Dausi says politics is happiness-maximisation: ‘I am wise because I know am foolish’
Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi says there is still austerity measures by the government and dismissed accusations of the purchase of new President’s luxurious top-of-the-range Lexus, saying it was necessary addition.
Dausi, who is also government spokesperson, was featured on Times Exclusive interview on Times TV hosted by no-holds barred presenter Brian Banda.
Banda quizzed Dausi why government which is struggling to feed 6.5 million food insecure Malawian, amid many economic challenges, President Peter Mutharika decided to buy K100 million ($100 000) vehicle.
Dausi said the procurement of the posh Lexus vehicle was necessary.
“Do you want to say because you want salt from you neighbour, you go there naked?”
“There is prudence in the way we have run finances,” said Dausi
Dausi said: “For the first time since 1964 President Arthur Peter Mutharika has encountered one of the most calamities, drought, floods, cashgate, donor freeze, but we have managed to develop the country.”
The government spokesman then accused the host Banda and editor-in-chief of Times Group George Kasakula of being fierce critics of the government.
“You Brian Banda and you have a friend George Kasukala, you are wrong people, and you make some persuasive arguments to put the government in disarray. That is wrong,” said Dausi.
Asked on whether President Mutharika will act on 13 files of the forensic audit in the grand corruption which allegedly involve some serving cabinet ministers, Dausi said there are just “conjectures and malafide”.
On worsening corruption in government, Dausi said those who make accusations should bring tangible evidence.
On why the President established a Commission of Inquiry on Zambia maize import saga but could not fire Minister of Agriculture George Chaponda who is accused to have played a role in misprocurement, Dausi hit by saying “you should not have pathological hatred with Honourable Chaponda.”
Banda also asked Dausi on perception that President Mutharika is “passive” but the Minister of Information reacted angrily, saying that was disrespectful to slur a Head of State names.
“You cannot call the president to be passive. He is the President and he deserves respect,” said Dausi.
During the interview, Banda also asked Dausi, who was former state chief spy, on his appointment to Cabinet, saying observers are giving an analogy that he has been drafted in Cabinet “to deal with him.”
He said: “It is extremely unfair, erroneous, and wrong and malafidy.”
On his new role as government spokesman, Dausi e argues that the purpose of government is not just to create economic growth, but also to promote individual happiness.
“The intention of politics is the maximisation of happiness,” said Dausi.
Dausi gave over 30 quotations during his answers in the interview and said to him learning is a continuous process and that he strongly believe in the job training, quoting Socrates : “I am wise because I know am foolish.”
The government spokesman pointed out that President Mutharika takes his time to watch Times Exclusive program on Times TV.
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inetu chaponda ndkazakumana naye ndzamuthuzula diso chifukwa ndimunthu opanda chisoni ku mtundu wa amalawi. dausi naye nd mbuzi coz akuikira kumbuyo zolakwika….bushiri 2019 bomaaa!!!!!
The Honorable Nicholas Dausi impressed me with his knowledge of the philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. In our own benighted age, erudition is rare. If the honorable gentleman wishes to bring his happiness studies up-to-date, I suggest he read ‘The Politics of Happiness: What Government Can Learn from the New Research on Well-Being’ by David Bok (2010), and ‘The Economics of Happiness’ by Mark Anielski (2007).
The honorable gentleman also made several classical references. Perhaps in a study of Roman civilization we can find ideas that may improve our own civilization. For example, by now all of us are familiar with the concept of palliative care. Our healthcare ‘system’ no longer functions. We have neither the personnel we need, no the medicine. Moreover, the equipment and financial resources assigned to it have been systematically looted. Consequently, we have been reduced to providing our most seriously-ill loved-ones with home-based palliative care, designed not to save them but to ease their transition from this life to the next.
The Romans were more interested in palliative politics than palliative care. In the past, they were called cynical; today, we call them clear-sighted. Palliative politics was the politics of ‘bread and circuses’, or ‘panem et circenses’ as the honorable gentleman would say. Juvenal, among others, used the term to refer to the generation of public approval, not by providing excellent public policy and service, but by satisfying the popular demand for bodily sustenance and distracting entertainment.
Isn’t this what our present generation of politicians needs to do? Their policies are pipe-dreams; their strategies are ineffective; and our public resources are being rapidly ‘privatized’ through the back door. As there seems to be little reason to hope that this will change between now and the next election, let’s implement the Romans’ Plan B.
Our equivalents of the Roman’s’ ‘bread and circuses’ are ‘maize and music/sports’. Unfortunately, the government has already nullified any benefits that might have accrued from maize by its mishandling of ‘maizegate’. That leaves us with musical and sporting entertainments.
This is an area that the government leaves in the hands of the private sector, which is surprising as entertainment is potentially a great source of both income and distraction from the national woes. For example, after Hugh Masekela performed at Lilongwe golf Club a few years ago, the show was the talk of the town. The shortage of gas was forgotten. If the government wants the media to stop moaning about power-cuts, water-shortages, rampant corruption, and the absence of state-sponsored anything except neglect, it must provide distractions. Let us have P-Square and Yemi Alade concerts for the young, Franco tribute bands for the old. Let us have great international teams playing in our new stadia.
