DOCSLIB.ORG

Meaning of Umunthu

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Meaning of Umunthu MEANING OF UMUNTHU COMMUNITY SPIRIT FOR THE BUILDING OF THE HUMAN COMMUNITY ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE SOCIO –POLITICAL SITUATION OF MALAWI submitted by Mennas Vincent Mukaka for the Academic Degree of Doctor of Theology at the Karl-Franzens University of Graz Institute/Department of Catholic Theology under the Supervision of Prof. Dr. Leopold Neuhold (1. Supervisor) Prof. DDr. Reinhold Easterbauer (2. Supervisor) © 2015 Mennas Vincent Mukaka iii DECLARATION I DECLARE THAT THIS DISSERTATION IS MY OWN WORK AND ALL THE SOURCES HAVE BEEN QUOTED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY MEANS OF COMPLETE REFERENCES AND NO PART OF THE DISSERTATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED FOR ANY OTHER DEGREE. Mennas Vincent Mukaka…………………………………………….. Date:…………………………………………… Place:………………………………………….. iv ACKNOWLEGEMENT “I am because you are, since you are therefore I am”. This thesis is achieved with the assistance of others without whom it could not have been accomplished. There are many people who have contributed to this work and I cannot manage to mention all of them, but all should know and feel that I greatly appreciate their contribution. I would like to acknowledge my deep indebtedness and thanks to the following people in particular: Dr Leopold Neuhold, my doctorate father, and DDr Reinhold Esterbauer, my second supervisor. I have benefited, at different stages of the project, from their contributions and friendly guidance. They are crucially responsible for the actions which led to the completion of this thesis. In addition, this work could not have been completed without the support offered by the Comboni Missionaries of the German Speaking Province (DSP). In particular I thank Mag. Fr. Joseph Altenburger, once my formator in Innsbruck, the then Provincial Superior of the German speaking Province who accepted that I do my studies in Graz. I thank also Fr Alfred Putz and the whole community of Comboni Missionaries in Messendorf-Graz for working tirelessly for the documents to travel to and study in Graz. I have enjoyed my stay in this community. It has supported me during my whole study time and I felt at home among my elder brothers in the Congregation. There are also many people who supported me in one way or another: my late parents for leading me to the first steps in the Umunthu formation. I thank also Fr. Karl Peinholf, Dr Fr Edward Kanyike, Fr Dario Chaves, Fr. Patrick Wilkson, DDR Christopher Rozario Silvio, Dr Fr. Laurent Magesa and Mrs Brunhilde Martina Maier. I thank Fr. Joseph Maina and the Comboni Missionaries in Kenya for accommodating me for three months as I waited for the visa to travel to Graz. Lastly but not least, I thanks the staff of Missio, in Missionshause, in Graz and Missio München for helping me to find some materials I needed. Kwa inu nonse ndigoti: Zikomo kwambiri. v TABLET OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ............................................................................................................. IV ACKNOWLEGEMENT .................................................................................................... V TABLET OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................. VI LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................. X LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ XIII ABSTRAKT .................................................................................................................XIV ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................XV 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 1.1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 AIM .................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3 METHOD ............................................................................................................................ 6 2. TRADITIONAL BANTU VALUES .................................................................................. 7 2.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 7 2.2 BANTU .............................................................................................................................. 10 2.2.1 THE BANTU SPEAKING PEOPLE .................................................................................. 10 2.2.2 UMUNTHU CONCEPT ................................................................................................ 13 2. 3 UMUNTHU IN MALAWI .................................................................................................... 17 2.3.1 SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS ......................................................................................... 17 2.3.2 PROVERBES ABOUT UMUNTHU ................................................................................. 18 2.3.3 UMUNTHU IS TOGETHERNESS AND BEING IN GOOD RELATION .................................. 20 2.3.4 GLOBALISATION AND UMUNTHU .............................................................................. 22 2.4 BANTU TRADITIONAL VALUES ........................................................................................... 22 2.4.1 SENSE OF COMMUNITY LIFE ...................................................................................... 22 2.4.1.1 FAMILY................................................................................................................... 24 2.4.1.2 VILLAGE ................................................................................................................. 30 2.4.2 INTERDEPENDENCE ................................................................................................... 37 2.4.3 RESPECT AND DIGNITY OF INDIVIDUAL ...................................................................... 40 2.3.4 THE CONCEPT OF AUTONOMY AND ITS LIMITS .......................................................... 42 2.4.5 HOSPITALITY ............................................................................................................. 47 2.4.6 PALAVER ................................................................................................................... 