Govt cautions influential people against using provocative statements to avoid fanning disunity among Malawians

The Ministry of National Unity has cautioned influential people, particularly faith and political leaders, against making or using hate speeches and provocative statements in order to avoid fanning hatred and disunity among Malawians.

The appeal follows the tension between some members of the Gule wamkulu and a Mvama CCAP Church pastor, Reverend Yasin Gama, over a sermon in which he “attacked” members of the gule wamkulu cult.

In trying to drive his message home, Gama said Christians ought to live and conduct themselves like God who does not discriminate when showering His blessings, as evidenced by the rainfall, which falls on farmlands of both Christians and members of the gule wamkulu cult.

But this has angered members of the Chewa Heritage Foundation (CHEFO), who feel the man of God overstepped his authority in his preaching.

The foundation demanded that Gama should apologize or face unspecified action.

In reaction to the developments, the Ministry of National Unity on Thursday issued a statement, expressed concern with the tension brewing between the two parties.

The ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS), Dr. Elizabeth Gomani Chindebvu, implores influential people to avoid hate speeches and use of provocative statements that would fan hatred and disunity among Malawians.

Chindebvu emphasizes that Malawians are liberty to coexist as well as express their feelings and beliefs without necessarily infringing on somebody’s human rights.

“We do understand the displeasures that are with the parties, but we urge everyone that dialogue should always come first whenever misunderstandings, disagreements or disputes arise amidst us. Let us embrace peace and unity as a catalyst for national development and prosperity as no country can develop without peace and unity,” reads the statement in possession of Nyasa Times.

Speaking in a separate interview on Thursday evening, the Minister of National Unity, Timothy Pagonachi Mtambo, urged Malawians to respect each other’s faith.

Mtambo said it is not proper for people to judge one another on the basis their beliefs.

“If I want to judge a Moslem, I must use his or her Islamic values and not my Christian values and vice versa. If I want to judge an Africanist, and should not use European values or beliefs, I must judge him or her using their African belief. If we are to co exist, no belief must be considered superior than the other,” he said.

Quoting late Desmond Tutu of South Africa, Mtambo said Malawians “must embrace our differences, even celebrate our diversity. We must glory in the fact that God created each of us as unique human beings. God created us different, but God did not create us for separation.”

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