Catholic bishops disappointed with Malawi ‘partial’ lockdown: Not consulted
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) has expressed disappointment over the manner the new restrictions to limit the alarming spread of coronavirus, three months after a court blocked the government from imposing a full lockdown, were announced, saying they were not consulted.
Malawi closed down bars and churches on Sunday and Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe unveiled newly-gazetted measures to curb the spread of the contagions that included the mandatory wearing of face masks.
Bars will only be allowed to sell alcohol as take-out and no groups of more than 10 people are allowed except for funerals with a maximum of 50 people.
The Attorney General said an “army of enforcement officers” had been hired to ensure the regulations were followed.
But in a statement issued on Sunday, the Catholic bishops however, urged their members to strictly adhre to the health and pastoral guidelines to prevent Covid-19 spread including regular handwashing, social distancing and using face masks.
Reads the statement in part: “ We believe we still have a role to play in this regard. However, since we are law abiding, we the Ctaholic Bishops instruct all the clergy, the religious and laity to suspend forthwith all public church gathering until further notice.
“In the meantime, we shall engage government to see our true role in preventing the further spread of Covid-19.”
Governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali told Nyasa Times that “it’s unfortunate” that the Tonse Alliance led government seems to continue from where the former president Peter Mutharika stopped.
“Lack of consultations with key stakeholders in the ubluc policy making process such as the afith community seesm to continue being a problem for those who ascend to the Presidency in Malawi,” he said,
Munthali added: “There was no way such umbrella mother bodies would be ignored in the consultatation process – that is if there were any.”
He said Tonse government makes sure that it takes on board all key stakeholders before it makes any critical decisions not only on Covid-19.
“These are basic public policy making dos and don’ts,” he pointed out.
According to Information Minister, Gospel Kazako, the numbers of Covid-19 cases “are rising at an alarming rate.”
Experts had sounded the alarm about the virus pandemic as far back as May while the country focused on election campaigns that attracted ten of thousands of rallies in the absence of a lockdown.
Malawi has nearly doubled the number of confirmed virus cases over the past four weeks with the toll standing at 4,624 and the death toll standing at 143 as of Saturday.
The country had not been placed under lockdown after a court in April blocked the government from enforcing a full lockdown in Malawi for failure to announce any measures to support the vulnerable.
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Even the Pope allowed the Vatican to close to visit or prayers. He cared for his congregation and avoid soread of the disease. I thought Catholic bishops get their example from the Pope
Nkhani yavuta apa ndiya zambale kapena titi nkhani ya zopeleka….
Mandatory wearing musks is a welcome thing, and this was supposed to happen when the first case was discovered in the country ,more people would have been saved.
Thanks for doing that, Tonse alliance government.
Ma Bishop akungofuna ndalama za mmbale azikanyengera ma nurse uko. Ansembe ana ali thoo mmidzimu. Shatapu. In fact these churches must be closed indefinitely. Mwanyanya chigololo afalisi inu.
umbuzi womayamikila zithu zolakwika will take us nowhere we need to hold politicians accountable to their promises and actions
zomayimbila mmanja kuti ena azipanga zomwe akufuna pomwe aganizila ndi uchitsilu
we nneed to woke up as a nation
Ma bishop athu ,just call Chilima to a round table discussion ,kuti mufunse paja you overwhemingly supported this guy
Our Bishops just call Chilima to a round table discussion monga mkhristu wanu ,munfuse paja mumamupopa
Paja mu Bible analembanso kuti mverani adindo anu kusatengera k mpingo kapena utumiki ulionse tikuyenera kutero .ndiye tisasuse zimene aboma anena coz chitetezo cha moyo wathu chilimanja mwao…HEBREW 13 V 17
Ma Bishop asachite kudzipopa kwambiri. kodi iwowo ndi Civic organisation? What about the Muslim Association? What about the CCAP Reverends? What about the National Council of Sports? Inu azibambo ansembe musamadziwelengere koposa mwezo wanu
Ndipoo. Who are they?
AG this twice how can you suspend church gatherings?
Our esteemed Bishops,politicians are professionals in compromise; that is their convictions are for sale-nothing else.I would call them children of darkness because in reality we have two opposing sides.
