There may be outstanding events that have hit headlines but the date that which will trek down the history of Malawi is July 20 as we exercised our right to express discontent with gvt’s unpleasant traits, some lost life, gvt adjusted its decisions, CSOs displayed courage in championing the cause,the list goes on and on…..

I am from northern Malawi and a first year student at Chancellor College in the eastern city of Zomba. I am pursuing Bachelor of Education Sciences envisioning to major in either Maths and/or Earth Sciences though what I needed to study from the word go was Business Adminstration or Economics but due to low intake in the fields,I had to switch in order to realise my dream of being in the corridors of a university on one part and because I have traits of a teacher on the other.

20 July opened a new chapter in my life and in the history of Malawi. I and fellow members of Chancellor College intelligentsia took part in what I will call demonstrations and not protests. …

The 20th July demos have adjusted gvt’s pace at which it was solving issues of public interest like fuel availability which is registering positives though not yet there,have also taught gvt realise the need to accomodate the views of the masses before the situation gets out of hand,have reminded people of the power of voice,have sent a message to gvt that all is not rosy thus giving it chance to rectify the mess,have taught me why we need CSOs,have shown future leaders what to do and what not to eticetra eticetra…The demos will help gvts to come not to repeat same mistakes thus will possibly be better perfomers. Again the demos will keep reminding leaders in gvt(s) that they are not superb thereby eliminating autocratic tendencies in this era of democratisation. Here in Zomba, there were no casualties so I know no one dead but of course 19 people died on the day from other cities. …