Debate on national flag as protected emblem rages on

* Some laws we try to push are plain useless to say the least

* National colours should be a source of pride for citizens—Kondwanie Chirembo

* Inu, mavuto onse ali mu Malawi muno akalimbane ndi ine oika ka flag pa dashboard ya galimoto zooona?—Richard Gondwe

* Maybe it will be beneficial to complain about what you are not happy about in the Act, not the press release—James Nipsy

By Duncan Mlanjira

Following a public notice by Secretary to the President & Cabinet, Colleen Zamba — warning people that there are some individuals and organisations that are using the national flag contrary to the Protected Flag, Emblems and Names Act — the public is not sure as to what Zamba is communicating about.

In the notice, Zamba did not specify what the public is contravening in the law that prompted her office to just indicate that “it is an offence under Section 5 of the Act to use, display or permit to be displayed, manufacture, sell, offer for sale, import or produce protected emblems without written permission from the Minister Responsible for the administration of the Act”.

Majority of motorists are displaying the miniature Malawi national flag on their vehicle windscreens in a show of patriotism, which became a huge fashion towards the 2020 fresh presidential elections.

If this law will be applied to the book, the police cells shall be congested with offenders of this Act — the motorists as well as motorcycle and bicycle taxi operators (Kabaza), who display the flag.

Football and netball fans also drape the national flag on their shoulders on their way to the stadia where they boost their morale as well as that of the Flames’ and the Queens’ morale by waving it with pride.

In reaction to the notice, Kondwanie Chirembo asked: “What are protected colours? Is it black, red, and green or the 3 in that order? — some laws we try to push are plain useless, to say the least.

“National colours should be a source of pride for citizens. This madness of saying you need permission to celebrate national colours is just that — madness. These retrogressive laws should be done away with — as a nation we have far more important issues to worry about.”

Hapie Kwenjeh agreed and added that when he travels outside and has to explain that he is from Malawi, he has to pinpoint its exact locality —  to which Lansbury Nkhata responded: “Not surprised. I find it hard to explain where exactly Malawi is. I only tell them, Malawi is where  Madonna adopted David Banda. Otherwise, we need to fly our flag on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.”

Richard Gondwe said: “Inu, mavuto onse ali mu Malawi muno akalimbane ndi ine oika ka flag pa dashboard ya galimoto zooona (of all the challenges Malawi is facing, should the authorities really pinpoint on penalising motorists who display the flag on their dashboards?)”

“Displaying a flag means pride. I have a flag hanging in my house, I guess it’s illegal too. Each country I have visited, people display flags in their cars, homes etc. Are we that backward?” Gondwe asked.

The arguments on social media are due to failure by SPC Zamba to clearly say what offences are being committed, which Charles Shemu Joyah said there is need for clarification, saying: “What is protected is the flag but not the colours.

“Perhaps they should have given us an example of an abuse, for I don’t think that if I am going to watch a netball match and I wrap myself in the national flag, I don’t think I need a ministerial permission to do that. However, I cannot use the flag as my business logo.”

Brazil Hill agreed, saying he wears the colours with pride, adding: “Some of us are patriotic citizens than some of them. I have three flags that I take care of at home — one on a large pole on the corner of our house and I feel proud to have this in my house.”

Pelewelo Dambe Banda said: “Moving around Malawi, most government, district or town offices and statutory companies, schools, colleges or memorial or game reserves, don’t have any Malawi national flag. The new generation doesn’t know the flag and its meaning and importance.

“Most private companies and NGOs raise their private flags without a national flag next to it. The government civic education department is failing to market the flag and let the civil society understand the meaning of the flag — that’s why they fail to replace worn out flags at their offices.

“Across the borders, none of any institution or company will raise its flag without a national flag beside it. No one can just lean on flag pole or sit under it willy nilly.”

Thus Pelewelo Dambe emphasizes that the citizenry should first be civic educated about the flag and the National Anthem before warning them of arrests — they won’t understand why they are being arrested of!

“How can they understand a flag if they don’t even know how to sing a National Anthem and the meaning of the National Anthem — all they know is ‘Osaopa’”.

James Nipsy chipped in to say that Zamba’s notice emphasized on ‘contrary to the law’, saying: “We can’t have this conversation unless we all read what the law says. Maybe it will be beneficial to complain about what you are not happy about in the Act, not the press release.”

But Kondwanie Chirembo maintained that this is all due to Malawi having an archaic law, while asking what the law says about emblem and flag of Malawi, saying: “It’s an absurd overreaching law enacted during an era when people couldn’t celebrate being Malawian.

“This law should have been revised long long ago — we are in a new political dispensation and 30 years in it, bad laws should be called out for being bad laws. It’s strange that people who have traveled are at the forefront of promoting mediocrity.”

To which Steve Kambwiri summed it up by suggesting that the leadership, “in this new era, should use common sense on which laws to push for enforcement. This law should be pushed for amendment because the way it is now, it’s not in line with the constitutional spirit of a nation for the people proud of belonging to it.”