Biblical:the children of light from which you and I belong;and children of darkness from which they( politicians) belong. The children of light constitute the most conspicuous part of humanity while the children of darkness represent an absolute minority.And yet the former are the object of a sort of discrimination which places them in a situation of moral inferiority with respect to their adversaries,who often hold strategic positions in govt,in politics,in economy etc. in an apparently inexplicable way,the good are held hostage by the wicked and by those who help them either out of self-interest or fearfulness.And it appears that these children of darkness,have decided to show their cards,so to speak, by revealing their plans.Sooner/later,we will all prove that we have being played out by this Tonse Alliance govt.
If the Bishops were consulted, what alternatives would the bishops have offered? Very likely nothing! They should not dwell on the negatives of government action but should also be looking at what positives will come out of it. God helps those people who help themselves and praying alone without us playing a part will not help us.
A Charles, inuyo ndi amene mmutu mwanu mwadzadza madzi sure. You mean government is the only one with the monopoly of wisdom and knowledge. Are you aware that these churches have health, education and socio-economic experts too? Everyone but you is questioning the practicality of restricting only 10 people to congregate in church. 10 people can not even suffice abusa/ansembe, decons and church elders. What about choir(s)? What’s the difference in allowing 50 people at a funnel? Think again.
With due respect to the clergy, the urgence of the matter which happens to be of life and death makes it dangerous to try and dialogue with stakeholders wasting precious time to save lives. The government just like every other government around the world must be allowed to dictate health measures
Kodi siinu nomwe ndi ‘Nonse Alliance’ yanuyo mumatokota dzana lija muli ku opposition mpaka kupanga COVID-19 Command Center rubishing restrictions the then government was coming up to the extent that you had to tell the nation that the pandemic doesn’t exist in Malawi and people must hug each other when they? Si inu nomwe through your HRDC mudapita ku court kukatenga chiletso kuti boma lisaike ma restrictions lisanafuse a Malawi? Lero a Malawi aja alibe ntchito olo osawafunsa maganizo awo? Izi okhee!!!
Iwe kavunga Tonse alliance imanena zonse timadziwa kuti matendawa alipo koma cholinga chathu chinali kuthamangika mbuyako uja wokalamba wkukama kwa kang’wing’wi ndi mwana wake Dausi. Mmene zathekeramu tiyene tisamale za matendawa alipodi and it’s real ngati unyalanyaza kavunga ufera za mutharika wakoyo cadet iwe. Nthawi ya ndale yapita tiyene tiwone za moyo wathu tonse pamodzi gogo wako uja
It’s unrealistic and stupid to expect government to be consulting everyone for every situation that requires a decision to be made and besides, it is also not possible to please everyone. Some people only know how to criticise and don’t offer any solutions to problems. The government should go ahead doing what it feels is right and for the good of the country.
But your Tonse Aliance made so much noise against DPP government protesting the formation of Presidential Committee on COVID-19 without consulting them and other concerned groups, lero mukuti “it’s unrealistic and stupid for gov, to consult everyone’? Koma Malawi sadzatheka mbambadi!
My name sake wa Nyau, Charles, please, if you have nothing to write, just read other peoples comments
It’s a shame for the attorney general to hide behind the lockdown without engaging all stakeholders. It’s not enough to engage the opposition please remember we are people belonging various social and religious groups. But then I can some elements of fighting the church here. Market places will remain open and churches will be closed. The press briefing was held on a Sunday morning because the AG himself does not pray and does not believe in a God. In that regard he convinced other government officials including some cabinet ministers to follow suit. You expect us to remain diligent. No. Start this all over again.
Pajatu akuti tikati a Malawi, ndi Tonse Alliance plus HRDC. The rest of you ndi makwerekwere. So don’t be surprised with their attitude.
It’s shame to target faith based gatherings that means only church and bars, my worry is the market places like Nkando, Chinakanaka and others maybe people may not contract it.
Mveramii oBwande. Akuti AG, Chikoda Silungwe, ndi Sapesa
Listened to Bwande and he is right in ridiculing the AG and the NOKHA alliance
Bishop Msusa of UTM is the one who aided this stupid MCP government to grab power from the legitimate DPP who won in 2019. Ndiye lero musalire aneneri onyenga inu.
‘#Biopower Vs #Biopolitics’ _ #Michael #Foucault (1926 – 1984). Nyasatimes moderate this one again!
Malawians have you already forgotten what this rastarian Attorney General said last month about HRDC injunction. Really Catholic Bishops you have already forgotten . Alas, chicken heads.
