Uprising!

John Chilembwe features on most Malawian bank notes

THERE ARE many things – as a nation – that should, in normal circumstances, make us angry and be able to voice that anger until substantive and positive action is taken. But nothing ever appears sufficiently wrong for us to rise up and demand that those responsible for systematic oppression and deliberate under-development be taken to task.

Yes, there have occurrences in Malawi where people’s actions have led to change – political, social and economic. However, as a nation that is always in a state of continual becoming, we must always resist the temptation of feeding off past ‘glories’. At any point in our lives, there is a generation that must either fulfil its mandate, or betray it altogether, to paraphrase the revolutionary theorist, Frantz Fanon.

The Hyena laughs at its victims

(Editor’s Note: the first section of this article is written by Levi Kabwato)

AROUND THE WORLD, Empathy is in short supply. Our ability to move past tragedy and forget them is quite alarming. The hashtags on social media have not made things easier as well. You can simply hashtag your message and feel you have done enough so you can move on with your life. Perhaps this should be fine, if you consider that a lot more goes ignored because, well, most people just do not have the time or strength to devote to every problem of the world.

Surely, however, there are things that can be done at a local level. There are various actions that can be taken in order to deal with social ills and other malaise in the pursuit of justice. It does not have to be earth-shattering – just simple expressions of Empathy that reveal what our African-ness is all about – Ubuntu/Umunthu.

I am because you are.