Bingu wa Mutharika, the current president of the Republic of Malawi, is 75 years old. He was born on February 24, 1934.
His main opponent in the coming elections (May 19, everyone - mark your calendars!) is John Tembo, age 76. Tembo was born on September 14, 1932.
Former President Bakili Muluzi - the former "main opponent" of Mutharika (until the Malawi Electoral Commission ruled last week that he would not be allowed to stand in the 2009 elections) celebrated his 66th birthday two weeks ago. He was born on March 17, 1943 - the strapping young lad!
Now, granted, old age is not the political liability here that it is back in the States. During the recent U.S. Presidential elections, none of my Malawian colleagues could understand why McCain's age was a "problem" for his campaign. I still reserve my right to practice ageism in the voting booth...but that seems to be the (extreme) minority opinion here in Malawi. If anything, advancement in years is an advantage for politicians here.
(Bonus fun fact: When former President for Life Hastings Kamuzu Banda was forced to hold democratic elections in 1993 - elections in which he was soundly defeated by Bakili Muluzi - he was thought to have been 97 years old.)
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Does Malawi have a big thing for elder respect? That's probably part of it. China and Japan, both cultures with serious seniority obsessions, are known for pretty darn old politicians.
ReplyDeleteElder respect is definitely a part of Malawi culture, and I'm sure that it's a big piece of the puzzle here. However, I think there are also some concerns about the generational divide, having to do more specifically with cultural differences and personal experiences of Malawi history, between the generations, rather than simply the number of years someone's put behind them.
ReplyDeleteOne, neither Bingu, nor Tembo, nor Muluzi was technically born in Malawi, but rather in the Nyasaland Protectorate (Malawi didn't gain its independence until 1964). These are also men of a particular era. When nearly thirty years of one-party rule finally ended in Malawi, the youngest of these men was 50. Nearly every Malawian of this era has deeply conflicted feelings - not just views, but feelings - on the "Kamuzu era." While almost everyone will condemn the deceptively benevolent dictatorship of Kamuzu Banda, almost nobody is willing to dismiss him outright. This complexity of feeling is such a significant part of Malawi's history (and indeed, its culture), that I feel people may have trouble accepting a president of a "new era," just yet.
Two, most Malawians I've spoken to view the process of "modernization" (both in the sense of perceived cultural assimilation, as well as technological advances) as something that only began in recent years. When you consider how active the Malawi Censorship Board was under one-party rule (through the early 90's!), not allowing any television stations, and strictly controlling the few radio stations that existed, this is not altogether surprising. Also, where technology is concerned, most big technological advances were, until quite recently, only in the hands of the rich. Now, many families have radios, cell phones are everywhere, and high-ticket items like computers and cars are becoming more common every day.
Again, Malawians are conflicted here. Nearly no one is willing to embrace modernization with open arms, and some are firmly in the "kicking and screaming" camp. The technology is all well and good, but the "add-ons" are the problem. Television? Great - but now people are being exposed to the Wicked West. The same goes for pop music on the radio, for that matter. Don't even get me started on computers!
Point being, people are hesitant to rush full-force into the modern age. I think the fact that these men represent an earlier time makes them a compelling choice. The age factor (in terms of physical age, or of numbers of years) is probably a help too, not just because of elder respect, but because of the calm conservatism associated with old age.
And the median age is around 16? With only 3% of the population at 65 or older? And a life expectancy at birth of 37.6?
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how Chet Nachtigal (a visitor from Seattle, of our U.S. retirement age) is accepted.
Maybe Fr. Frank (93 years) should run for president.