50 vi 2.4.6.1 BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS .......................................................................................... 51 2.4.6.2 IN THE FAMILY ....................................................................................................... 53 2.4.6.3 ADMINISTRATION................................................................................................... 53 2.4.6.4 COMMUNITY LEVEL ................................................................................................ 54 2.4.7 RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY AND ELDERS ...................................................................... 56 2.4.8 SACREDNESS OF LIFE ................................................................................................. 59 2.4.9 HARD WORK ............................................................................................................. 62 2.5 SHORTCOMINGS OF UMUNTHU ........................................................................................ 64 2.5.1 PRINCIPLE OF LIFE ..................................................................................................... 64 2.5.2 RICHNESS .................................................................................................................. 66 2.5.3 EXAGERATED SENSE OF COMMUNITY LIFE ................................................................. 66 2.5.4 EXAGERATED SENSE OF ETHNICITY ............................................................................ 67 2.6 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 67 3. SOCIO-POLITICAL PROBLEMS OF MALAWI FROM 1964 .......................................... 71 3.1 MALAWI AND ITS PEOPLE .................................................................................................. 71 3.2 SHORT HISTORY OF MALAWI ............................................................................................. 77 3.3 UMUNTHU IN MALAWIAN POLITICS .................................................................................. 79 3.4 AUTHORITARIANISM ......................................................................................................... 82 3.4.1 DR HASTINGS KAMUZU BANDA AND THE MCP .......................................................... 82 3.4.2 DR BAKILI MULUZI AND UDF ...................................................................................... 87 3.4.3 DR BINGU WA MUTHARIKA AND DPP ........................................................................ 89 3.4.4 DR JOYCE HILDA BANDA AND PP ............................................................................... 93 3.4.5 PROFESSOR ARTHUR PETER WAMUTHARIKA AND DPP .............................................. 94 3.5 ETHNICITY/NEPOTISM/REGIONALISM/PARTYISM .............................................................. 95 3.5.1 DR HASTINGS KAMUZU BANDA AND MCP ................................................................. 97 3.5.2 DR BAKILI MULUZI AND UDF ...................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • MALAWI COUNTRY of ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service
    MALAWI COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service 31 OCTOBER 2012 MALAWI 31 OCTOBER 2012 Contents Preface Useful news sources for further information Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Map ........................................................................................................................ 1.05 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY ................................................................................................................. 3.01 Local government elections ................................................................................ 3.05 Foreign donor aid to Malawi suspended ............................................................ 3.07 Anti-government protests: July 2011 ................................................................. 3.10 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS (JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER 2012) ......................................... 4.01 5. CONSTITUTION .......................................................................................................... 5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM ................................................................................................... 6.01 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 7.01 8. SECURITY FORCES ...................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Malawi's Orphans
    CHAPTER FOURTEEN MALAWI’S ORPHANS: CHILDREN’S RIGHTS IN RELATION TO HUMANITARIANISM, COMPASSION, AND CHILDCARE Andrea Freidus1 My first reaction is the feeling of helplessness, and hopelessness. Seeing so many eyes of the orphans, innocent and pure makes me feel a little over- whelmed…Poverty and HIV/AIDS, malaria, are now all over southern Africa… Without a heart of compassion and love, without a true passion in helping and offering Madonna could not do this. So I give more credit to her now than before, and I see this as a gift to Malawi rather than a tool of celebrity propaganda. —MSU undergraduate after viewing Madonna’s documentary on Malawi. As an assignment for a women’s studies undergraduate course, students viewed the film “I am Because We Are.” Produced by Madonna to raise awareness about her organization, Raising Malawi, it focuses on the situa- tion of orphans and AIDS in Malawi. Students were asked to respond to the content of the documentary including their perceptions of orphans in Malawi, their overall reaction, and the film’s impact on their desire to be connected or involved with these issues. The above quote is one of many that captures the ability of humanitarians and the organizations they sup- port to use the media to foster an emotional response. This response is based on the recognition of a common humanity and the need to address suffering. The student’s reaction highlights the power of the image of the orphan to bring about a sense of compassion drawing on the innocence of children.
