Bingu's Many Faces

...When shall all this come to an end?
On Thursday, a day after the July 20 demonstrations, President Bingu wa Mutharika wore a long face- the mark of a scornfulman nolonger poisoners.
It was around one O'clock when he bulleted his sad counternance through people's television screens.
Mutharika was an actor, then, playing a game called 'National Address'.
He expressed sadness at the events of the previous day, and appealed for dialogue.
Hardly 48 hours later, Mutharika was a changed man. The wrinkles had left his long face, and the face was twisted- the dot of a scornful man.
He was, in his short-faced rants, outright outrageous.
He mentioned names of people- including Leader of Opposition in Parliament John Zenus Ungapake Tembo, Human Rights Consultative Committee's chairperson Undule Mwakasungula (and his national cordinator, Rev. MacDonald Sembereka), Vice-President Joyce Banda, among others- and promised to deal with them.
Mutharika even threatened that, should these folks organise one more demonstration, "we will meet in the streets".
He added that "I will deal with you", and proceeded to say how peaceful Malawi was, and just how he was not ready to let this peace disappear in the flames of anarchy.
Many people and organisations have spoken out against these sentiments, and these include the Public Affairs Committee, United Democratic Front, and civil society organisation leaders.
But Zachimalawi is not surprised with Mutharika's behaviour; he has always been thus.
He has so many contradictory faces.
But, going back to Zachimalawi's Theme for July, we ask: When Shall All This Come to an End?