The time for this change of national direction could not be more auspicious. The UK wants to become less Euro-centric and to re-assert itself as a global player. Where better to begin than in ‘the warm heart of Africa’? The UK transformed itself from a manufacturing center into an international services provider. It is now in the process of becoming a national reality show, a soap-opera for the world’s amusement. It could do the same for Malawi. And America now has DJ Trump in the House – the White House, that is. The US should certainly recognize the opportunities for profit and publicity that sponsoring the new government direction will provide. As their half-Scotch president knows very well: Economics is the Art of the De’il.
7/10 – Thitherward. I found your loquacious comments quite interesting, amusing, and annoying – in equal parts. However, you have not really come to any conclusion. If Mr Dausi is so great, shouldn’t you be advocating his appointment as the world’s first Minister of Happiness?
TIKUNGOMVA ZOTI M’MALAWI MUNO AKUGAWA CHIMANGA KU ANTHU OVUTIKA KOMA KUNO KU MZIMBA NORTH NJUYU, KAFUKULE, KULIBE.VUTO.
A Brian its only that u should ask Dausi ,palibe zachitukuko nkamwa mwanu mutation mwaimila u President muluza mawa omwe ,Dausi nkamwa multi mwaa kuyankha ngati wangodya ma naches posachedwa ,good job.
Honourable Dausi was excellent here. He presented himself very well. One time while at Capital Radio Brian Banda had an interview with JB then as a VP who had fallen favour in DPP. Brian spent the whole time licking JB’s boots, handbag, arse, and was falling all over JB. After the sudden death of the late Professor Bingu WaMutharika, JB ascended to power and made this little piece of shit as her press secretary. During that period, I don’t doubt that he partook cashgate money (60% we hear was going to abiti in cash). I do not expect Brian Banda to fairly host an interview with anyone from DPP, including Hon. Dausi. An example from the interview is that he cites the current food shortage as a failure of the current government. This dunderhead does not understand to what extent the strongest ever El Nino took its toll on maize production in Malawi leading to the current food crisis.
Do the media in Malawi do awards? This boy Brian Banda needs to be honored. I will not be surprised if BBC calls on him. Well done Brian Banda.
what can one learn from dausi – insinuations basi!
Congratulations my brother Daus for knowing that “you are wise because you know that you are foolish”. This is from your answers and arguments wth the press guys whom you accused without perhaps just to impress your boss who gave you that job. Have a nice day and continue!!!!!!!
jealous down, I always thank god for the gift of characters like Mr Nicholas Dausi,,,,he is so talented speaker, he speaks with a real purpose and applies living examples with a mixture of big words that are otherwise easy to understand. but Malawians should have time to appreciate values in our human resources regardless of political differences, not always talking bad about our statement like dausi. iam MCP member because Mr Dausi is A DPP member,,,,,,in a decent democracy, development will come if MCP CHAKWERA ideas are interacting positively with DPP. APM ideas. we are all Malawians if we learn to live by supporting one another both in politics and our day to day politics. The success of APM policies is the success of every Malawian, regardless of region, tribe, or political party we belong to………Mean while , I would like to ask minister of information Sir Nicholas Dausi that we Malawians expect him to Educate the nation on the issues tolerance regardless of tribe and political parties…… he should educate Malawians to choose leaders not based on tribe or region, rather they choose based on capacity to deliver there job as national leaders. ………I see such skills in Dausi that he can help to curb elements of tribalism in our media reports and I believe he can push for the legislatives in Parliament that analysing somebody’s capacity to hold the office based on tribe or region where he comes from is illegal and unconstitutional, Dausi ,tell Malawians that true democracy lies in accommodatiing views of minority, and respect for the rule of law.,,,,,,,,leadership is from god. we are equal In god’s eyes. Media in Malawi are fond of writing news promoting tribalism, such as boma ili ndi LA alomwe, nanga LA achewa ndiliti? imagine,,, Malawi , a Small country ,we can’t claim to have boma ili ndi LA atumbuka.no ,no. media circles dividing the country should not to accommodated. its your job Mr Dausi to inform Malawians that united we stand,divided we fall,bravo all democrats
Seeing reality
I know when the president goes outside his Republic (Mutharika Republic) he is surrounded by rich people in suits. He can not see the poor and the hungry we live with in the villages. I would expect his men and women would interact with us and tell the President about the high levels of poverty and suffering we are going through. An honest messenger would say exactly how life is for an ordinary Malawian.
It is proved to me and others that the challenges Malawi faces are too big the regime. We gave them an impossible task. They can comprehend the challenges neither are they able strategize on poverty reduction. When the regime says Malawi is developed they mean to themselves because indeed regime members are not in poverty. They are all rich. What they are unable to see is the other where we are.
As the Honorable Minister knows, the Roman poet, Horace, said: ‘In laboring to be brief, I become obscure.’ Why is it that, in laboring to be obscure, the Honorable Minister becomes long-winded?
Brian Banda, next time make sure the table is large enough for your safety. kkkkkkkkkk
You are right, adzazindikila chala mumphunotu fwiiiii kikkkkkkkk!!!!!