African politicians are the ones making laws that the people must abide by and at the same time they expect the people and not them to respect the law. When it comes to environmental management Malawi has some politicians who think they are above the law and can do whatever they think is right without the law catches up with them. Even when the fishing season closed many people close to politicians fish illegally and when court they are taken either to traditional chiefs or courts to answer charges but they are immediately acquitted and are free again.
The Mangochi district in the southern part of Malawi has a lot of fishermen and many of them connive with politicians and some chiefs and thus they take the advantage of it. James Spoko, a 34-year-old fisherman from the Mangochi district, said that it’s a problem that will not just end today. It will take time and people will need to be schooled on why illegal fishing is dangerous. He added that the fisheries department officials have no say because they fear for their jobs.
It is said that during the ten-year rule under president Bakili Muluzi, fisheries officials refused to confiscate gears belonging to politicians even though they were fishing in their full view illegally. According to Spoko no one is above the law but the problem in our country is that everyone thinks he / she is the law. Malawi is facing declining fisheries resources and the introduction of closed seasons is aimed at restoring the some lost species.
