Catholic bishops call for new leadership in Malawi: Issue pastoral letter
Catholic bishops in the country, under the umbrella of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), have said Malawi needs a new era as the country prepares for the June 23 presidential fresh elections.
The influential Catholic church played a significant role in birthing democracy in Malawi when they issued a Pastoral Letter in 1992 at the height of Kamuzu Banda’s regime under which was titled ‘Living our faith’.
The letter, and the subsequent incidents thereafter, turned to be the whip that broke the back-bone of Kamuzu Banda’s one party dictatorship.
And in this 26th Pastoral Letter read out in all Catholic churches on Sunday titled ‘A Further Call for a New Era in Malawi: Leadership at the Service of Citizens,’ the bishops noted that the country is at crossroads.
“We can either choose to save our nation or destroy it,” reads the letter.
“The most urgent task before us is to choose a leader who can rescue it from further deterioration. We call upon all duty bearers to ensure that the forthcoming presidential election is free, fair, credible and peaceful.
“We also urge all Malawians to go and vote and vote wisely, keeping in mind the consequences of not voting or not voting wisely. Let us continue to pray and seek God’s guidance for the success of this election,” the powerful church hierarchy wrote.
The seven Bishops noted that the forthcoming presidential election provides Malawi with an opportunity to choose a leader who can save the country from collapsing and who can turn it into a unified, orderly and prosperous nation.
“As we said in our previous pastoral letters, such a leader requires to have the following necessary qualities: honesty, democratic, transformational leadership, visionary, selflessness, servant leadership (Mark 10:44), good stewardship, exemplary, decisiveness, respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, willingness to step down (Luke 17:10), being above tribal/regional/political interests, accountable and God-fearing.
“Failure to have such a leader will result in our nation becoming more chaotic, divided and with deepening levels of poverty. Wakutsina khutu ndi mnansi,” the bishops epistle reads.
The Bishops further point at several political factors that have hindered Malawi’s development and that need to be put right.
This include rising tribalism, increasing acts of political violence, rising levels of impunity, rising levels of corruption and fraud, dysfunctional systems of public service delivery, the Covid-19 pandemic and continued environmental degradation.
The ECM also notes that there are challenges related to holding a credible election.
“Aware of the fact that an election is a process not an event, we are concerned about the following: the loss of public trust and confidence in the current Malawi Electoral Commissioners, inconsistency in the determination of electoral calendar, vandalism of MECequipment, lack of security in centres where MEC is processing voter transfers and issuing duplicate voter certificates, biased, unprofessional and defamatory reporting by the public broadcaster, MBC.
“We are also concerned with the general abuse of freedom of expression by political party zealots on social media by among others, fabricating all forms of falsehood, lies and rumour-mongering. This calls upon all Malawians to exercise extra vigilance to ensure that the electoral process is transparent. Let there be issue-based campaign. Above all, it calls for a leadership that can provide appropriate direction and supervision.”
The incumbent President Peter Mutharika, a 80-year-old former law professor, has managed to rein in rising prices of basic goods and improved Malawi’s roads and other infrastructure. However, critics accuse him of cronyism and failing to tackle graft.
The Pastoral Letter has been signed by leaders of all the eight Catholic dioceses in the country, led by ECM bishop chairman Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of Blantyre.
He is deputized by Right Reverend Martin Mtumbuka Vice-President, the Bishop of Karonga.
Other members are the Most Reverend Tarsizio Ziyaye, Archbishop of Lilongwe; Right Reverend Peter Musikuwa, Bishop of Chikwawa; Right Reverend Montfort Stima who is the Bishop of Mangochi; Right Reverend George Tambala, Bishop of Zomba; Right Reverend John Ryan, Bishop of Mzuzu and the Very Reverend John Chithonje, Diocesan Administrator of Dedza.
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Change is coming soon, whether DPP and UDF alliance wants or not.
Aise Chlima Covidiot ….you are really dull…of course Martin Fayulu was robbed of his vote…he won fair and square.. Just like your DPP-UDF alliance….Kabila sought a lesser evil…he knew Fayulu was going to bite him hard…so do not say the Esteemed clergy called it wrongly…the problem with us Malawians is that we comment stuff without backing with facts.. social media too much….conjectures.
