Reading Time: 3 minutesIn my article of several years ago, about the lessons that we can learn from Ben Carson, I referred to a claim by a Zimbabwean prophet that candidates who chose anointed pens would pass examinations regardless of whether they studied or not. “Anointed” means of getting what people crave are becoming very popular these days. […]
The folly of courting cheap prosperity Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesA friend recently narrated to me what the MBC Band great, William Malikula, had shared with him. In the 1970s MBC Band was invited to perform in Namibia along with bands from Rhodesia, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia itself. When they got there and started to practice, they said to each other, “koma sitichitako manyazi
The folly of shunning cultural identity Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesA recent post on a forum that I belong to showed a maize garden in which the seedlings had withered as a result of application of herbicide. More likely than not, the garden owner did not follow the right instructions as he was applying the herbicide. The entire maize crop was damaged as a result.
The pitfalls of oral tradition Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesI recently bought an item from the technician that repairs our genset when it develops mechanical problems. He is amazingly good at diagnosing the problems and remedying them. I requested a receipt for the item I purchased from him then I discovered that he could barely write. He struggled to produce the receipt. A few
Blue collar workers develop economies Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesAs the year drew to a close, many cross over functions were organized by different religious groups in the country. Shepherd Bushiri stood out as having organized, yet again, a particularly successful cross over rally, with many participants drawn from outside Malawi, mainly from South Africa. They jam packed the expansive Auction Holdings floor. In
Private citizens can cause the economy to tick Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesIt was common during the time that I went to school for schools to compete in a variety of sports events. In those days, track events used to be popular. It was possible to have long distance events on the pitch. The competitors would have to run around the pitch several times. Each round was
Crazy worlds with crazy new years Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesOne of the most popular Christmas stories is that of the wise men from the East, who are reported to have seen a strange star and followed it until it led them to the baby Jesus. It happens to be one of the stories with yawning gaps and, therefore, one of the most interpolated ones.
Whence the popular, mysterious wise men? Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesRecently there have been renewed calls for a federated government in Malawi. This is an idea which was mooted some years back, championed mainly by the parties that were not in Government then. The idea died down over the past three or four years but has recently been resurrected. Just as the case was before,
Which way to go – federalism or federation? Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesSeveral years ago I featured a man I met in the Nsaru area in Lilongwe Rural, Mr. Msampha Mwale, who at that time was 72 years old but going to school. The time I met him, he was about to write his JC examinations. Our conversation, which was mostly in English, revealed to me the
Fare thee well world’s oldest pupil Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhat set England and eventually the entire British Isles apart from the rest of the countries in the world, turning them into a world power is the industrial revolution of the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century. Several British entrepreneurs invested in new and innovative ways of making goods. The textile industry was one
To trade in raw commodities is to be on shaky ground Read More »