Ma Bishop nanu, liseyeni boma liyende. Basi chilichonse akupangeni consult? Inuso nde okubawo, chigololo, Kaduka etc
ma Bishop enieni anamwalilatu. achina Chiona, Mkhori, Chimole. awa ndibakazizi chabe. osokineza. okonda ndalama. olowerera zosaakhuza. kodi osangolowa ndale bwa
Consulting you ngati ndani?
Shaaaa!!!!! Aipa lero???????
in SA , there is 6th lockdown. ask if it’s effective.
Boma likwanitsa consulting every1? Bishops please don’t complicate this simple issue..
Surprisingly Govt is allowing MEC to continue holding endless meetings when schools and colleges are being prevented from convening even the smallest gatherings. How special are MEC activities. By the way, is there anyone who monitors the importance of the trips and meetings which MEC managers make? Chifukwatu anthuwa ndiye atansadi. Kudya ma allowance ngati tomato wa phwetekere. Especially Alufandika is too casual with his trips.
I am happy that Alufandika is a happy person. It is training him together with people like him that its better to save your country than save an individual. The freedom to go anywhere in the country without fear must be a new experience to him after the just gone chaos they created as a commission
Consulting on critical matters like Covid, will not solve anything. The government has a duty to protect the citizens and that is exactly what they have. It is very late though because the disease is at a community level, that means anthu ambiri will be affected….Just stay safe instead of wanting to participate in decision making….
It is the same people now in government who told us there was no COVID-19 in Malawi. Why are they wasting resources preparing these laws?
Yes bishops stay safe. Let us all stay safe
Sad decisions that will cost the government. You will end up getting a backlash for this.HRDC please see the reactions of people and see if the temperatures are heating up. Strike at that time.
The attorney general has no church.
HRDC was and still is a grouping whose main agenda was/is to take DPP out of Government and nothing more. MCP is doing exactly what DPP was being accused of but HRDC is silent. Isn’t that surprising? Is it therefore wrong to question the integrity of HRDC given the status quo?
On Point. Apart from fighting DPP, HRDC doesnt have any other agenda
Cadet walira
ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS NO CHURCH IT SEEMS HE HAS NOTHING TO LOSE .
This is our country and CONSULTATIONS ,CONSULTATIONS ARE A MUST ON CASES LIKE THIS.
Malawians of all walks are stake holders. so Church and Society should have been consulted.
TONSE ALLIANCE is not made up of a few atheists who do not want us to congregate.
in the THIRD REPUBLIC ,THERE IS PEOPLE POWER,
DO NOT TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHT TO ESPECIALLY WORSHIP, DON’T EVEN DARE.
OUR GOD IS BIGGER THAN ANY DISEASE OR CALAMITY THAT MAY BE FORE A NATION.
VIVA THIRD REPUBLIC FREEDOM
HRDC is part and parcel of NONSE ALLIANCE, you don’t know that yet?
Kodi boma lidzipanga kaye consult wina aliyese lisanapange decision? Zinazi nkungofuna kutchikilapo.
Government loses nothing if it makes consultations in matters of peoples life ,That’s is a way to go.In the absence of consultations the government is prone to make bad decisions which are costly.Tonse Alliance refused full lock down which was to implemented by the previous government.Why a U now.Mumaziona kuti ndinu madolo koma mukuphetsa miyoyo ya anthu wosalakwa.The full lockdown would have minimized the death we are experiancing now.
I don’t think you were there, Tonse was presenting who in your statement here? It was Malawians and not Tonse Alliance, you get my point? And here is Catholic not Malawians, and too with Cdedi not Malawians! As you are writing, you are wearing mask and even the entire family of yours are doing the same, so what is it that Catholics want, how about other churches? Za ziiii! Tangokhalani pa khomo ndi kumakazinga Chimanga basi, kuthawa wakatapila kumeneko? Akupezeni pompo ameneyo.
If catholics are not Malawians, Tonse Alliance are not Malawians, then who are Malawians? It seems like everyone who is of the contrary view against this NONSE ALLIANCE whatever you call yourselves is an alien in Malawi.
wat about pa dzana for not closing the boarders.tifuse kae dpp
Typical of ONE PARTY DICTATORSHIP in MCP’s DNA. You will will never embrace democracy and we are not surprised with your reactions to criticism, complaints and ills against your decisions and leadership, but izo okheee!