I really wonder what the fuss about James Phiri is. Growing up in a little town called Mutare in Zimbabwe, i had a primary school classmate called James Phiri. Like me, his parents were from here in Malawi but went to settle in Zim. James and i were never really close. I was the good-boy kinda kid and James was just the opposite – always up to mischief. But we ended up getting along because since he was 3 years older than me and more muscular, i found myself needing his protection as my good-naturedness easily transformed into susceptbility to bullies. Needless to say, I got James protection – on the condition that we shared my lunch pack and pocket money of course.
I had forgotten about James Phiri until one decided to show up and challenge Bakili Muluzi off the 2009 General elections. Ever since he came on the scene, James Phiri – like my Zim James – has been the talk of the town. Yet, he is nothing more than a fictitious character that was created by incredulous people in the country. I have no doubt that Bakili Muluzi created a case against himself so as to divert the attention of the populace and seek the High Court’s endorsement to run for president again.
Unfortunately, until James Phiri is exposed, the plan may work since he has already filed an affidavit claiming his legitimacy to run. Yet, that is by far not the thing that has exposed our gullibility. The thing is, Malawians fell hook, line and sinker for the James Phiri thing. the worst part is that it has taken the local media such a long time to realize that they were being taken for ride!
But also, the strategists behind the James Phiri saga – if at all it’s that – have exposed themselves as intellects who, unfortunately, are misdirecting their mental fibre to something that brings no reward at all. And that’s a peculiarly Malawian problem, especially in Malawian politics. We don’t have top thinkers and smooth strategists. And for this reason, we’ll always be quick to chase after the wind, following nonentities like James Phiri, wasting our intellect and newspaper space in the process.
