Friday, October 21, 2005
Mutharika. Do We Want This Character In Scotland?
Nicola Sturgeon, deputy leader of the Scottish National Party, has urged First Minister Jack McConnell to delay the visit by President Mutharika of Malawi to Scotland.
Wee Jack is not taking the advice. He says the President is "certainly still coming."
He is determined to give large wads of our cash to a corrupt leader with a liking for luxury cars who's country is facing famine, and who is likely to be impeached.
Patricia Kaliati, Mutharika's information minister, said he would not cancel the Scottish visit. "After all, we are going to benefit from it," she said.
Yes, I bet they will. I doubt if his starving people will, though.
Surely, if McConnell must dabble at playing big time politics, he could do better than this dubious character.
Or is Mutharika the only President our Jack can find that'll talk to him?
Wee Jack is not taking the advice. He says the President is "certainly still coming."
He is determined to give large wads of our cash to a corrupt leader with a liking for luxury cars who's country is facing famine, and who is likely to be impeached.
Patricia Kaliati, Mutharika's information minister, said he would not cancel the Scottish visit. "After all, we are going to benefit from it," she said.
Yes, I bet they will. I doubt if his starving people will, though.
Surely, if McConnell must dabble at playing big time politics, he could do better than this dubious character.
Or is Mutharika the only President our Jack can find that'll talk to him?
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Jack is the first minister, trying to do something constructive in Scotland for Malawi. Mutharika is the leader of his country, who is under fire internally from the opposition - well that comes with the job. Nicola Sturgeon is an opportunistic list-MSP with no original political ideas of her own, and whose only approach to her job is to slag off her opponents without proposing any positive actions. No, I don't like her or what she's trying to do.
Hi c'est moi, thanks for commenting.
OK, I mentioned Nicola Sturgeon, but opposition to this comes from many quarters.
Do we really want our First Minister involving himself with a leader who stands accused of human rights abuses by Amnesty International, who lives a life of opulence while his people starve, who spends half a million on tear gas to keep down his subjects?
Not to mention selling on some of that tear gas to Zimbabwe. Do you also approve of Mugabe simply because he is the leader of that country?
Jack McConnell, an avid publicity seeker, is way out of his depth on this, and this stunt is likely to backfire and leave him, and Scotland, looking foolish.
Finally, I should point out that Nicola Sturgeon did propose positive action - drop Mutharaka like a hot brick.
OK, I mentioned Nicola Sturgeon, but opposition to this comes from many quarters.
Do we really want our First Minister involving himself with a leader who stands accused of human rights abuses by Amnesty International, who lives a life of opulence while his people starve, who spends half a million on tear gas to keep down his subjects?
Not to mention selling on some of that tear gas to Zimbabwe. Do you also approve of Mugabe simply because he is the leader of that country?
Jack McConnell, an avid publicity seeker, is way out of his depth on this, and this stunt is likely to backfire and leave him, and Scotland, looking foolish.
Finally, I should point out that Nicola Sturgeon did propose positive action - drop Mutharaka like a hot brick.
Grateful as I am that c'est moi visited and commented here, I was disappointed to find that I could not return the compliment.
The Blogger Profile is not available. Why the wish for anonymity, I wonder?
The Blogger Profile is not available. Why the wish for anonymity, I wonder?
Why the anonymity - because I haven't set my blog up yet! Nothing more sinister, honest!
Anyway - I disagree with your view that Jack (and the Scottish Executive) should drop Mutharika (and by implication, Malawi) like a hot brick. This is not the same thing as Zimbabwe and Mutharika is no Mugabe. It's up to the Malawians, who have a functioning legal system, to sort him out if they want. If they begin impeachment procedings, the Scottish Executive should review their position, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to continue with a relationship that was benefiting the Malawian people even if these procedings were under way.
Wikipedia's definition of impeachment is "the process by which a legislative body formally levels charges against a high official of government. Impeachment does not necessarily mean removal from office; it comprises only a formal statement of charges, akin to an indictment in criminal law, and thus is only the first step towards possible removal. Once an individual is impeached, he or she must then face the possibility of conviction via legislative vote, which then entails the removal of the individual from office."
Anyway - I disagree with your view that Jack (and the Scottish Executive) should drop Mutharika (and by implication, Malawi) like a hot brick. This is not the same thing as Zimbabwe and Mutharika is no Mugabe. It's up to the Malawians, who have a functioning legal system, to sort him out if they want. If they begin impeachment procedings, the Scottish Executive should review their position, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to continue with a relationship that was benefiting the Malawian people even if these procedings were under way.
Wikipedia's definition of impeachment is "the process by which a legislative body formally levels charges against a high official of government. Impeachment does not necessarily mean removal from office; it comprises only a formal statement of charges, akin to an indictment in criminal law, and thus is only the first step towards possible removal. Once an individual is impeached, he or she must then face the possibility of conviction via legislative vote, which then entails the removal of the individual from office."
Hi again c'est moi. Apologies - I nearly missed your comment here.
And sorry for shouting at you for being anonymous, thanks for mentioning why. Let me know when you get your blog going please.
On Mutharika, we are never going to agree, I don't think. I just have strong doubts about whether the poor in Malawi will benefit but, obviously, would be delighted if they indeed did. I just don't think Jack and his crew have the expertise to ensure the money goes where it is intended to go.
Let's agree to disagree on that one.
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And sorry for shouting at you for being anonymous, thanks for mentioning why. Let me know when you get your blog going please.
On Mutharika, we are never going to agree, I don't think. I just have strong doubts about whether the poor in Malawi will benefit but, obviously, would be delighted if they indeed did. I just don't think Jack and his crew have the expertise to ensure the money goes where it is intended to go.
Let's agree to disagree on that one.
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