I will forever be thankful to the Malawians and international

Joyce Banda, the first woman to ascend to the presidency of Malawi, uttered these solemn words: “I will forever be thankful to the Malawians and international community, and my professional army and army general, who said: ‘No, we will follow the constitution.’ That’s why I’m here.” In this testimony, gratitude is not whispered lightly—it is declared as a hymn to justice, to loyalty, and to the power of men and women who chose principle over corruption. Her words remind us that a single decision, guided by the constitution, can preserve a nation’s soul and safeguard the will of its people.

In the days of old, the ancients knew that laws were not mere writings on stone, but sacred covenants between rulers and the ruled. To betray them was to invite chaos; to honor them was to bring peace and stability. Banda’s rise came at a time of turmoil, when doubt and ambition threatened to overshadow order. Yet the army, the guardians of the land, stood not as servants of tyranny but as defenders of law. By choosing the constitution over power, they became the unseen heroes of her story, the shield that ensured Malawi did not descend into darkness.

The story echoes through history. When George Washington was urged by some to become king after leading the colonies to victory, he refused and instead laid down his sword, honoring the covenant of a republic. Like Banda’s generals, he recognized that loyalty to principle is greater than loyalty to ambition. Such acts of restraint are seldom celebrated with the fanfare of victory, yet they shape the destiny of nations more profoundly than conquest.

Banda’s gratitude is threefold: to her people, to the international community, and to her professional army. Each of these stood as pillars holding up the fragile temple of democracy. The people, by their faith and endurance, demanded that justice be done. The world, by its watchful presence, ensured that Malawi did not stand alone. And the army, by its discipline, chose to defend law rather than seize unlawful power. Together, they wove a shield strong enough to protect the nation’s fragile transition. Banda’s thankfulness, then, is not only personal but national, for she knows she is but a steward raised up by the courage of others.

Her words remind us that the strength of a leader is not measured solely by their own will, but by the integrity of the institutions that support them. A ruler who is crowned without justice stands on sinking sand, but one upheld by law and principle stands on solid rock. In honoring the constitution, Banda’s supporters preserved the dignity of their people and showed the world that true power is not brute force but faithfulness to what is just.

The lesson is clear: when storms of ambition and temptation arise, cling to the covenant of justice, for it is the lifeline of nations and of souls. Be thankful to those who choose principle over power, for they guard not only leaders but the very breath of freedom itself. Without them, laws become ink and promises become lies. With them, nations endure, and the dignity of people is preserved.

In our own lives, this means we must uphold the constitutions written in our homes, communities, and nations: the promises of fairness, the covenants of trust, the vows of loyalty to truth. When confronted with the chance to betray principle for gain, we must say, as Malawi’s army said, “No, we will follow the constitution.” Support leaders and institutions that defend justice, and give gratitude to those who stand firm in the face of corruption.

Thus, Joyce Banda’s words endure as a beacon: to remind us that gratitude must be given to the guardians of law, that justice is the foundation of freedom, and that every generation must choose anew whether to honor or to betray its covenant. To be thankful, as she is, is not weakness but wisdom—the wisdom that sees in the triumph of principle the salvation of a people.