Chakwera cleared of church plunder as Assemblies of God rejects Malawi Voice report

Malawi Assemblies of God Church has  rejected online reports that the  Lazarus Chakwera stole money amounting to K100 miillion during his reign as the church’s president before joining politics, saying what’s was posted  on Malawi Voice is utterly fake news.

The State sponsored online publication  had published the report  alleging Chakwera had been thieving the church’s money.

But in a statement released by the church, the report is “totally false.”

“The Malawi Assemblies of God Press is governed by a Board, not the church President. Had Dr. Chakwera tried to steal any money from AG Press, the Board would have stopped it, and had any money been found to be unaccounted at the end of Dr. Chakwera’s tenure as President, the Board would have summoned him to account for it,” reads part of the statement signed by Reverend Maltilda Matabwa, the Secretary General.

Chakwera,  had to resign from leading Assemblies of God Church, a prestigious position that earned the man of the collar, a coveted place in international Christian circles, to lead Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and he is billed as one of front runners to State House race in next year’s Tripartite elections.

In its story, Malawi Voice reported that Chakwera used to torture pastors but again the Assemblies of God Church has trashed such assertions.

“As far as the Malawi Assemblies of God is concerned, Dr. Chakwera served with honor, integrity, humility, and distinction as a Church Minister in the Malawi Assemblies of God for 30 years before joining frontline politics. He also served as President of the Malawi Assemblies of God for 24 years, during which the Church thrived and grew, and continues to do so, thanks to the contributions he made.”

It adds: “Today, though holding no office within the Church, Dr. Chakwera is still a licensed, credentialed, and ordained Minister of the Malawi Assemblies of God, with all the responsibilities thereto appertaining, and is a man in excellent standing with the Church.”

The church has also denied claims that it is involved in Chakwera’s leadership as a politician and that it supports the MCP which Chakwera leads.

“We are a Church that does not align itself politically with any party or individual, not only out of obligation to focus on our mission as a church, but also out of respect for the freedom of our church members to exercise their constitutional right to engage in politics according to the dictates of their conscience,” the church says.

The Assemblies of God Church came to Malawi in the 1940’s and it was first introduced in the country by missionaries who first arrived in Ntcheu district

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