UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND POLITICS OF BUDGET

In the recent times there have been issues of the fact that university students are used by the politicians for their own ends. But looking at the current just suspended budget session would one blame the university students for demanding their right to education? They demand the right to education because the budget also carries with it their university’s budget including the stationery and book allowances popularly called ‘sacco.’

Why the university students demonstrate when the budget is delaying is that they are usually tired with politicizing the budget. University students, as intelligentsias, do know that their voices are so influential. The nation can not forget the various demonstrations that the university students have so far organized in support of the budget. The demonstrations have always been successful. However this des not mean that university students are being used. I believe that they are exercising their right to demonstration. In the process they are fulfilling their social and political responsibility in demanding and promoting their rights as well as right of the general public of having a budget in place. The former president and the current presidential candidate and Atheya of UDF Dr. Muluzi use to say ‘amai ndi abambo ndale samadya (ladies and gentlemen people do not eat politics).’ This therefore drives the university student into realizing that how much politics or Ndale is happening as Malawians it the budget that is important. Hence the university students have always stood by the people in support of the budget. I would say it is Atheya’s problem that he inspired into the university students’ minds that ndale samadya (we cannot eat politics). Bravo Atcheya

The university students are always proud to be associated with the successes of ensuring that politicians do not play around with the lives of the poor and voiceless Malawians. By demanding the budget first and nothing else the university students in Malawi are ensuring that our country does not retrogress economically. I believe the signs are clear that the university student is not against practicing of ndale. In fact it makes life funny hearing a so called Honourable Member of Parliament saying things like ‘agalu inu’, ‘Madam Deputy Speaker , Sir’ and even ‘lepi’ instead of ‘rape.’ But the outcry is that the Ndale must be done after people have been their budget. It is a known fact that money in the budget has and will never belong to UDF, MCP, Afrod, PPM, RP etc or let alone the DPP parties. That money belongs to the people of Malawi and some from the developing partners. Thus the university students are not likely going to be silent sitting pwii and watch the country being destroyed because of politicians. World over university students have been known for not sitting pwii on issues affecting them and the society at large. I very much doubt that the university students in Malawi are any exception.

The politicians should however resist the temptations of thinking that when the university students demonstrate for a particular cause then they are for such and such political party. Such thinking is being myopic on their part. UDF knows what this means. However, while this is true, there are clear statistics that the currently government (not DDP party) of Dr. Bingu Wa Muthalika, PhD is being rated highly within the intellectual corridors of various campuses hosting University students. This explains the reasons that it is easier for the university students to leave their wells of knowledge, books, library, assignments, and even research projects in order to demonstrate for the budget. When the bad turns into worse we have seen them getting court orders in form of injunctions so that they see to it that the budget is debated and passed so that the ordinary people benefits.

Since because of their sufficient interest in the budget, university students I believe would continue taking a closer look with keen interest how the budget is being deliberated during the budget session. They know that their loans and allowances are within the budget. Even more, the Agriculture vote with its subsidies like fertilizer, pesticides etc is of greater importance to Malawi’s inflation rate to remain in the single digits and interest rates to go down probably to slightly over 10%. Politician watch out the university students are watching.