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Abstract
Popular music in Malawi cites corruption and tribalism as amongst the major threats to democracy in the country. Corruption, which involves the plundering of national public resources by a few individuals, affects the distribution of and access to these resources by the majority of Malawians. Tribalism, on the other hand, threatens the social and political stability of the multi-ethnic nation, and democracy itself. However, despite the relative freedom of speech Malawians enjoy at present, critical discussion of these issues in public is often stifled by censorship. This is because such critical discourse challenges the dominant view of the ruling groups, which denies the prevalence of corruption and tribalism in the country. In other words, talking of corruption and tribalism amounts to an indictment of the political leadership, and is not easily tolerated. This article examines corruption and tribalism as coded messages in deliberately ambiguous metaphors in Wambali Mkandawire's popular songs. It argues that Wambali's presentation of corruption and tribalism as evils in Malawi constitutes a counter-discourse of the dominant view of the ruling social groups.
