Dear judge Mbadwa,

If talk were not that cheap, my lord, then the recent events that started with the launch of the Nyasaland second National Action Plan for Open Government Partnership before a first conference on separation of powers and lastly the Worldwide Leadership Summit should have excited us that the political leadership would be motivated or moved to propel real change.

But I am not excited, my lord, because we have been through this road before.

I am not going to be fooled by the semblance of seriousness that comes from the political leadership when they stammer their way to justify their failure to provide direction and action on issues that really affect Nyasas.

Haven’t we already noticed a change of narrative where in trying to shirk responsibility, the likes of Lazaro and company— in the manner of culpable vehicle manufacturers—have recalled all speeches they made to citizens that they were drivers of change.

They have just discovered that driving a dilapidated manual vehicle like Nyasaland is not for the fainthearted and they want to conduct traffic instead.

It is interesting that the Tokha Are Liars have chosen to be indifferent to principles of open government for obvious reasons, too.

My lord, have you noted how dismally the government has performed on fiscal transparency, access to information and public officers’ declaration of assets, among others, which are key in detailing how open an establishment is?

My lord, do you remember the grand speech made at the national anti-corruption conference in Kabula last year where the citizenry was asked within the 20-week anti-corruption campaign, to develop an attitude that would show that corruption is Nyasaland’s biggest enemy.

What followed instead, my lord, was a 20-week open persecution of Marita and whatever she stood for, draining her stamina in the process.

So, when we were waxing lyrical once again about separation of powers and the commitments to become better leaders after attending the Worldwide Leadership Summit, does not necessarily mean it culminate in action.

My lord, I agree with those who have argued that the world has never been changed by people who are motivated or inspired by a few conferences they attend.

But it is the citizens who are disciplined in whatever they do that become pioneers of change.

Our leaders both in the public and private sector lack the discipline to propel this country forward because they put their interests above those of the general good.

My lord, it was nice to be subjected to propositional cosmetics once again, but as has always been the case, talk is very cheap. Let them prove the skeptic in me wrong.

Regards,

John Citizen.

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