Bishop Mtumbuka guides Catholic congregants on qualities of good leader ahead of Malawi elections

Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of the Karonga Diocese of the influential Catholic Church has guided congregants on qualities of a good leader that the country needs to have through a vote in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.

In his homily during the Chrism Mass Service (CMS) he conducted at St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral in Karonga district where 15 priests from the nine parishes of the diocese renewed their vows and commitments of priestly services, His Grace Mtumbuka said the May 21 2019 elections are watershed for Malawi

.The Bishop said it is sad that 55 years after independence Malawi is the third poorest country on the land due to its poor leadership that does not put interests of the people at heart.

“Nobody should deceive you, ladies and gentlemen: Malawi is the poorest country on earth, perhaps with the exception of Sudan, South Sudan and Burundi only. It’s a very poor country, this. Signs of abject poverty are everywhere.

“Elect someone who should rescue you from poverty, ladies and gentlemen. Don’t elect someone because you like the way his party’s uniform was designed. Don’t elect someone because he gave you a bicycle. Elect someone who should end poverty, especially among women…Since you women are the majority of voters, choose someone who will help you to get out of the poverty trap,” said Mtumbuka.

The Catholic Church, he said, will only guide its flock but will not endorse candidates.

He urged the electorate to save themselves from the jaws of poverty by voting wisely and not vote for thieves or those who shield them or their cronies.

“Free yourselves from this slavery and dehumanizing poverty. Vote for someone who can change the direction of this country. People have suffered enough. Enough is enough,” he said.

Mtumbuka said voters should not be deceived that Malawi has transformed to the level of Germany.

He said: “Ask those two Germans over there whether this country looks like theirs. They will be shocked to hear you’re claiming such things.

“Politicians take advantage of the fact that you have never been to Germany, so you’re walking in the simple footpaths and they convince you that Germany looks like that. Rubbish! Rubbish! Rubbish, all this! So rubbish.”

Mtumbuka urged the Catholic faithful to vote for someone who can turn things around for a better Malawi.

“Do you hear me, ladies? You’re in abject poverty. You’re very poor. End this poverty by electing someone who can truly end this. Not those who develop this country by word of mouth, no, no, no, no.

“Someone coming here to talk about Mandasi (flitters0 today, these are the very same things you’ve been selling for 50years without being able to afford even a pair of shoes. Stop this Mandasi business. If you want, go and fry them for your grandparents,” said Mtumbuka in a speech delivered in local dialect Tumbuka.

He stressed that Malawi is impoverished and “we should not deceive one another.”

Said the Bishop: “When going about in the markets, sometimes I become very sad… You find it’s raining, a mother is holding an umbrella in the rain, and she’s roasting maize, waiting to sell. It’s raining, a mother has a pile of tomatoes, waiting for customers to come and buy. The rain has soaked her all over her body, except that small area shielded by an umbrella.”

Taking his turn, Karonga Diocese Laity Council (KDLC) chairperson John Mtambo thanked the congregants for their generous contributions of cash amounting to close to K775-thousand and non-food items that will go towards flood victims in Zomba and Chikwawa dioceses.

The church’s purpose  for voter guidance is for Catholics to form their consciences in accordance with God’s truth.

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