At the announcement that Bingu has directed for the arrest of opposition and civil society leaders, the majority of Malawians are asking the president to tread carefully. One thing that is a fact is that Malawians do not get intimidated by arrests. If only Bingu re- read the history of Kamuzu Banda’s arrest in 1959m the arrest of Chihana in 1992 and Muluzi in 1993, he would understand the resilience of Malawians when it comes to threats.
The warning is that if indeed Bingu wants to arrest the opposition and civil society leaders for the July 20 demonstrations the advice is for him to rethink, otherwise that would a recipe for instability in Malawi. As a national leader, Bingu must learn to let things pass and learn lessons from events that unfold. Unlike the period of Dr Banda when Cold War institutions nurtured dictators, the World is now for democracy.
In view of the problems we are experiencing from Bingu it is advisable for Malawians not to elect a future president whom they do not know. Malawians must elect people who have not live for a long time in a foreign country. And every presidential candidate must pass a medical certificate of fitness to ensure that they do not elect people with mental illnesses. Mental instability can contribute to erratic decision making in leaders.
It is unthinkable for an elected president can be going around bragging about arresting citizens in a democracy. Does he not know that by the mere mention of arresting the president is politicizing the arrest? No respectable court can entertain such arrests as criminal cases.