I have read the opinions of Henry Kalapino published in the Malawi Nyasa Times. He argues that Tanzania is a “bully” following the recent international trade tensions, which were initiated by Malawi in restricting imports from Tanzania and reciprocated by the later.
I must make my arguments clear: I know that political restrictions hurt businesspeople more than political actors. In fact, I once argued against a similar situation between Tanzania and Kenya.
I am responding to Kalapino’s arguments because they are weak and do not address the root of the problem. His article appeals more for sympathy than it engages in a serious discussion about international trade or diplomatic relations.
Let’s look at what he argues. To begin with, he brings up the issue of Lake Nyasa, claiming that Tanzania is greedy because it already has the Indian Ocean and several lakes. This is a very weak argument. Tanzania is eight times larger than Malawi—does that mean it should donate some of its territory to Malawi?
Perhaps I understand the historical argument that Julius Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding leader, made during his time regarding the same matter. The point Kalapino seems to make is that Tanzania should ignore the Median Line Principle under international law simply because it has multiple water bodies. It’s problematic that he uses this argument only to support his shallow criticisms of Tanzania.
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Imagine if Lake Nyasa were to be recognised entirely as belonging to Malawi, as they have pushed for it to be renamed Lake Malawi. Would that mean people from Njombe, Mbeya, and Songea must import fish from Malawi, even though they can see the lake and could engage in fishing activities themselves?
Kalapino wrote about their internal struggles with exchange rates and some economic hardships. The main argument is to protect their domestic industry, but why is the ban only on Tanzanian imports and not on other countries?
This simple question went unanswered by this brother, who, according to my research, is a philanthropist and wishes Tanzania to adopt a philanthropic approach in international relations.
If Tanzania uses the same argument, then it is also justified, as it has the right to protect its domestic businesses. I also did not see any mention of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—I’m not sure if he knows that Malawi has signed the agreement. This means Malawi has started to go against an agreement that holds the potential to expand the market.
His opinions come after Tanzania took reciprocal measures against Malawi and South Africa on the import ban. This shows that they are now feeling the effects of Tanzania’s response. Yet, he still supports those who have banned Tanzanian agricultural products from entering Malawi. Unfortunately, he has not explained how that banning decision is justifiable under international agreements.
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Claiming that Tanzania seeks to dictate Malawi’s foreign policy reflects ignorance of international economics. What he suggests is that Tanzania should gain nothing from international relations and should simply let Malawi benefit unchallenged. It’s as if Tanzania is only supposed to be a market for others, while Malawi should not be a market for Tanzanian goods.
He writes, “[Tanzanians] don’t want to see Malawi win.” This is a self-contradictory argument—if Tanzania wanted Malawi to win, it would have to help restructure Malawi’s domestic policies, which he himself argued against when discussing the ban as a matter of foreign policy. As for the help, Tanzania has historically done a lot to help African countries gain independence and sometimes at the expense of its people.
This is my first time publicly disagreeing with someone’s opinion. It stems from my international experience, where I have witnessed strange narratives about Tanzania, often unchallenged.
For example, at the African Studies Association 67th Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, United States, from December 12th to 14th, 2024, some scholars argued that Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was not an original thinker but merely borrowed ideas from Joan Wicken.
Wicken was a personal assistant to Nyerere, but they now claim she was also his speechwriter, just to support the idea that Nyerere’s speeches were not his own thoughts, but hers.
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As someone who subscribes to the ideas of Nyerere about intellectuals, I use my right to argue against those spreading misleading narratives about Tanzania. However, I maintain the position that any international tensions negatively impact businesspeople and could have harmful effects.
While Kalapino supports the bans imposed on Tanzania, I call on countries to uphold the AfCFTA agreement. Africa must become a unified market, free from soft or harsh trade barriers, such as bans. This should also be a call to my brothers and sisters in Tanzania to respond to these arguments of these people who prioritise their interests in international trade.
Francis Nyonzo is an economist interested in social justice and digital rights. He is available at francisnyonzo@gmail.com. These are the writer’s own opinions and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of The Chanzo. Do you want to publish in this space? Contact our editors at editor@thechanzo.com for further clarification.
