It is good that Malawi holds her general elections after other big powers have already done so. I mean ours come after the United States of America (USA) and South Africa. Of course, there are many African countries that have also held theirs, but by restricting my analysis to USA and SA, I want to see Malawi borrow a leaf, particularly President Bingu wa Mutharika who seems geared to create unnecessary tension.

At no point did we hear Barrack Obama (USA) or Jacob Zuma (SA) uttering threats to the business community during their campaign tours, but instead they used encouraging words calling on foreign companies to stay and help to create new jobs.

At this time of campaign for the 19^th May 2009 General Elections Mutharika has chosen to attack expatriates working in tobacco companies over prices as a way of gaining sympathy from central region voters. He blames MCP/UDF Alliance Presidential candidate for not joining forces with him in intimidating expatriates at Limbe Leaf Company in Lilongwe.

On Monday Mutharika arrived at the Lilongwe Auction Floors unannounced where he referred to tobacco buyers as ‘colonialists’ who he was ready to deport regardless of how long they had been in Malawi and threatened to revoke their trading licenses.

“Tell me, who is buying tobacco at low prices and I will remove them from this country. It doesn’t matter if they have been here 100 years,” he said.

I thought Limbe Leaf Company had explained everything in their press statement following Mutharika’s allegations that the company had given MCP/UDF Alliance President candidate JZU Tembo for campaign. The company pointed out in clear and simple language how technically impossible it is for a firm of Limbe Leaf’s business reputation to fund political activities. But all that must have fallen on deaf ears.

That is why those of us who followed developments in USA and SA with keen interest saw political maturity throughout the campaign period up to the swearing-in ceremonies. We could sense that even in the event Obama or Zuma lost they would have accepted the results. The panic Mutharika is showing has some sinister motives. Already some of his rigging plans have been exposed, and his baseless allegations raise a lot of suspicion that after sunset it is definite that many evils could be taking shape.

It is now less than a weak to the polling day. The opposition should remain awake to rescue Malawians from the leadership that has failed them in the last five years. Remember the storage of the ballot papers was a big worry when the plane landed at the Kamuzu International Airport. Therefore, opposition leaders do not relax a second, Mutharika and his lieutenants are busy planning evil activities day and night.

BY SUZGO NKHOTA