    [Show full text]
  • Addressing Food Security in Africa Via Multiple Livelihood Strategies of Women Farmers Christina H
    Food Policy 26 (2001) 177–207 www.elsevier.com/locate/foodpol Addressing food security in Africa via multiple livelihood strategies of women farmers Christina H. Gladwin a,*, Anne M. Thomson b, Jennifer S. Peterson c, Andrea S. Anderson d a Food and Resource Economics Department, Box 110240 IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA b 66 Causewayhead Road, Stirling FK9 5EZ, UK c Africare, Niamey, Niger d Santa Fe Community College, Gainesville, FL, USA Received 17 November 1997; received in revised form 14 September 2000; accepted 5 December 2000 Abstract Because food insecurity is primarily a problem of low household incomes and poverty, and not just inadequate food production, projects and programs for food insecure African farmers which aim at increasing production of subsistence crops may be ineffective. Instead, govern- ment should look for ways to improve returns to farmers’ resources in a broader context, which may include expanded opportunities for non-farm microenterprises and agricultural labor. This has been the conventional wisdom since the writings of Amartya Sen. Still unclear, however, are the implications of his thinking for the roles of African women farmers who are tradition- ally the food-crop producers in Africa and are often food insecure. Immediate expansion of income-earning activities such as cash cropping and non-farm microenterprises may not be possible for women in male headed households in many African societies where cash income is seen as part of the male domain. In addition, women farmers may need a long adjustment period to diversify their income sources fully because most African countries are at the early stages of structural transformation.
    [Show full text]
  • Malawi: Recent Developments and U.S
    Malawi: Recent Developments and U.S. Relations Nicolas Cook Specialist in African Affairs December 11, 2012 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R42856 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Malawi: Recent Developments and U.S. Relations Summary President Barack Obama’s Administration and a number of Members of Congress have welcomed Malawian President Joyce Banda’s accession to power, largely because she has reversed a number of contentious decisions taken by her predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in early April 2012 while serving a contentious second term. Banda’s status as Africa’s second female president, an internationally recognized women’s rights advocate, and a leader with personal socioeconomic development expertise has also drawn U.S. and other international support. There are also some indications that Banda may pursue a foreign policy aligned with selected U.S. regional policy goals. In August 2012, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Malawi for discussions of economic and political governance and reform and to highlight bilateral development cooperation projects. In September Banda addressed a gathering of Members of Congress at a forum on U.S.-Malawian and broader U.S.-African relations. Malawi, a former British colony, is a small, poor country in southeastern Africa that underwent a democratic transition from one-party rule in the early 1990s and has long relied on donor aid. Under Mutharika, however, Malawi’s ties with donors had been damaged over concerns related to economic management, undemocratic governance trends, and Mutharika’s acrimonious stance toward donors. Upon taking office, Banda—who had served as Mutharika’s vice president and therefore succeeded him upon his death—made a range of economic and governance reform pledges and related policy decisions.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 4 Making, Unmaking and Remaking Political Party Coalitions
    POLITICAL PARTY COALITIONS IN MALAWI 111 4 MAKING, UNMAKING AND REMAKING POLITICAL PARTY COALITIONS IN MALAWI Explaining the Prevalence of Office-Seeking Behaviour DENIS KADIMA AND SAMSON LEMBANI INTRODUCTION The contemporary history of political alliances in Malawi dates back to the early 1990s when Malawian political and social groupings joined forces and succeeded in voting out the 30-year-old one-party regime of Kamuzu Banda in 1994. While a recent unpublished study by Lars Svåsand, Nixon Khembo and Lise Rakner (2004) gives an account of the reconfiguration of Malawi’s party system after the 2004 general elections, there is no chronological and comprehensive account of the main coalitions of political parties in the country, their accomplishments and setbacks and the lessons that can be drawn from their experience. This explains the need for this study as well as the unique contribution that it makes to the field of party coalition politics. The study deals only with alliances made up of political parties. For this reason, the pre-1994 election alliance of various political pressure groups, faith-based organisations and non-governmental organisations, which worked towards the effective introduction of a democratic multiparty system, is not given significant attention. The study devotes equal attention to the history of both governing and opposition coalitions in Malawi. Specifically, it examines the short-lived coalition between the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) after the 1994 general elections; the 1995 alliance between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and AFORD; the alliance forged between the MCP and AFORD prior to the 1999 general elections; the UDF- AFORD-NCD Coalition preceding the 2004 general elections and the 111 112 THE POLITICS OF PARTY COALITIONS IN AFRICA Mgwirizano coalition of 2004.
