"We Have Faith", climate campaign Maputo - Nairobi

COP 21 - the climate summit in Paris in December will be crucial in the global efforts to deal with climate change.  Faith communities in Southern Africa have seen this summit as worth campaigning for.  "We Have Faith" was therefore coined as the slogan for the campaign, and a long bicycle relay is currently on its way from Maputo through nine countries with the aim of reaching Nairobi mid-November.  This week the relay crossed the border from Zambia to Malawi.  The route so far took the bicycle caravan through Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia before entering Malawi.  15 competitive cyclists received the baton at Mchinji border, and was joined by a number of bicycle taxi drivers... and Stein.

The caravan will continue through the country to its northern border with Tanzania, and continue through Tanzania to Kenya. A group from Uganda will also join the relay before ending up in Nairobi.

The Zambia and Malawi teams were met in Mchinji town after the "prologue" from the border by religious leaders, including the Catholic Archbishop of Lilongwe and government representatives.  At the sports ground the formal handing over was taking place, and appeals were made.  National television was present, and the event was covered as one of the top stories during evening news.

While the bicycle caravan is making the campaign visible in town, the aim is to have a petition for Paris signed by one million people during the relay.

Today there was a big event at one of the stadiums in Lilongwe with speeches, poetry, traditional dances and display of the bicycle caravan.  Majority of patrons were secondary school youths who kept the spirit high through their enthusiastic cheering and clapping.

Mosques, temples and churches have been given "teasers" for the respective sermons Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The climate message will hopefully be heard throughout the faith community this weekend.

Climate change is a burning issue in Malawi.  Devastating floods hit in January/February, followed by drought and food crisis.  Forest has been cut without proper replanting, and run-off is causing major damage every rainy season, and seasons are more unpredictable than they used to be.  Malawi, being one of the poorest countries in the world is struggling with the economic consequences of climate change.  One of the "We Have Faith" demands is climate justice:  those who cause the major climate changes should pay up!  A youth made the following statement in today's event: "Climate change is different from HIV and AIDS,... it hits us ALL".  Very true, my young friend!

Politics, economic challenges... and stewardship

Radio and television stations have limited hours of English service in this country.  I therefore rely on newspapers to keep somehow updated on goings-on in the Malawian society.  Fortunately the press is rather outspoken, and deals blows both left and right.  It is hard to know how reliable they are on facts, but issues are brought out in ways that keep power-brokers on their toes.

During the last weeks a number of issues have coalesced into a serious question to the government's stewardship of Malawi's resources.  Earlier this year the Parliament adopted a national budget without external budget support, due to the so-called Cash-gate corruption scandal that rocked the nation in 2013-2014. "Austerity budget" was the term used about the budget.  This budget came on the tail of the devastating flood emergency that displaced hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed major crops in January and February.  Soon reports started to emerge on shortfalls in health sector.  Drugs were not available, ambulances were grounded due to lack of money for fuel and repair, newly graduated nurses were not hired in the allocated jobs...

Ambulances grounded due to lack of money to buy fuel!

Two weeks ago the President declared a food-emergency, announcing that 2.8 million people would be in need of food aid during the next few months due to the failed crop season.  This week the Vice President used the figure 3.3 million people.

At the time of these announcements, an International Monetary Fund delegation visited the country and declared that the government was off track with their economic performance.  The spending has been too high, and a revision of the budget in order for the country to get on track is necessary.  Further tightening of the belt even more is necessary.  

The newspapers obviously follow these developments with critical eyes, and the government is constantly under fire for lack of action, for condoning corruption, and spending money wrongfully.

This last week media found a new issue to pursue.  When the President left for the opening session of UN General Assembly in New York, media claimed that he brought with him a delegation of more than 120 people.  This brought about a big uproar, since millions of US dollars were spent of taxpayers' money.  One of the very poorest countries of the world was sending an extremely bloated delegation "on shopping spree in New York" was the take in media.  While the President's spokesperson claimed that less than 20 people were in the President's delegation, sources within the US embassy informed that number of visas issued tells another story.

What type of stewardship are we witnessing?  Media ask:  "why is Malawi still extremely poor"?  There are obviously a complicated cocktail of answers that need to be explored. Political, economic and developmental analysts are offering their viewpoints in the newspaper pages.  No single solution is prescribed, but the fourth state power is attempting to do its job:  put important issues up for scrutiny and debate.  People in power are challenged.  How are they responding?  The jury is still out!