Bravo to the Ministry of Local Government in Malawi!

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in Malawi recently launched their website. The url of the website is http://www.mlgrd.gov.mw/.

I followed the official launch of the website through Zodiak Broadcasting Station, one of the most vibrant private radio stations in Malawi. To the Ministry of Local Government in Malawi, I say keep it up! In fact, other government ministries in Malawi should follow this good example. Nowadays, we can never underestimate the power of posting information on the Web!

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Why should the Malawi Electoral Commission have a website?

Addendum: MEC has now a website at http://www.mec.org.mw/

19th May 2009 is fast approaching. Definitely, this will not be an ordinary day for Malawians. On this day, eligible voters will trek to various polling stations to participate in the fourth multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections. After all the campaigning, contestants shall have to wait on the verdict by voters on this day. As in any race, there will be winners and losers. If there is transparency in the electoral process, losers will honourably accept that maybe that is not their time to win. As the wise man said everything has a season. Time to lose an election and time to win an election.

An elderly woman votes in Malawi (May 2004).
Picture courtesy of VOA News

However, one thing that determines the success of an election is transparency. If an electoral process is transparent, various stakeholders could quickly agree on an outcome of the result. With the counting of votes being crucial, one would expect the announcement of official results to be publicly available through all form of media such as radio, television, newspapers, etc

Of course, some have advocated for the establishment of a parallel tally centre for the forthcoming elections. This issue is quite debatable but one thing that is certain is that people would want that official results be announced to the public as the results will be trickling in from different polling stations. This would enhance the spirit of transparency.

In my opinion, I think that one of the ways through which the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) could foster transparency in the electoral process is through the establishment of its own website. Unless I am mistaken, I have not yet come across a website for Mec. A google search for Mec website also yields nothing except website links that talk something about Mec.

A website for Mec will definitely serve as one of the platforms through which Mec would make official general announcements to the public. In addition to this, election results would be posted on the website as the vote counting process would be unfolding. This would give the public real-time updates of the vote-counting process.

We also know that the election would also attract the attention of the international community. In addition to this, we should also not forget Malawians who are living abroad. The electoral process would also be of high interest to them. The Mec website would therefore also help these stakeholders to follow the electoral process in Malawi through an official website of Mec. Otherwise, they will do so through grapevine websites!

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Computer Science is different from Information Technology!

I am a computer scientist by profession. However, one thing that surprises me is the fact that many people (only here in Malawi?) fail to distinguish computer science from the so called "information technology". So I googled on this and following are some of the results:


Computer Science, Computing, Computer Studies, ICT and Information Technology – are they all the same thing?

There is unfortunately a lot of confusion over these terms in the general population and in schools, and people who should know better use them as if they were interchangeable. Computer Science is the study of information and computation. The other terms are more vocational and mostly describe training courses in how to use particular pieces of software. Think of it this way: someone with an ICT qualification will know how to use a program like Word. Someone with a Computer Science qualification will know how to create a program like Word, and will also know how to make it easier to use, how to make it work on a variety of machines, how to make it easy to add additional functionality, how to fix bugs in it, how to make it communicate with other pieces of hardware or software, how to market it and how to deal with any legal or copyright problems with it. They will understand the theoretical basis underlying the program. They will also know how to do a million other things besides. Not just now, but throughout their working career.

Source: University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory

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From a very broad perspective, Computer Science is the study of the principles of computing. It helps you better understand how computers solve problems, the kinds of problems that a computer can solve and how one would present a problem to a computer. Abstract ideas that rely on fundamental mathematical theories are at the heart of Computer Science. Information Technology is the study of technology that drives Information Systems for businesses. Understanding how technology/tools can best meet the Information management needs of an organization is at the heart of IT. Familiarity with such tools is an essential for a successful IT professional. The interesting relation between the 2 fields lies in the fact that more often than not, it is Computer Scientists that design and develop these tools that an IT professional uses. Personally, I think that an adaptable Computer Scientist should not find it difficult to migrate to the field of IT (if he/she chooses to do so) by learning more about the technology that is predominately used at his/her organization. An IT professional on the other hand, will have to go through mathematics/CS training in order to be a good computer scientist. In a nutshell, Computer Science is about understanding generic concepts,whereas IT is about knowing more facts.

Source: WikiAnswers

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For more on what computer science is, check on Wikipedia

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Finally we have fuel price cuts in Malawi...

I can't contain my joy that finally the government of Malawi has reduced fuel (gas) prices effective 1st February, 2009. While the rest of the world was enjoying fuel price cuts on the world market, Malawians were still being pinned to the wall!

The new fuel prices charged per litre are as follows: Petrol charges have been cut from MK251.20 (US$1.75) to MK213.50 (US$1.50), diesel was at MK234.50 (US$1.65) and is now at MK199.30 (US$1.40), while kerosene (or paraffin) was at MK165.30 (US$1.16) and is now selling for MK132.20 (US$0.93).

On a personal note, I use an automatic transmission car (a Toyota Ipsum Picnic) and I must say that somehow it consumes more fuel than my previous manual Mitsubishi RVR sports gear. I do not know if there is any scientific evidence that automatics consume more fuel in comparison to manuals. But my instincts are indicating that automatics may be fuel guzzlers!

In general, as Malawians we also expect a reduction in costs of transport, food etc. This is because in Malawi increase in fuel prices automatically trigger a corresponding increase in prices of essential goods and services. Moreover, as consumers in Malawi we have a right to demand a corresponding decrease in prices of goods and services this time around. That is if our businessmen, especially minibus owners, are honest enough!

Finally bravo to all civil society organizations in Malawi for fighting tooth and nail for the common Malawian to have this fuel price cut!

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