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Topic Discussion I
Politics of Hard Choices
Political Transition and Economic Restructuring
Room 2
(8 of 14 pages)
Speaker: --- of this ratio in Malawi. Malawi was under the British rule
and it became independent in 1964. Since then it was ruled under one party system until 1994 when the first multi-party
government was elected for five years. There has just been a presidential and parliamental election on 15th of
June, 1999, and the increment ruling party claimed victory, although the outcome of the electoral results has not
been accepted by the opposition parties and is being challenged in the high court.
Malawi is an agricultural country with many exports of tobacco, tea, and sugar. Being a land locked country it
depends mostly on the seaports of Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, for its imports and exports. Economic growth
has been slow due to insufficient capital poor infrastructure, heavy reliance on donor funding and a heavy dependence
on agriculture. The emergence of multi-partyism brought freedom of speech, association press worship, observance
of human rights, and the ruler of law. The problem of emerging democracies has [inaudible], however how to sustain
and maintain these young democracies.
In most cases, the young democracy in Malawi is by low level of understanding misconceptions, abuse of power, misuse
of the public facilities, none or less [inaudible] of services, intolerance of opposing views, and the mismanagement
of national economy. Normally, the people have high expectations for better life in a new democracy so that the
weakness, the real difference between one and multi-party system of government. But when the expectations are not
fulfilled, the result is always disregard or disrespect for the new system because it is seeing as having failed
to deliver the goods. The establishment of multi-party system of government in Malawi, like in some other parts
in Africa, came quickly without much preparations, so that most people will take time to fully appreciate and understand
the meaning of democracy. Up to now, there are a number of people failing to tolerate other peoples views, let
alone to give them the freedom to a better life. In this regard, the international community ought to be of great
help in developing action plans for new democracies. They could include programs of civic education on the meaning
of democracy for various groups, including political leaders, strengthen the legal systems in the country, revise
the set up of the multi-government organization in yours, set up training for trainers to run the civic education
programs and to provide funding.
In Malawi, democracy, the constitution of the country is supreme and the judiciary has respectability of interpreting
the constitution and the laws of the land. The judicial it together with the parliamentary and the extractive form
of the organ of the government. Each of these is supposed to function independently, but from time to time the
executive appears to be taking an upper hand, leaving the other organs of government with less powers. This normally
leads to understandings about the advantages the new democratic system of government brings to the people. It is
therefore necessary that the political leaders and the general public in the country are made aware of the functions
of these organs and that they are left to operate in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the country.
One other big problem faced by the new democracies in Africa is the debt burden. The economies of the developing
countries, particularly those of Africa, have a big debt of $400-billion U.S. and yes, the developed countries
and international organizations agree to a meaningful date cancellation, new democracies in Africa are in danger
of disappearing. Malawi is no exception, being one of the 10 poorest countries in the world and with the debt burden
of about $2-billion U.S. cannot manage to sustain its new democracy. The debt relief of $50-billion offered by
the most industrialized countries is not sufficient to make the new democracies in Africa to grow economically
and maintain their democracies. What is required is total cancellation of the debts and introduction of a new economic
order. In that manner, we may be able to sustain new democracy, especially these new democracies that are coming
in African countries. I thank you.
Larry Diamond: Thank you very much. I'd like to give the floor again to Ms. Narqui.
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