Catholic Bishop’s call to prayer ahead of 2019 Malawi watershed polls
Bishop George Tambala of Zomba Diocese of the influential Catholic Church has called upon the church’s faithful to pray for the nation ahead of the 2019 tripartite election so that it is peaceful, free and fair.
Bishop Tambala made the call over the weekend at Sharpevale in Ntcheu when he presided over the ordination of two deacons to priesthood and celebration of silver jubilee of two other priests.
He said there was need for the church’s faithful to pray for Malawi as the country goes towards elections in 2019 so that the elections should be peaceful, free and fair.
“May I call upon every one of us to take time and pray for this nation so that we have free and fair elections. We do not want to see people fighting. All we want is peace throughout the period,” said Bishop Tambala.
The Bishop called upon people in districts where registration of voters has started to go and register so that they should be able to vote in the next year’s elections.
“It is only through registration that we can vote next year. Voting helps us to choose leaders of our choice. Let us go to register so that we have that chance to vote come May 2019,” he said.
The church leader, however, said he gets disappointed with some people who openly say they would not vote, saying such thoughts are not healthy for the country’s democracy.
“As citizens, we are supposed to take part in issues that concern us. Voting is one of them. I feel bad when I hear others saying they won’t register because they don’t want to vote,” said Tambala.
Speaking earlier, Ntcheu District Civic Education Officer, Alinafe Chikakuda reminded the gathering of their right to vote as citizens of the country.
Chikakuda urged people in Ntcheu to ensure that they register when registration of voters starts in the district mid next month (August).