    [Show full text]
  • UNIT 7 RESOURCES Africa South of the Sahara
    WWGC'12_UR7_ASS_TP_895493-2.inddGC'12_UR7_ASS_TP_895493-2.indd PPageage 1 11/28/10/28/10 8:15:018:15:01 PPMM elhi-2elhi-2 //Volumes/104/GO00441/GO00441_WGC_UNIT_RES7_12%0/9780078954931_Ancl./Applicati...Volumes/104/GO00441/GO00441_WGC_UNIT_RES7_12%0/9780078954931_Ancl./Applicati... UNIT 7 RESOURCES Africa South of the Sahara CHAPTER 20 Physical Geography of Africa South of the Sahara CHAPTER 21 Cultural Geography of Africa South of the Sahara CHAPTER 22 The Region Today: Africa South of the Sahara P rinter P DF 0ii_046_U07_RB_895493.qxd 1/27/10 4:15 PM Page ii S-115 104:GO00441:GO00441_WGC_UNIT_RES7_12%0:9780078954931_Ancl.:Application_Files_ Book Organization Glencoe offers resources that accompany World Geography and Cultures to expand, enrich, review, and assess every lesson you teach and for every student you teach. Now Glencoe has organized its many resources for the way you teach. HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED Each resources book offers blackline masters at unit, chapter, and section levels for each unit. Each book is divided into three parts—unit-based resources, chapter-based resources, and section-based resources. Glencoe has included tabs at the side of every activity page in this book to help you navigate. UNIT-BASED RESOURCES We have organized this book so that all unit resources appear in the first part of the unit resources book. Although you may choose to use the specific activities at any time during the course of unit study, Glencoe has placed these resources up front so that you can review your options. For example, although World Literature Contemporary Selection 7 appears in the front part of this book, you may plan to use this activity in class during the study of the cultural geography of Africa south of the Sahara in Chapter 21.
    [Show full text]
  • Dedicated To
    MASTERARBEIT Titel der Masterarbeit Nkangala Mouth-Bow Tradition in Malaŵi A Comparative Study of Historiography, Performance Practices, Social Context and Tonal Systems verfasst von Zeynep Sarıkartal angestrebter akademischer Grad Master of Arts (MA) Wien, 2014 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 066 836 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Masterstudium Musikwissenschaft Betreuer: a.o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Gerhard Kubik 2 Dedicated to Abdullah Cömert Ethem Sarısülük Mehmet Ayvalıtaş Ali İsmail Korkmaz Medeni Yıldırım Ahmet Atakan Hasan Ferit Gedik Berkin Elvan Ahmet Küçüktağ Burak Can Karamanoğlu who lost their lives during the police and state-assisted violence towards the protesters, which had started in the Gezi Park in Turkey in the summer of 2013 and still going on up to present day, to their families and to all people who has been in solidarity. 3 Acknowledgements This study had been realized under the supervision of my advisor a.o. Univ. -Prof. Dr. Gerhard Kubik, who inspired me with his works, experiences and methodologies on African music studies as well as with his multi-disciplined approach on ethnology. First of all I would like to thank him for all his works, which constitute the majority of my bibliography, for sharing his field experiences during his lectures and for showing patience for the questions during my long-term work process. Beside this I would like to specially thank to Mag. Dr. Moya Aliya Malamusi, Ass. -Prof. Mag. Dr. August Schmidhofer and Univ. -Prof. Mag. Dr. Regine Allgayer-Kaufmann for organizing the research trip to Malaŵi, for all the support and opportunities that they have provided during my short field work, for their encouragement on the subject; to Romeo and Dyna Malamusi and to Alik Mlendo for sharing their knowledge and for translations; to Malamusi family for their hospitality in Malaŵi, and to my nkangala teachers Ellena and Cicilia Kachepa, with all my sincerity.