We are a polarised nation because of tribalism etc…it actually fucks up our judgement if only Malawians voted rationally…
Btw the clergymen write on an informed view point…everyone who is sane sees it that change is needed…let DPP/UDF ikhake pa bench and let a different set of players enter the pitch with a different ball game…inuyo mwapanga plateau simungakhalenso ndi different tact..you are now leggy..
I laugh at assertions that DPP is going to change state of affairs when it’s actually too visible kuti mwakanika…
Game ya Fayulu kuno sizitheka bwana…these guys are packing basi
Kkkkkkk! From the responses, I can tell who the guilty party are. People, let’s leave this to the Catholics to respond. The letter is addressed to them. Learn not to reply to letters that are not addressed to you. Guilty conscience isakusokokezeni kwa mpaka kuulula zomwe simunafunsidwe. Mwatani kodi?
Afunse anzawo ku DR Congo
Kumeneko mabishop enayesela kumpakapaka mafuta Martin Fayulu ndichipanichake ndipo zinayandila
Koma sanaphule kanthu
IZI NDI ZITSILU ZA ANTHU
Vomelezani change yayandikila, nanga APM alikutino?
Thats being stupid of all orders.I don’t think you have sense in your brain you fool.
The Bishops did not mention a name of a leader to be elected but all want is us to elect a visionary oriented leader.
A man of anthropology knows which side they are associating with. No need to worry, it’s just an ordinary letter with no divine power. It won’t in anyway influence change like the first only one they wrote in 1993.Those that have followed thereafter have been none other than a bunch of jokes.
Bwanji ma Bishop wa sanapepese za kuphedwa kwa Masambuka yemwe anaphedwa ndi wansembe wawo. Towaonani afalisiwa. Malipiro kwa antchito awonso ndi ochepa kwambiri bolanso kugwila ntchito mu Boma
Gone astray.The likes of Bishop Chiona was a Brilliant crop of bishops I wish if they had woken up from their graves to be on their throne again.They were speaking with God.
God knows who is the right leader for Malawi but he will not impose that leader on Malawi … we have to choose presidentiyo tokha….tikasankha molakwika God will let it be. He will respect our choice(no imposition ) It up to us to choose someone better amongst the available candidates.
Llife is about choices if we choose wrong we face the consequences and if we choose right we enjoy the fruits . What is required is to base our choices on God’s guidelines on qualities of a good leader. Kcoma tikayendera yoti ndivotera wakwathu Mulunguyo alora ndithu .
Whatever the case wosankha ndifeyo and GOD will respect our choice. Koma pali zosatira zake whatever the choice
Truth hurts. We can see who is offended and angry with this letter even though no party was mentioned. Cadets out in full swing defending their actions. Hehehe! Chaka chake ndi chino God has given us another chance to change the leadership or get doomed by the Lhomwe tribalism. Agogo is nowhere to be seen. Read what happened to Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar.
Those who indulge in the vices outlined in the letter are the ones who feel bitter. With regards to”new leadership” the reference relates to those who have not yet led the country. Atupele, Chilima, Kuwani and Chakwera have not yet led Malawi and they, therefore, qualify as “New Leadership”.
What most of us forget is that the Human Being is both Body and Soul. The Churches can therefore not look at one aspect of human being and leave out the other. Churches feel for the people and this is why they intervene from time to time. Please bear this in mind next time you criticize religious leaders.
Incidentally even APM could be elected and what the Bishops are saying is that he could change his style of leadership from the current one to something that appeals to the majority of Malawians. For example, he would now appoint people to high positions based on Merit and not Tribe.
I believe you have failed to understand well the topic. Check on the topic and then comment than writing premature comments on a critical subject like this. Is there “new Leadership” as you have noted??
Proudly supporting DPP and UDF alliance. Will say NO to violent MCP and UTM with my vote.
Sure we will send you packing soon. Awe Ali ku Sanjika athawa ku Lilongwe mwauze.
Some of us are Catholic but we are appalled by this intrusion in politics. These bishops have not said a word since Chakwera told Nsundwe Boys to chase us from the central region. They have never criticised MCP, UTM, HRDC ( Chakwera, Chilima, Mtambo) for damaging property and businesses, destroying government property, killing a policeman. We suffered during MCP and don’t want to return to MCP terror.
It means you are too dumb to even know yourself. Those that wrecked havoc in old MCP are in DPP and UDF. Dausi ndi anzawo. Anaotcha warehouse ya ma vote. Anapha Njauju, Fanikiso, Chasowa, 20 July, anali paja a MCP eti.
