At
around the time of independence quite a few people in Tanzania wanted
to claim a huge part of Lake Malawi or Lake Nyasa . Cool heads
eventually prevailed, as most Tanzanians, including the legendary
President Julius Nyerere, understood the importance of respecting
boundaries emanating from colonial times.
During most of Dr
Kamuzu Banda’s rule, Tanzania never really pushed this crazy idea of
dividing up the lake. The issue was almost forgotten during the rule of
Dr Bakili Muluzi and thereafter. In fact, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika
commissioned a company to start exploring oil in the lake. Tanzania said
nothing at that time.
Now we have a new president and all of
sudden the Tanzanians are demanding that our government stop all
exploration activities in the lake until all border issues have been
clarified. Why now?
Folks, there is a reason why we have
tradition. Tradition may appear useless and outdated but it is important
because it usually become established after a long experience. In
politics there is what is known as ‘presidential protocol’. These are
small things which over the years have proven to be niceties a president
must or must not do in order to represent his/her country correctly.
Test for President Joyce Banda to diplomatically manage the dispute on the boundary
You would think some of them are not important but they are. Here are a
few of them – presidents never bow for other presidents in public;
presidents never escort anybody to their car; presidents walk with their
arms spread outwards apparently projecting power and being in control;
presidents usually put on a solid color (one color) necktie because it
portrays power; when two presidents greet each other while facing the
camera, each of them jostle to be on the right side so that his palm
will face the camera- another sign of power, apparently; when in company
of other presidents, they try to be the last one to enter the door – a
fatherly gesture; there is an interesting video clip of Chairman Yassier
Arafat and PM Ehud Barak jostling to be the last one to enter a room at
Camp David. The sight of President George W Bush gently pushing PM
Gordon Brown into Number 10 Downing Street before himself angered some
British political experts.
Statesmanship is a game because
image is everything in international politics. A country’s image depends
a lot on the demeanor of its leader. President Barak Obama likes to pat
other leaders on their back after greeting them; you thought that was
an unplanned coincidence? Just remember, how your father used to pat you
on the back when you were a good boy!
It is said that Bill
Clinton failed to get a good deal at his summit with Boris Yelsin in
Moscow because President Clinton having sprained his ankle arrived in
Moscow on a wheelchair. The sight of a sick American president is said
to have psychologically emboldened Boris Yelsin. Ghana is said to have
regained its respect in West Africa when President J.J. Rawlings arrived
at the 25th Organization of African Unity meeting in Togo in July 2000
in a military uniform portraying a very youthful image.
The presidency is acted on a world stage. What a president says and does is very important!
When Joyce Banda took over the presidency, she made it appear like
Malawi will now be doing everything the donor community tells her to do.
In fact some British newspapers were so pleasantly surprised with this
that they called us ‘a donor fearing nation’.
President Joyce
Banda went to London and even bowed before Queen Elizabeth, a very
strange gesture considering that both are heads-of-state. Well, all
these words and actions have now collectively given an image of a weak
leadership in Malawi. The world has sensed blood. Now Tanzania has
decided it is time to split up the lake. Notice that they did not bring
up this crazy idea when Muluzi or Mutharika were in charge.
If
we dignify Tanzania’s unreasonable request, one wonders what the next
thing will be. Are they now going to claim Chitipa? Will Mozambique now
claim Mulanje Mountain?
Government must make clear that no part
of Malawi is up for discussion – full stop! It is time to show
strength. Tell Tanzania that Lake Malawi was, is and will always be
Malawian.
Surprisingly, after all these arrogant statements by
the Tanzania government, our government’s response is at best a whimper.
The minister of foreign affairs has issued a statement saying the issue
will be settled ‘amicably’. Really, Mr. Minister? What could be an
amicable statement? Are you planning to even dignify Tanzania’s
unreasonable demand? Do you plan to divide up the lake? How can you have
an amicable settlement to an unreasonable demand?