    [Show full text]
  • Government & Politics Corr
    1 CONCEPTUAL AND CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND Augustine Titani Magolowondo INTRODUCTION This book is about Government and politics in Malawi. The diversity of issues that are discussed in the subsequent chapters bears testimony to the complexity of this subject matter. The aim of this first chapter is twofold. First, as you may have probably experienced in our daily discourse, the terms Government and politics are often confused with other key terms such as state and nation. As a starting point, this chapter clarifies these related concepts, which are inherently connected but yet conceptually distinct. Second, the discussion in this chapter aims at providing the context within which politics and Government in Malawi operate. In this regard, I look at both the political history and key socio-economic characteristics of Malawi. Finally, I discuss challenges facing Malawi’s politics and Government today. WHAT IS POLITICS? The concept of politics is as old as Government itself. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher (384–322 BC) argued that ‘man is by nature a political animal’. What was meant is that politics is not only inevitable but also essential to human activity. In other words, wherever there are human beings, politics is unavoidable. However, much as Aristotle’s maxim has become almost indisputable among the students of politics, there is no consensus on what exactly is to be understood by politics. To appreciate the conceptual complexity of politics, let us consider for instance the 2000 constitutional amendment to Section 65 of the Malawi Constitution (popularly called the ‘crossing of the floor’ provision). This amendment was to result in any member of Parliament (MP) losing his/her seat should he/she join 1 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN MALAWI any organisation whose objectives were deemed to be political in nature.
    [Show full text]
  • Transition from a Personal Dictatorship in Malawi
    The Transition from a Personal Dictatorship: Democratization and the Legacy of the Past in Malawi Please do not cite this pre-final version The final version was published as a book chapter in: Shadrack Wanjala Nasong’o, ed . The African Search for Stable Forms of Statehood: Essays in Political Criticism Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2008, pp. 187-227. Stephen Brown Associate Professor School of Political Studies University of Ottawa [email protected] In the early 1990s, numerous African dictatorships relatively rapidly and rather unexpectedly liberalized politically. The degrees to which they democratized—and speed at which they did so—varied greatly. The new forms of governance also differed significantly from country to country, as do their prospects. To a certain extent, the variations can be ascribed to decisions of key players at specific moments in time, often in bargaining with other actors. Analyses of transitions based primarily on such voluntaristic factors, such as O’Donnell and Schmitter (1986), tend to minimize the effects of the past. Others, such as Bratton and van de Walle (1994), see clear patterns in how certain types of neopatrimonial regimes in Africa democratize, placing greater emphasis on institutional history. This chapter examines the democratization process in Malawi, using Bratton and van de Walle’s finding as a framework to analyze Malawi’s post- authoritarian governance and prospects for further democratization. Personal Dictatorship as Analytical Category Hastings Kamuzu Banda rule Malawi from independence in 1964 until 1994 through a highly arbitrary and personalized system. “Life President” Banda was the supreme authority; his word had the force of law and was ruthlessly enforced.
    [Show full text]
  • Planning African Rural Towns the Case of Caia and Sena, Mozambique
    Monographs of the School of Doctoral Studies in Environmental Engineering Doctoral School in Environmental Engineering Planning African rural towns The case of Caia and Sena, Mozambique Roberta Nicchia 2011 Monographs of the School of Doctoral Studies in Environmental Engineering Doctoral School in Environmental Engineering Planning African rural towns The case of Caia and Sena, Mozambique Roberta Nicchia 2011 i Doctoral thesis in Environmental Engineering, XXIII cycle Faculty of Engineering, University of Trento Academic year 2009/2010 Supervisor: prof. Corrado Diamantini, University of Trento University of Trento Trento, Italy 2011 ii ―Só a Antropofagia nos une. Socialmente. Economicamente. Filosoficamente. Única lei do mundo. Expressão mascarada de todos os individualismos, de todos os coletivismos. De todas as religiões. De todos os tratados de paz. [...] Só me interessa o que não é meu. Lei do homem. Lei do antropófago [...] A alegria é a prova dos nove. A luta entre o que se chamaria Incriado e a Criatura – ilustrada pela contradição permanente do homem e o seu Tabu. O amor cotidiano e o modusvivendi capitalista. Antropofagia. Absorção do inimigo sacro. Para transformá-lo em totem. A humana aventura. A terrena finalidade.‖ Oswald de Andrade, Manifesto antropófago, 1928 iii iv Preface The present study is part of a wider research and spatial planning activity conducted over the last seven years by the DICA—Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (University of Trento) in the district of Caia, Mozambique. The DICA, in fact, is involved in a decentralized cooperation program, named ―Il Trentino in Mozambico e il Mozambico in Trentino‖, between the Provinces of Trento (Italy) and Sofala (Mozambique).
