore of Lake Nyasa. It has a population of 2,648,000, of which some 7,000 are Europeans. It might almost be called a Scottish Colony, if there were such a thing, because for some sixty years and more Scotland has been intimately concerned with this Protectorate....."

Excerpt from The House of Commons Hansard, March 24, 1959.

they have a weak president and we dont have any so you see its anybody's game

wanabwabwaja hawa wamalawi.

Hatuwezi vita sasa hivi, kwanza pesa ziko wapi? Hata za uchaguzi wa 2016 hatuna.

Hii nayo usije kuwa script watu wanatafuta umaarufu wa 2015 maana kuna kundi limejitosa wakati hii ni ishu ya kitaifa si ya chama wala kundi.

this is now becoming serious

Kwe Wamalawi wanakiburi. Bt mwisho wao umefika

Katika Vita,
Fedha haipigani wanapigana watu,