Catholic Commission laments pathetic state of life for Malawians, resurgence of corruption

Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP)of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)  has expressed concern over the country’s leadership “abrogation of duty” by allowing corruption to thrive, the worrying state of lack of respect for the law, public insecurity, especially for vulnerable groups and the neglect of longstanding and entrenched social injustices in Malawi.

In a statement entitled ‘Disturbing trends of lawlessness, insecurity and neglect of thriving social injustices in Malawi’, CCJP  has warned that Malawians will no longer tolerate this trend.

CCJP catalogues a number of cases of suffering and deaths of Malawians as a result of corruption and failure by President Lazarus Chakwera’s led government to curb lawlessness and violence.

“We further note that the Catholic Bishops, under the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), have previously condemned such lawlessness, corruption, social injustices in form of deep-rooted inequalities and the abrogation of duty of care for citizens,” says the statement, which the CCJP national coordinator Boniface Chibwana, has signed.

“It is saddening to note that there is a resurgence of corruption espoused or championed by the governing elite and their close associates,” reads the strongly-worded statement dated 24 October 2020.

CCJP warns that Malawi is gradually slipping into a “State capture by a few while the majority of Malawians are mired in poverty.”

The Catholics accuse the government of selective justice by not acting on the corrupt people aligned to the present political regime.

It further slams the government for failing to protect the poor from injustices on access to land and the loans under the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).

The CCJP hints at the lack of direction by the government as it accuses  leadership for continuing to treat the injustices Malawians are facing “through political statements than policy and legal action”.

It describes the Tonse Alliance government loan schemes and social protection schemes as highly-politicised, manipulated, corrupt and nepotist.

“It is CCJP’s considered view that the majority poor fail to access land and they have problems benefitting from the highly politicised public loan schemes because of corrupt systems, political patronage, nepotism and rent-seeking behaviours within the Government,” says the Catholic body.

It further says failure by the government to address these social and economic injustices which Malawians are suffering from is breeding mob violence, increasing lawlessness, entrenching socio-economic inequalities and deepening mistrust of citizens on the leaders.

And it warns that Malawians will no longer tolerate government’s lip service and tokenistic actions on their suffering.

“Government’s window-dressing on these injustices through political rhetorical tones from governing politicians will no longer be tolerated in the Malawi of today,” says CCJP

The organizations cites degradation of public security, thriving ritual and witchcraft based violence, rising cases of defilement of young girls and increasing incidents of theft as a demonstration of systemic defects in the protection systems of the country.

Catholic governance arm  blames this trend of injustices on the absence of a concrete plan by this government and its sleeping on duty.

“Lack of political will in instituting lasting solutions to curb attacks, killings, abductions and human rights threats to persons with albinism is worrisome. Concrete actions from the Government to combat these vices beyond political rhetoric are missing and this is tantamount to abrogation of State duty to protect its citizens,” says CCJP in a hard-hitting statement.

Malawi is witnessing a growing culture of violence. And analysts say it is the legacy of the Tonse Alliance who used violence to force a fresh a presidential election that effectively toppled Peter Mutharika.

For instance, social and mainstream media accounts show that in the past two weeks alone, Malawi has recorded more 10 cases of violence against women and girl children.

Last week, an angry mob of land-deprived people torched buildings and other property at Kumbali Lodge in Lilongwe.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Brown Mpinganjira said Chakwera is the sole author of the predicament he now finds himself in for encouraging lawlessness with his ‘Msunde barracks.”

He said Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) ministers are encouraging land seizures.

Mpinganjjira said if Chakwera will be doing selective justice, he will be a caricature of the delinquent African ruler who has lost his way.

There is also public uproar at the corruption  activities in the corridors of power .

Questions are being raised  the K65 million which State House spent on accommodation for some dubious foreign security agents at Crossroads Hotel and how Minister of Foreign Affairs Eisenhower Mkaka amassed so much money in his short time as cabinet minister for him to buy a K45 million vehicle purchase.

In August 2020 CCJP issued a statement calling upon the national leadership to consider conducting life style audits for those governing and their associates in a bid to effectively combat corruption in the country.

CCJP was  established to promote God’s reign of justice and peace and uphold human dignity through institutionalising principles of democracy; respect for human rights and freedoms; citizen participation; good governance; rule of law and access to quality public services.

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