Several comments made about the departed president by a number of Africans from various countries, and a few non-Africans, seem to paint a picture of a man Malawians do not seem to recognise. He has been called a visionary leader, a Pan Africanist, and an anti-imperialist, among many other colourful adjectives. Is that the man Malawians knew?

When the organising committee of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika's funeral announced they would spend K150million, reactions from a cross-section of Malawians was sharply divided, with some saying it was justified to spend so much on a send-off for our former president while others said it was a lot of money and that the budget needed to be curtailed.

Life is going to be tough for the members of that tribal thing—Mulhalko wa Alomwe—which had usurped all the political power, gotten all the top positions, won all the juicy business contracts and suddenly had all the clout in Malawi.

The conduct of a multitude of Malawians Saturday in welcoming the body of departed president Bingu wa Mutharika spoke volumes of the type of people that we are. And it should not come as a surprise, really because for decades Malawians have been known as a cultured, loving and humble people.

In Peter they believed. But in God we trusted.

I met President Bingu wa Mutharika once, at State House, a few years back when he had invited a couple of us journalists to dine with him on one such occasion when he was feeling magnanimous. The previous week The Sunday Times had just published its very first cabinet assessment where the president had scored a modest five out of 10. And I had coordinated that project.

With the smooth transition of power when Vice President Joyce Banda was sworn-in as President of the Republic of Malawi yesterday in Lilongwe, we want to hail all Malawians who gave our nascent democracy a chance to flourish.

Two granddads of the Malawian political scene—Gwanda Chakuamba and Harry Thompson—are back...so much for a new beginning for Malawi.

As they say, sometimes less is more.

On the same day that Presidential Press Officer was issuing a statement from State House that threatened that President Bingu wa Mutharika would no longer stand by and watch as media and civil society organizations "ridiculed and insulted him", a top envoy of the US government was in Kenya holding a press conference that was a severe indictment of how we are doing as a nation.

In 2004, I listened to your inauguration speech and I must confess to having had a warm feeling about the future of this country. The best thing about the new Malawi was that you promised it would be corruption-free, intimidation-free, democracy-laden and opportunities were going to be equal for all.

Several chiefs have lately taken to MBC-TV to argue on the president's behalf why the kwacha must not be devalued. They have, in the process, unwittingly drawn attention to a very unflattering opinion in which many Malawians from the educated class hold the chiefs.

It all looks it will be a stroll in the park for resource-poor Malawi to play host to Africa's biggest political gathering--the AU summit in July, if official talk is anything to go by.

I

showed an associate of mine the picture of President Bingu wa Mutharika being welcomed by President Goodluck Jonathan to Abuja last Tuesday as evidence that indeed our main man was in Nigeria but she wouldn't have any of it.

A friend of mine once did a spell as a young doctor in the main hospital in Sadr City, Iraq, at the height of the insurgency against the American invasion in 2004.

The assessment of how the cabinet has performed last year to date is a chilling reminder to everyone concerned that this country is going through turbulent times and needs to have all hands on deck to fix the myriad of problems facing this country.

First they came for Hajat and I didn't speak out because I wasn't an activist.

We listened attentively to President Bingu wa Mutharika in his address to the multitudes that had thronged Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre to witness the launch of the Presidential Initiative on Sports.

One of the delights of journalism is that, like Catholic Priests, we are allowed to sit in judgment of others. But it gets better than that. We are allowed to openly highlight the weaknesses of those in power that are desperately in need of redemption and tell them as it should be told—without fear, without favour. It is really a terrific thrill.

Over forty years after this Republic attained independence, it is sad to note that university education remains the preserve of a few and for many deserving students it is just a dream beyond reach.