The Press FRIDAY, JULY, 15,1966. The Tenth Republic

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 12

The Press FRIDAY, JULY, 15,1966. The Tenth Republic

When the constitutional structure of the Common--wealth was modified in 1949 to permit India to become a republic while remaining a member of the Commonwealth, few could have foreseen that nine other nations would choose the same status within a short period. Yet the Commonwealth, once thought to be based largely on sentiment and a common allegiance to the Crown, has demonstrated its remarkable flexibility in gaining strength from these apparent reverses. After only two years of independence, Malawi has joined India, Pakistan, Ghana, Cyprus, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia as a Republic.

The fashion for this status is understandable in new nations. Its chief justification has been a fear of divided loyalties should a technical monarchy be retained. In the heady air of independence there is, too, a desire to throw off all the trappings of colonial status. In Africa, the process has even deeper significance. Dr. Hastings Banda now becomes Head of State and chief executive of Malawi instead of Prime Minister. The new form recognises the reality of his position of supreme power and meets the African requirement that the chief must combine the attributes of ceremonial head, executive head, and father-figure. “This is not exclusively an African “ requirement ”, says “ The Times ”, “ but the need “for it has always been pressed by African intel- “ lectuals and where it is ignored matters do not go “ well ”,

Dr. Banda has promised his four million people republican status since independence; and matters have gone well for Malawi. In the two years of independence and a tenuous link with the Crown he has been able to retain key European staff and to train Africans after the initial revolt of his lieutenants. He has fought corruption and made promotions on merit rather than on colour, and he has passed the acid test of bringing economic benefits to the country. Far from becoming the “ rural African “slum” predicted in Salisbury when the Rhodesian Federation fell apart, Malawi has progressed faster than its neighbours, largely because of the political stability Dr. Banda has achieved under his one-party system, his tolerance of the European and Asian communities, and his gradualist approach to pan-African politics. The success of an ambitious five-year development plan, including the establishment of a new capital at Lilongwe, depends on Dr. Banda’s ability to secure external aid. Continued political stability and the steady rise in trade, production, and other indicators of economic growth will make Malawi a favoured prospect for both aid and investment in troubled Africa.