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Practices Among the Sena in Nsanje District Malawi: HIV and AIDS and the African Evangelical Church
    Cultural Practices among the Sena in Nsanje District Malawi: HIV and AIDS and the African Evangelical Church By Lucy Thokozile Chibambo Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Academic Requirement forthe Degree of Masters in Theology (Ministerial Studies) in the School of Religion and Theology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Supervisor: Professor Edwina Ward March 2009 DECLARATION I, Lucy Thokozile Chibambo a candidate of Masters' degree in Ministerial Studies in the School of Religion andTheology, University of KwaZulu-Natal,Pietennaritzburg, hereby declarethat except forthe quotations specificallyindicated in the dissertation, andsuch help as I have acknowledged, thisis wholly my original work andthat it has not been submittedat anyinstitute for the fulfilment of anotherdegree. - :Joo� Signed: .... �.................. Date: .,Olf- 0 � ' .............. I acknowledge that this research paper isready forexamination. ,,. -..z.oo 'J Supervisor: -..£� ............... Date: .olt.- o 3......•. · · _-1::>u�r!) This research pape r h abs een ed't I edb y. ..............:::r;;� ..........-...................... •.•..•• ••••••.••••... D.a t e. • • w.....,._tf')J,._ Q"">� -dl..oo....................... qf••··•··· 11 DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my late parents Mr and Mrs Kamba Phiri. I also dedicate this work to my husband Songelwayo andto our three daughters Mandhlase,Nomusa and Sibusisiwe for their support in this researchpaper. 111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The writing of this research paper would never have reached the final stage of completion withoutthe assistance andencouragement of the following people; Firstly, I want to pay tribute to the Almighty God for granting me the necessary wisdom, strength, guidanceand understanding during my studies. My sincere thanks and gratitude go to my Supervisor, Professor Edwina Ward for her ability, diligence and expert supervision.
    [Show full text]
  • Politics, Democracy and Governance in Independent
    POLITICS, DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE IN INDEPENDENT MALAWI: The dichotomy between promises and reality Art of Larisa: Mask from Malawi By WEBSTER SIAME KAMEME A Dissertation submitted to The University of Birmingham in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY Centre of West African Studies School of History and Cultures College of Arts and Law The University of Birmingham January 2011 1 POLITICS, DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE IN INDEPENDENT MALAWI: The dichotomy between promises and reality MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY Dissertation By WEBSTER SIAME KAMEME 2 Table of Contents Table of Contents ……………………………………………………….. 3-6 Acronyms ……………………………………………………………….. 7 Dedication ……………………………………………………………….. 8 Acknowledgements ……………………………………………….. 8 Abstract ……………………………………………………………….. 9 Chapter 1: Introductory ……………………………………………….. 10 1.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………….. 10 1.1 Background information ……………………………………….. 11 1.2 Objectives and Scope of Research ……………………….. 15 1.3 Conclusion ……………………………………………………….. 16 Chapter 2: Review of Literature ……………………………………….. 17 2.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………….. 17 2.1 The Politics of Democracy in Contemporary Malawi ……….. 17 2.2 Parliamentary Politics and Accountability ……………….. 19 2.2.1 Legitimisation ……………………………………….. 19 2.2.2 Political Accountability ……………………………….. 20 2.2.3 Abuse of Political Power ……………………………….. 21 2.3 Parliamentary Democracy ……………………………………….. 22 2.3.1 The will of the people ……………………………….. 23 2.3.2 Authority of Government ……………………………….. 24 2.4 Critical issues of governance in Malawi Parliament ……….. 25 2.4.1 Accountability of Parliament and its Members ……….. 27 2.4.2 The importance of transparency ……………………….. 29 2.4.3 Parliament and the rule of law ……………………….. 30 2.4.4 Participatory Democracy ……………………………….. 31 2.4.5 Consensus ……………………………………………….. 33 2.4.6 A responsive Parliament ……………………………….. 34 2.5 The dichotomy between regime and state ……………….
    [Show full text]