WHAT IS REAL THE REASON MALAWIAN PRESIDENT IS HERE?

Ordinarily a state visit is nothing one wants to ask too many questions about but after what happened in South Africa last year, we necessarily have to wonder why President Lazarus Chakwera is in Botswana? If your memory needs to be refreshed, Chakwera was implicated in the escape of Shepherd Bushiri and his wife from South Africa. Bushiri, who funded Chakwera’s presidential campaign, was facing a slew of criminal charges, including sexual assault. The weight of the evidence in a money laundering case was so heavy that Bushiri would certainly have been found guilty. Through the Malawian Embassy, the man of gold asked for payback from the politician he had put in presidential office. Reporting by South Africa’s Sunday Independent indicates that after Chakwera appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa for help, the former made a “state visit” to South Africa for the purpose of smuggling the Bushiris out of the country. On D- Day, a Rastaman spouting a stream of Rasta- isms and singing snatches of Bob Marley songs showed up in the VIP lounge of a military airbase outside Johannesburg.

When offered the GMOs served on planes, he declined with “Man a Rastaman, I and I only nyam ital food” - I am a Rastaman, I only eat natural foods.” In making small talk with one of the lounge staff, he was heard to remark: “It still amazing to I and I dat the iron bird can fly inna di sky suh easy” - It still amazes me that the airplane can fly in the sky so easily. And a little later, as a snarl scalded his face, “Fiyah bun babylon kaaz dem eva deh taament poor people” ( I denounce the police because they are always tormenting poor people).

When the getaway plane landed in Lilongwe a few hours later, no Rastaman got off but Bushiri did. Journalists at the airport captured footage of the arrival but Malawian intelligence officials swiftly confiscated it. With all this history, we necessarily have to ask three very important questions: Have law enforcement authorities beefed up security at the Maximum Prison in Gaborone where 13 Malawians are held? What steps are being taken to ensure that all 62 Malawians on bail comply with the conditions of such bail, and what is the real reason the Malawian president is in Botswana?