Kaka my friend, I know u have brain in ur head but don’t just keep it…. it’s not just a deco, use it. You can’t just blame the snake after biting u when u stepped on it. All those violences were due to someone who rigged the votes(violating our right to choose the leader of our choice) that is a complete greed. Sometimes think be4 u talk
How can the whole bunch of bishops call for “new leadership” instead of praying for good leadership? Pali Nzeru pamenepa? Kodi inu ma bishop campaign ya ndale mudzasiya liti? Koma are you aware kuti mukusocheretsa nkhosa pomachita side with political groups this way?
A bishop a Msusa chonde chepetsani ndale, bwezeretsani uzimu mumpingo. Mpingo wathuwu ukuyalukatu uwu.
Kalatayi alembera nkhosa zao. Ndiye pali bvuto pamenepa? Amene akufuna achita zimene zalembedwa. Uyo sakufuna izonso ndi zake
Amene amachita zoipa zalembedwa mkalatayi ndiye amene zim’pweteke. Uyo sachita zoipazo mtima uli ziii..
Joyce Banda the thief is in TONSE alliance. So much hypocrisy. MCP has been violent.
Ma Bishop you have outlived your relevance in Malawi. Si aja mumasapota UTM openly. Now you are bringing this letter to us for what? Mukutisokoneza. Just shut up. Greedy Bishops…..useless
Ma Bishop mukati ” new ” leadership mukutanthauza Peter Kuwani and Mbakuwaku movement. Because MCP and DPP have the same old people.
Freedom is coming to Malawi.
Jacob Zuma and Peter educated fool Mutharika they have no legacy on the contintent to celabrate as states men
Bishops you have said it but remember you have gone far. What you should have done is just to ask the faithfuls to continually pray for the elections so that God should give us a leader thats it. Because the current leader might continue if God chooses him or there might be another leader so by taking your word “new leadership” it only shows you have a side which is bad. However you forgot one thing that the God sees is not the way the man sees. So if God is to make APM a leader it will happen no matter what? I quote wise words from Madam Jane Ansah SC the hero who said that there are others out there who make a lot of noise and think they are many forgetting that those who remain quiet are more than them. An empty tin makes a lot of noise than that which is full. Never be cheated malawians those who love DPP/UDF alliance are just numerous timangokuwonani mukamapanga maphokoso anuwo mmabwalo wosiyanasiyana.
DPP-UDF and UTMCP’s tonse alliances, don’t trust these bishops, they have their own agendas and goals. Only God is holy. You trust political parties you get disappointed. You trust these Bishops, you get disappointed as well.
DPP-UDF and UTMCP’s alliances stop getting hope from these Bishops. Bishops are men just like any person and they have personal agendas at same time they want to achieve objectives of Catholicism. We would be shocked to learn that Bishops are more corrupt and more evil than politicians. They behave differently from Jesus Christ.
The church and the government both enjoy people’s money in form of tithe and tax respectively. Just as the government has no right to tell Malawians who should eat their tithe, the church also has no right to tell Malawians who should eat their taxes.!
These bishops aren’t popular in their dioceses because they are not accountable to their faithfuls. If it was possible to vote for a Bishop, the current crop would lose to their vicar generals. Some of these bishops have fathered children which is against their vows.
Just vote DPP, and lets enjoy peace and prosperity.
If you Got your Job because of Nepotism or you Get your Contracts because of Nepotism ….Pastoral Leta iyi sungakondwe Nayo …And Munyoza Mokweza …But if you Believe in Merit and the Good of all Malawians and you are a Good Citizen …the Call by the Bishops makes alot of sense….
Check who is in cabinet. Are all ministers from Lhomwe belt? Check in civil service – is everyone from the south? Now check our judiciary which region and tribe dominates?
One applies to be a Judge and the President just appoints upon recommendation from the Judicial Service Commission.
Do you Understand what Merit Means….? It means you are their because of your Brains ,not because you come from a certain region .In the Civil Service Hardwork No longer Pays ….Be honest with yourself is the Civil Service Motivated ? It’s People like you who Destroyed Bingu by Influencing him to look at Malawians based on Where they come from Not Merit….What Happened Next ? His second term was a Disaster and DPP has been a Disaster ever since….
