Undule: Our God given natural resources – who benefits?
God gave us natural resources, to make our lives better, but He also gave us the ability to exercise wisdom in use of these resources.The bible also warns us against misuse of these resources. How we use our resources affects other people as well as ourselves. If we waste and misuse the earth’s resources, we will be harming generations to come. Jesus Christ teaches us in Mathews 7:12 the way to treat our earth and its resources as well as our ordinary relationships.
How we manage our natural resources is something we must take seriously in Africa. The paradox of natural resources has failed to lift the lives of people out of poverty.Our governments have taken themselves to be owners and not custodians in managing natural resources.
Africa has become weaker and powerless in taking steps to help the potential profits from natural resources to benefit millions of poor citizens who go without adequate health, education, nutrition, safe clean water etc.
In recent years we have seen so much excitement in Malawi in regard to mining. The country has taken more interest in the mineral sector to rebalance an economy reliant on agriculture amid climate related challenges and global anti-smoking campaigns that have reduced demand for tobacco which is Malawi main foreign currency earner. But the big question has been how organized are we?
Recently we have seen the nation interests in oil exploration in the northern region. But who will benefit? Looking at how we messed up in uranium mining, no one can dispute the uranium mine was imposed on the people of Karonga. Sad Karonga today is more expensive than it was years back before the mine. The people are more poorer though they were promised travel to the moon. Sure Karonga would not want to play the same game from this oil venture, this time for sure the people must get the share of the cake.
Learning from our mistakes African must use its natural resources productively, in a sustainable manner, to the benefit of our people, and future in which the use of our natural resources lead to development. Africa must shift from being a “resource cursed to “resource blessed continent”.
But how do we manage our natural resources to turn into a blessing for development. First, we must take natural resources as belonging to the people and not governments. Second, profits and revenues should benefit the people not a company or a President. Third, openness and transparency to ensure popular ownership and shared benefits and then good, development oriented leadership. Good national leadership must work at ensuring natural resources revenues fuels national development. Leadership that initiates an open and inclusive national dialogue on the benefits and pitfalls of natural resources.
With national passion let us come up with a profound strategy to manage our resources better and effectively and turn them into a blessing for development. But we must seek GOD’s wisdom for He is the creator of all things in heaven and on earth. Genesis 1:1-33.
- Undule Mwakasungula, the former director of Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and now a human rights columnist on Nyasa Times
Angasinthe ndani? Ngati mumaba ma vot bwanji pali chuma
i can now follow undule
May I inform you Mr. Manga that neither sodomy nor abortion is my utmost choice.On sodomy,I can say that it is abnormal carried out by misguided and ungodly people.God created John and Mary to build a family he went on to say that marriage is between man and woman even dogs and pigs know their partners so why trying to alter the status quo? I have seen many homosexuals living together for ages,but without kids,is that normal ? When we come to abortions,suppose your mother or my mother candidly speaking,aborted you or me could we be on earth?And what do… Read more »
Brother Malangalanga,Malawi to day is a democratic state and every body is at liberty to express his/ her views freely without asking Mr Malangalanga what to write or what to think.I would imagine you are still hobnobbing the relics of Banda’s egregious regime when Malawians were muzzled to express their views may it be political,religious or otherwise.What you must know is that you can not stop me to write what I feel or what I like.i grew up in exile with visionary and respected leaders such as Masauko Chipembere,Orton Chirwa.Yatuta Chisiza,Kanyama Chiume,Willy Chokani,Augustine Bwanausi,Atati Mphakati from whom I have learnt… Read more »
Kayerekera has not contributed anything from its yellow cake for people of Malawi.Its only Bingu his few Aussy friends from archaic mining laws of Malawi.It has elevated the cost of living in Karonga as if everyone was working at Kayerekera.Karonga has become more expensive than Lilongwe city.Poor jobless people are heavily suffering in Karonga because of this useless Kayerekera thing.It is even better to keep our Lake than let some foreigners exploiting our God given natural resources for their selfish interest.
I think undule is trying to make us debate on issues. Whether u like it or not we have issues the nation has to tackle such as gays, abortion, mining , poor economy and many others! We are malawians and the articles just helping us to reflect as a nation. On gays issues my brother winstone I ready undule article and his position is if they are sinners let us pray for them by bringing them closer and change me. You dot change things when you are millions kilometers far apart. You dot change policies by just making noise as… Read more »
ur welocame mr mwakasungula u talking abaut god look god is good all the time BORN AGAIN MWAKASUNGULA
Undule, the failure of Africa to benefit is both a result of our weakness governments and leaders but also the selfish interests of mostly the West. The international political economy as a system does not favour Africa/Malawi it perpetuates out exploitation. Out leaders (including yourself) have since independence always been intermediaries. Remember South Africa Marikana? Civil society activists do not have the answer either because in many ways you fail to realise the West is not interested in our development but in creating chaos and then exploit us.
Mr Msowoya, for your own information Mr Undulu is no longer fighting for gay right. Mr Undulu is a born again Christian and he knowns what God want him for. So stop associating him with gays for he was in darkness and now he is in light. Was lost but now found. Don’t ever again talk of Undule and gay there are like light and darkness. Siziyenderana. Pepani
Mr.Mwakasungula,now you are talking.The issue of letting our God- given resources to be exploited for the good of the nation,is of course,a patriotic one which you could have spear- heading from the outset.The fact that you have mentioned the name of God the supreme- being,who punished signers in soddom and gomola,how would you again support soddomy and become its mouthpiece? Indeed,I was overjoyed to read your well- thought piece.I think therefore,you will strongly involve yourself in joining the masses of our beloved motherland Malawi to show their deslike to turn their country into the garbage of international swindlers and their… Read more »