DPP’s Makande offers apology for remarks on Pope: ‘I am sorry to Catholic Church’
The deputy director of youth in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Hophmally Makande has bowed to pressure and offered an apology after he was accused of making disparaging remarks against the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis.
Makande courted controversy when he told a rally on Sunday that the DPP will not heed calls for President Peter Mutharika to step down in account of old age unless the pontiff leads the way.
Catholic faithfuls contended the reference was not appropriate and disrespectful to the Pontiff who, unlike Mutharika, is not seeking a new term.
Makande remarks were aired live on Times Radio and Television during the rally.
And on Tuesday he rushed to Times Radio to offer his apology.
“I apologise to the Catholic family and the leadership of the Church,” Makande told Times Radio.
He said if people were offended by his statement, especially people of the Catholic faith, “I have to withdraw that statement and apologise wholeheartedly to the Catholic and its leadership.”
However, Makande attempted to clarify that it was not his intention to attack the influential church, saying he was misunderstood.
“I am a trained Catholic not a Catholic per se by I was schooled by the Catholics and I understand and I know what I meant on that one was Catholic is the possibly the only church which grooms leadership, which trains people, which understand power. And if there is any church to follow, to emulate and take as an example is the Catholic, that’s what I meant,” Makande said.
He continued: ‘That you become a father in the Catholic society, you cannot be a bishop after serving for four years, you got to be groomed, you got to be trained, you got to be put whatsoever so that as you reach maturity you understand what is a church. So that politicians should what, borrow.
“No that I was despising no. There is no way I can disrespect the church and I even said at the end that sindikunyoza church.”
Some officials of the DPP denounced the comments by Makande at the rally as “unacceptable, deeply disturbing”.
Makande is a recent DPP new comer from the then ruling People’s Party (PP). He made his political fortunes as a UDF operative during that party’s reign before joining the now defunct National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which was formed by another current DPP new comer, Brown Mpinganjira.
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Mr Makande akugweseni ndi Ralph Jooma pa u MP mukufuna kuimirawo
Kuyankhula moyerekedwa kuti akutame akupatse udindo. Munthu wamkulu kumangoyankhula wosaganiza ngati woduka mutu? Mukutionongera ana m’Malawi muno as akumatengera zopusazo kuyesa ndi zabwino poti wayankhula ndi wamkulu, wanzeru zake osadziwa kuti anthu ena anangokula koma mmutu mutadzaza nkhono ndi a bongololo
Kuchita kumutukwana papa zamkabudula!!. Palibe zopepesa..apumbwa mwatinyansa! Mkatolika aliyense pano agula legeni yokupherani. Makande ndayamba kukufinyira kolona ndi novena.
Like all Pumbwas in real life they become so crazy, noisy and overzealous when their bellies are full ndi ZIPWETE!!!. Answer ndi legeni basi.
Is the Pope a man or God? Makande has apologised, lets move on.
Is history repeating itself? But this time it is worse, totally unacceptable. You must respect His Holiness.
You senior politicians have a responsibility to ensure our mother Malawi is not brought into disrepute by myopic people such as these.
Phuma and now u luk stupid. Be wise on the pondium.
kkkk dzana munamanga abiti manesi popanda cifukwa. lelo mwabweretsa cipukwano colankhula ngati cipkwano. mungolakwatsilalakwitsila- mutu ngati kaimbi/ cipwete makande kkkkkkkkk
moto kuti buuuuu. motoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
uku nde kuziputa za mu mn;goma njuchi. hedeeeee kulankhula ngati waneru kucita kusasa nazo mau ngati afuna kubhibha. mxiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
mxiii kucenjera kwautsilu kudukulitsa mpando wa ku DPP, aloma anakuphuzisa, sindiziwa kaya ndiwe wa loma, uli ndi mwai unabera malo a skool a mwana wa cikatolika. ncifukwa cake eni a ciloma amakondesesa ana a cikatolika ku ma skool ao kaamba amaphuzilakoso za ulemu. citsilu comwa madzi ametela. MAKANDE KUNYASA NGATI DOTHI LA MAKANDE. CITSILU TIKUNYAPULA NDI KUCENJERA NGATI UKUFUNA KUKODZA.
APA YATHA DPP BASI.
Please strive to articulate to the electroplate issues which can transform their lives and not trivia as you did. You appear to be a grown up person; not a spoilt youth like the hooligan Mchacha who thinks spitting vitriol pleases his audience
Mwachita bwino kupepesa koma mukupitiliza kuchiipitsa nokha chipanichi ,mtundu wamalawi ukukhulupirireni bwanji chifukwa mavoti akuchokera mmachurch momwemo ,nde kaya uona kuti mutani ……………………………..
Makande thanks for the apology. Do not be overzealous. You are total political prostitute
Ine monga Mkatolika mtima wanga watsweka zedi ndi mnyozo umenewo.
Aka Beans Ngalande mwatinyoza Akatolika ife kwambiri.
Pope mpakana KUMUNYOZA chomcho?
Let’s call a spade a spade. The truth hates. My question is,Is thevPope a young or old man? You idiots what are you talking about. Only that Makande gave the illustration at a wrong place. The Bible does not bit about the bush giving us the number of years of people who lived on Earth.