Bishop Chiona and Mkholi are rolling in their graves. These Tumbuka bishops have strayed from their calling through nepotism and corruption. They fattened their pockets and remained quiet while Mcp and Hrdc rained terror on Malawians for a whole year. This is why a lot of catholics are leaving the church. Bishops and priest that have lost their way, they put their self interest first, sadly Malawi Catholic will be divided like Nkhoma and Livingstonia synod.
Surely, we will vote to save MALAWI from the Msundwe forces. We will vote to save MALAWI from atrocities we suffered from 31 years of MCP rule. We want development, we want a leader with a humble heart, not disgruntled men.
The suffering experienced since 1994 have surpassed those of multiparty regimes The UDF erased All the economic gains achieved during one party.Kamuzu used to choose people on merit
People eating madeya.Democracy without food.Peoplr are beaten on day light
The problem is that the bishops have taken sides. There are practically two contesting sides: DPP/UDF and MCP/UTM. By proposing to vote for change, the bishops are effective advising to vote for MCP. That’s where the problem is. They already issued a pastoral letter for 2019 elections. The best they could have done was to advise their followers to revisit the letter rather than issuing a fresh one. It was unwise on their part to issue a fresh one in the current tension. I see strife in this country.
Cadets are reacting inappropriately as if Bishops have mentioned DPP to be clueless .
Mkuzinyumwa nokha bwanji?? Tell your interim president to heed the call by Bishop and be a leader .
He is sleeping president , tell him kuti kunja kwacha bwana start working on fixing the economy .
He should stop forthwith tribalism, nepotism , and corruption but Alas !!!!! He has less than 30days to fix all these otherwise he is about to pack and go back where he came from.
Noone with 5 senses will miss Muntharika and Jane Ansah in this country unless u are of unsound mind.
These pastrol letters cannot be of any help. malawi is not for catholics alone but for us all. the best think you did not do was when there were senseless demos in central region. you could have initiated dialogy but you did not do that . are you the only ones who knows the qualities of agood leader
we will go for elections and whover wins is will be the leader that God will have given us period.
The first pastoral letter was a masterpiece written in good faith by the then Catholic Bishops wandering if any of those is among them now. I even bought a copy of it though am protestant because it tackled issue faithfully. The current VP was propelled to where he is today by the catholic hierarchy when they used to give him time to castigate his own administration and later formed UTM.. What happened to your candidate he flopped miserably and today you want to take the nation back to where the first pastoral letter redeemed us from. Serious your faith is low but your political egos huge therefore leave pastoral work and join my fellow northerner Maurice Munthali because that’s where the pastures are greener for you.
First remove that log in your eye before mine. Immorality among your clerics and even you is horrible especially to married women; the world is witnessing priest after priest having abused minor Australia America north and south. Why men of the cloth and you pretend you ate holier than thou
If u can’t see the evils of DPP government then my friend u are living in another planet. The Bishop’s then spoke about the evils of MCP. Do you expect them to keep quiet now becoz they helped in redeeming us and clap hands for this government’s evils?
Mbuzi za dpp paulendo.
That is what the Bishops are warning people not to vote for disgruntled, angry, with heavy burden . He want God fearing, and as far as it is concerned only Mutharika is God fearing, humble and not proud. The bible says God resist the proud, who run away from his altar where he has put them to stand in the gap of Him and the peopl3 , but chooses to be president. God doesn’t like rebellious people or children, like Abissalom. God is Sovereign and he will put in place he he has sees if going to do his will.
Some people write as if they have monopoly on the truth, or as if they understood Him better than the rest of us.
God does not need your or anybody’s advice.
Though it is adresed to Catholics ,mind you ,Catholics are also your Brothers and Sisters and we go togethre to political Rally s. Ou vote is your vote too. Iam also a Catholic,this letter is not for me only a Catholic but to all Malawians. We Catholics are not living in a different country from our friends from other religions.
Ma Bishop’s zisiyeni ndale muzongotidyetsa ujaristia ndikulalikira za mtendere not zimene mukuchitazi .
Ndale ai asiileni andale amadziwana.
Is Malawi relevant it the world economy?
Do our leaders have a vision, or is the vision to be the president full stop.
Do we not believe that one person will change the fortunes of the nation single handedly?
Plans fail for lack of counsel. Who councels our leaders and how much do they bring to the table?
