Recent media reports pointing to the sour relationship between the government and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the country are very disheartening. Disheartening in the sense that almost 18 years after we attained democracy, it seems some quarters do not still understand the role of the civil society in any democratic country. From what is awash in the media, one gets fallacious statement like this: “we are aware that civil society organizations would like to start a war on 14 March this year.” That is the accusation that was made in the August House by one Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Member of Parliament for Chikhwawa East, Ragson Kamunda Chirwa which was echoed by DPP’s Rumphi North MP Tasokwa Msiska. Perhaps these two MPs drew solace from President Bingu wa Mutharika’s remarks when he opened the 43rd session of parliament that activists are conniving with external forces to bring about regime change in the country. Quite regrettable! Reason? Simple.
The success of development and reforms of any state depends on both a robust state and an active civil society. The civil society is there to provide checks and balances, which demand keeping the government on its toes on every duty executed. Apart from this, there are also supposed to civic educate the masses on human rights, law and development. No problem with this. But in Malawi, the relationship between civil society organizations and government has always been that of a cat-and-mouse one, with the government assuming the cat’s role. This is no further from the truth.
Time and again, civil society activists have been beaten by thugs purported to have been sent by the powers that be after being not pleased with some of the ideas advanced by the activists. Of even more great concern is the fact that several activists have been arrested without rhyme or reason. To add insult to injury, we gather that the government is pondering on introducing legislative clauses which will guide the operations of the civil society in the country. Surely, the impression that one has now is that the government just wants to silence dissenting views and critics. Very unfortunate indeed.
At a time when the country is facing serious economic challenges one would have thought that the government should have lent a listening ear to dissent and constructive criticism from all stakeholders, the opposition parties and civil society inclusive—in order to come up with practical solutions to the problems.
When American President Barack Obama won the 2008 elections, one of the moving phrases which struck me when he was making his victory speech to an emotional crowd in Chicago was: “I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.” These were surely wise words from a wise leader.
Indeed, why would one engage with an audience only wanting to hear good things or neutral things? If one wants to build better products or deliver better services and build a long term sustainable development, one has to listen to constructive criticism as well. Furthermore, one has to talk to the people who bring the issues to ones attention either about fixing them or explaining why things they are the way they are. That’s a true facet of democracy.
Henry Chingaipe, one governance consultant argues that “in a democratic politics, CSOs are a legitimate party to governance. They aggregate the interests of the people and bring them to attention of those with government mandate...They need to do this because very often constitutional bodies that have lawful mandate to champion the interests of the ordinary people suffer from elite capture and either become too weak to be effective or pursue an agenda contrary to the felt and voiced aspirations of citizens.” This is true.
“Rather than being preoccupied with schemes to curtail their scope, government should be looking for ways for positive engagement with CSOs in order to create a coalition that will deliver both democracy and socioeconomic development simultaneously,” he sums up his argument. Surely it’s high time the relationship between civil society organisations and government moved from rivalry to partnership if we are to make any meaningful development and live by our billing that we are a democratic country.
The author works for Blantyre Synod Church and Society Programme but writes in his own personal capacity.
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