It is no longer a secret that more Malawians are increasingly turning to the blogosphere for self-expression, information sharing, and commentary on a variety of Malawi related issues. This round-up will cover the newest entries into blogosphere with posts on politics, banking, health, city's cleanliness, racism, sms perils and personal reflections. Politics And Urban Cleaning As has been the case so far, Malawians are talking more and more about politics. In his latest post, Dictatorship haunts Malawian Politics, a media student, Pearson Nkhoma, looks at how and why it is easier to be a dictator in Malawi, a country where majority of its population was born during the authoritarian rule between 1964 to 1994: Reading in the daily papers of Monday and Tuesday, one is left with one conclusion, “dictatorship is the only common principle that is practiced and shared in our political parties”. Malawi is flooded by undemocratic authoritarian dictatorial political parties. The leaders don’t see the importance of consulting the local people on issues that directly affect the locals. Our political cohorts don’t have the capacity and time to consult local people; this is why they impose persons to represent us. Bingu wa Mutharika, the DPP Presidential candidate 2009 general elections, has just imposed a governor on Kasungu people and Bakili Muluzi, UDF presidential candidate for the same elections, has also imposed a shadow MP, Philip Bwanali, on the people of Thyolo for 2009 elections. Further more, it is alleged that AFORD imposed Loveness Gondwe as President for the party on its supporters. Edwin Mulenga, a fresh graduate from the University of Malawi, lives and works in Malawi's biggest commercial city Blantyre from where he appreciates the clean-up program, “Operation Dongosolo”, which authorities initiated. Reading his post titled Cleaner and Safer Town, one gets the impression that every city user now is happy after a job well done: One couldn't make out the beauty of our small cities because of the crowdiness, noises unnecessary traffic jam etc. Something had to be done, and Operation Dongosolo was one thing much anticipated by people who love their places. There were fears that chaos would break out due to vendors resistance to move to their allocated places. Luckily enough it was the Malawi Defence Force which was sent to ensure smooth allocation. Which vendor, I say, would have stood up to resist the armoured soldiers, clad in bush-like clothes? And just how clean and promising our towns look! Poor Online Bank Service UK-based Malawian blogger George Ng'ambi has no kind words for the banking sector in Malawi, which he describes as exploitative at most for its poor online service. With some banking knowlegde, George looks at the advantages of online banking and challenges Malawi Governemnt to sort out the mess. He writes specifically about National Bank of Malawi: Do Malawians really have to pay K400 per month for the online service to the bank? Koma abale ma bank kuba!!!! (Brethren, this is theft). Where is their Corporate Social Responsibility? While most banks are encouraging this paper free service as a “Green” innitiative, its sad that our banks do not want to cut on unnecessary paper work by imposing prohibitive charges.The bank needs customers to use the online service more than customers themselves need the service. It reduces customers waiting time which reflects well on the bank. Reduces labour costs in the long-term whilst keeping stationery costs to a minimum, amongst other benefits. Therefore they should bear the cost than push it to non-suspecting customers… The Malawi government through its regulatory Authorities (Ministry of Finance and Reserve bank) is quiet over this fraudulent practice. More Sinners In The City? An ambitious Malawian preacher and a PhD theological student in South Africa, Peter Qeko Jere, is angry with the churches in Malawi and feels they are missing a point. He says most churches are not mission-focussed now: In Malawi today, churches are so much busy trying to solve their internal squables and can not move forward in terms of development. Finances are spent on programs to do with problems solving process. Evangelism is not done at all. You hardly hear of any crusade in the districts as it used to being when some of us were growing up. Those days were fantastic because preachers of the word could have crusades like in all the districts. These days big crusades are done in cities may be these places have more sinners than the poor districts. Blogger Bothered By Racism And Tribalism Brian Kapito confesses that he is bothered the racism and tribalism which are big issues all over the world.