Can't say I don't agree, but my crimminies with the tone of the article. Having read a teensey bit about Malawi I know that it is dependent on foreign aid both from the UN and the World Bank (two very conservative bodies themselves) that I find it hard to believe that the society is merely dragging its heels in the name of conservative-ism.
Most "conservative" laws are legislated as a reaction to change and they are recent... so, it feeds off each other.

Constant change also means constant backlash.