The truth is ,the Pope is older than Peter yet he is allowed to lead the biggest population in the world. If Peter cannot rule because of age same applies to the Pope they are all human beings. You will respond against what I have said but it is Biblical. Remember Ngumuya quoted the book of Psalms about the dangers of reaching 71 years so is the Pope
Wake up malawians.Kamuzu tried to help you to wake up but you are still sleeping.
why giving the example of Pope? Did he (Pope) tell you that he wants to contest against Mutharika? A Makande akuyipisirani chipani basi! Ndiye poti Peter amasekerera za choncho, am not surprised. He could not reprimand Mchacha over remarks made on Kaliati and I don’t expect him to take Makande to task either. For me, Peter is the one who sent Makande to say what he said!
If I were Peter, these are the people I would fire from the party! No two ways about it!
You should be thankful it was the Catholic Church, try slaying other religious leaders and you could lose your life. A fatwa should be put on this silly politician.
That’s what happens when the church loses moral authority. If it cant even accept fair criticism from non members what more from its own members?
Kuba ndikudzanena kuti pepani ndaba….the typical of DPP , we need the president to apologise
Ine I am a catholic but having listened and watched the video I think the issue has been blown out of proportion..I have raised this issue among my friends that age alone is not everything about good leadership and have cited The Pope, Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth, Late Pope John Paul as examples of aged leaders who I think did/do not disappoint..Malaysia have just elected a 92 year old
Is and should The Pope be off limits even to just use as an example! In the wedt he is even criticized on various issues coz he is not God but a mere leader and human..
Is it a lie that The Pope at 81 is order than APM who is 79/78? nope..Popes can continue in office even at 90..for life..
The Church preaches the gospel of truth and am sure it would not want to be seen as hypocritical by shutting down debate on itself.
In this case the DPP has come out as the bigger person by appologizing even when many fair minded would not see anything wrong. When giving examples you cite big well known names and institutions not non entities to drive the point home.
DPp should be apologising about real issues like stealing money from state parastatals and assemblies thru forced donations, fraud inn govt and violence acts by its cadets!
Mr Makande, you have damaged a huge part of your party. Had you attacked a Muslim, you were not going to see the sunset. Since you have irked an innocent person, you have not known what a novena means! Be ready. Mr Malani Lungu of MCP, Mai Manja Mkhosi had a sad ending! Yours is on the verge. Mark my words
DPP should not take this matter lightly, it may cost them an election. The apology is the right thing to do, but Makande still deserves a disciplinary action. This will help some members of DPP like Mchacha to learn a lesson, otherwise the party has dug its own grave and Makande should not aspire to become an MP, he will flop.
DPP are are a team of thieves
First it was the DPP eastern Region Governor Julius Paipi who spoke carelessly against Muslims. now its this Hophmally Makande. Samalani, ndale zinayamba kalekale, tidzazisiya ena akupangabe. all in all, this shows that DPP have nothing to tell us, as a result, they are just spitting gabbage.
DPP continue thieving, God is watching you and one day you will answer
Mwano wakowo unawusanza pa msonkhano, apa bwanji ukupepesera kumbali? Iweyo ndi pumbwa Pitala mupangitse msonkhano nde ukapepesere kumeneko. Chitsiru chofikapo. Chindere chakufikapo
That’s welcome Mr. Makande. Your attempt to spin on what you meant by what you said was not necessary. though as we all know what you meant. I hope the Radio Maria programme will be called off given the new developments.
Makande amatha heavyyyyyyy kugwetsa chipani!!
Makande’s and bj’s ToR from dpp is the above stated!! dpp ikufuna anthu amene amatha kugwetsa chipani munjira yoyambana ndi the voters ngati amenewa!! M’buyomu ndi m’mene anagwetsela NDA ndi achina BJ!!
He is always too insensitive just like bj, mchacha, mulli, goodall, kasaila etc!! Kudos dpp, mumatha kusankha makosanaaaaaaaaaaa!!
A party of fools. A party of thieves. A party of prostitutes. How can you compare a thief with the Pope. Pitala wakalamba and that is a fact not an opinion. Look at Kofi Annan. Look at John McCain. These are agemates of Pitala.
But Makande or Dausi are too inferior people to apologise to the Pontiff. It needs Peter himself to go all the way to Vatican to offer that apology, or alternatively he can call on the Papal Pronuncio in Lusaka and apologize.
The least DPP can do is to send at least the VP either to Lusaka or Vatican to deliver the apology, which DPP cannot do.
haha Pope sanamvenso izi
Kunena kwa ndithe ndithe Nanthambwe anazitengera………..ndaletu zinayamba kalekale ifenso kulibe ndiponso tizazisiya ena akupangabe, tiyeni tisamale poyankhula lero ngati tili ndi mpata otero kuchitira pa mmawa
Zikomo
Sometimes sibwino kumangolankhula ndicholinga chosangalatsa munthu, a Makande dont play with a man of GOD . PAPA chikumukhudza ndichani ,even thouth you have withdrawn you statement and apologise take note your not forgiven.
Another useless man after Jeff wa Jeffrey, Mchacha among notables ones in DPP
The damage has already been done and no apology will condemn it to the archives. You spoke out of your own convictions and this is the philosophy and part of the doctrine of the DPP party. God is exposing you people who put money first before caring for others. You will fall and be crushed by the same tonnes of bricks you’ve molded.
Iwe Ndikunyenyaninyenyani Pumbwa Party: Kofi Annan adamwalira pa 18 August, 2018.
Makande,,,your life is too short.Thanks to some Dpp officials who condemned the sentments by this Makande,Lets play mature politics.Condemnation by fellow Dpp mebers and your apology demonstrate maturity and sshould this maturity continue you may regain the Glory in 2019