Kaliati likens Mutharika to biblical figure Joseph: Refers to Bishop Msusa sermon

Minister of Gender, Patricia Kaliati has likened President Peter Mutharika to biblical figure Joseph who emerged from a snakepit and led his people.

Kaliati speaking at Sanjika Palace on Sunday after a national service of worship that was held at Comesa Hall in Blantyre to mark Malawi’s 51st Independence Anniversary Celebrations directly referred to a sermon by Archbishop Thomas Msusa of the Blantyre Archdiocese of the Catholic Church and chairperson of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi..

The prayers were conducted under the theme Building a Responsible Nation, Trusting in God for Economic Transformation and the leading scripture text came from Psalms 127 verse 1.

Bishop Msusa preaching dwelled on leaders and their helpers in reference Mutharika’s reading about Joseph and his master Pharaoh, also touched on issues of security breakdown, abductions and killings of persons with albinism albino as well as police killings that have shaken the country lately.

He said the conduct of some leaders has led to the economic underperformance of the country as they in most cases indulge in corruption.

Msusa also wondered why leaders appoint many advisers to help them in various affairs of the state.

According to Msusa, some of the advisers make the leaders fail.

“Sometimes the advisers that we appoint [contribute] to the downfall of our leadership. We need to be clear on why we need some of these advisers,” he said.

“ As we are now, Malawi needs leaders who are transformative if [the country] is to enjoy economic growth,” said the bishop of the influential Catholic church.

“The only way to develop this nation is to have morals. This can only be done by fearing the Lord , a nation which does not fear the Lord will not be afraid of committing sins which result in abuse of resources, corruption and waste of tax payers money which could have been used to develop this nation.” he said.

Speaking at Sanjika Palace during his inauguration as Champion for Higher Education in Africa by Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (Ruforum), Kaliati a church-going Catholic referred to the sermon, likening Mutharika to biblical figure Joseph.

The President’s brother, Bingu wa Mutharika who ruled Malawi from 2004 to 2012 when he succumbed to cardiac arrest, was referred to the biblical Moses

He was portrayed a as the new Moses – Mose wa Lero. A glorification of Bingu wa Mutharikawas based on essentially three themes: ending hunger, new infrastructure projects and foresighted leadership.

However, notwithstanding all such achievements, Bingu’s presidency was marked by some of the worst cases of human rights abuses that to many, overshadowed the economic and infrastructural successes of his era.