Police summon Anglican church members over rebellion against Bishop Malasa

Malawi Police in Zomba on Tuesday March 6  2019 summoned some members of the Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire (Adus) who are believed to be behind the eviction and removal of Bishop Brighton Malasa as overseer of the diocese, Nyasa Times understands.

One of the members received a phone call from one Superintendent Ziyaya from Zomba Police Station on Monday asking him and other colleagues to report at Police station at 08:00am the following day.

One of the Anglican congregants expressed dismay over the development but said they will not be intimidated.

“This Malasa issue is now taking a different dimension, nanga mpakana ku police? [Up to the extent of involving Police]. These people are out of plans they think intimidation will help them. We won’t be intimidated and am urging all the Church members of good will to stand by our colleagues who have been summoned to the police,” a church member said.

On Tuesday, one of the summoned members later through a leaked Church WhatsApp group message said thet were seriously warned by the police to peddle back on he matter or risk facing arrest.

The message which Nyasa Times has seen revealed that the members were summoned after Bishop Malasa complained to police by among other things that they are asking other Parish members withing the Upper Shire not to allow Malasa visit their parishes or recognise him as Bishop.

The members admitted to have acted the way police explained.

Things got out of hand last week the Zambian-based Archbishop and Primate of the church in Central Africa Province Albert Chama told representatives of the disgruntled parishioners he could not remove their Bishop Brighton Malasa without following the church’s doctrines.

But Chama had a rude awakening when irate members  deflated tyres of his official vehicle, a Toyota Hilux Double Cabin registration ZA 4614, while the meeting was in progress.

The church’s laity and priests in the diocese rebelled against Malasa and demanded his removal from office for allegedly abusing funds, being greedy and power hungry.

On January 17 this year, over 200 disgruntled Christians who included priests, sealed Malasa’s offices with iron bars demanding his immediate resignation, but the bishop removed the bars a few hours later.