So the Bishops have forgotten what their 1993 pastoral letter which led to the situation we are in today. We’re they not the same who said we should vote for a lamp then. Now their lamp, should we say YAZIMA. Till mmavuto lero. Anthu kuphana, katangale, tsankho, kusalemekeza chikhalidwe, lawlessness, satanism, tribalism, not fearing God. All because the Bishops told us to vote for CHANGE. Now today they are telling us to vote for ANOTHER CHANGE. Stupid!
HRdc, 11 parties, judiciary, church,nanunso mwayamba NDALE????!!!
Nonse against Mutharika???!!!??
I am Catholic but can’t listen to such biased analysis. The bishops never said anything as Chakwera and Chilima violently attacked people and damaged property and businesses.
If God is for Mutharika who can be against him. Who can fight the hand of God and prevail? No going back to the 31 years that we suffered, the same party that fought against God’s worshippers, wanting to urinate in the mouth of the honest bishops. People running away from Chamwaka all day, forced to buy membership cards, forced to pay gifts, no nonononono! The LORD Mighty is watching.
Bishop’s you are at it again.cilima a Catholic is failing miseranbly. May be you wanted abiti KALIATI to be the president. Just know that God will not allow a Catholic to rule this country. If Chakwera is a God fearing man why did run away from preaching and why did he support Nsundwe. Reverse your letter you bloody thirsty idiots killing Alabinos..Have you forgotten one of your Bishop’s whio was involved in killing Allabinos,so you want a Catholic president. Mwauponda,God has already appointed Peter. History tells me that there has never been a Leader supported by Catholics who won elections in this country. Why not preach peace??! Mind you, don’t think mcp is happy with you. You are the ones who put the Mcp at the bench from 1994 up to now sweating in their underwears..
The letter is addressed to catholics not cadets. Ignore it at your own peril.
I am Catholic and a cadet. Will be voting for DPP and UDF. CANNOT vote for a MCP a party of violence and killings.
These bishops kept quiet when Chakwera and MCP, Chilima and UTM, Mtambo and HRDC were violently harassing us.
Catholic Bishops. Please stop meddling in politics. Do not believe that you can influence peoples votes by your underhand activities. Do not canvass for a particular candidate during the elections. Malawi is where it is today because of all of us, you the bishops included. In case you have forgotten, you run public service institutions as well, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Universities and Hospitals etc. including churches. Dont critisize the other side of public service before you have shown us leading by example. Remember this you Bishops. BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN MALAWI. START WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE INSTITUTIONS THEN WE WILL BELIEVE YOU
you are so stupid , senseless and above all a compound fool,resist to change for the why ? leading by example kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk anthu ena ndinu opepera
Kupepera zikupotsa kutukwana anthu ena chifukwa mwasiyana maganizo. Inu ndiye mukuonetsa kupepera.
The bishops have spoken
It is up to the citizenry to vote for the said change for a beta future for our children or vote for current regime for a doomed future.
By the way, in this country, it seems we’re living in 2 different worlds ~one for the opposition who are suffering economically , and the other for the ruling party supporters who are not feeling the economic hardships the majority of us are going thru.
Men of God are fat and healthy feeding on people’s tithes, now they even want to influence the same people how to vote.
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk sananene kuti akavotere chipani chiti apa nanu kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk koma ma qualities a tsogoleri wabwino basi oti asinthe dziko lathu , change is constant ,change its an on going thing.
Being fat is not being healthy but rather UNHEALTHY. That aside, bishops are wright again to intervene and once again save Malawi just like they did in 1992.
All candidates supported by the church fail miserably. Gwanda, Chilima, Joice, etc failed despite receiving support from bishops. Even in Rwanda, DRC, the favourite candidate for the church failed. UTMCP shall fail again. Shame.
Wakutsina khutu ndi Mnansi whatever people chooses its up to them but let iy be the will ofbyhe people not the will of MEC. The Bishops have spoken.
The ECM and PAC have all lost direction. Why did they not criticise Chakwera and Chilima for chasing people from the south. That was tribalism.
Having seen MCP-UTM violence since last year, some of us are now convinced DPP is better.
Guta, unfortunately you are in minority. Keep convincing yourself that way. CHANGE IS HERE.
Where were they not issuing a patrol letter with regards on what was happening for the last 10 months? This is hypocracy.
Well, I will vote and vote wisely not under the influence of the the said pastoral letter.
ucgitsulu samagawana , ubwino wake palibe wakamba zoti avotere chipani chiti ? kuzinyumwa nokha bwa kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk signs of times