Machinga Catholic parish given 21 days to vacate ‘Muslim territory’
A disagreement has ensued between Catholics and Muslims around Mosiya Village in the eastern lakeshore district of Machinga, as the latter has demanded that the former vacate their territory within 21 days.
Nyasa Times has learnt that the misunderstanding is as a result of the Catholic church’s barring the wearing of hijabs in their primary schools.
Yusuf Bwanali, 32, said it was “irritating” that their children, especially girls, were not being accorded a chance to respect what the holy teachings of Islam prescribe for them.
“And yet this is a Muslim territory. Islam is like a culture here. If they [Catholic church] don’t want to respect that then they should leave our community,” said Bwanali.
The Muslim community has since asked the local Mpiri Catholic Parish to cease their operations, according to a letter Nyasa Times has seen.
In their letter addressed to the parish priest, and copied to various stakeholders including including government, the community decribed the restriction on hijabs in Christian schools—including Catholic—as “discriminatory and a disgrace” to them considering that they are a mainly Muslim community.
“We will use whatever means to force the Church to move its Parish in the area, especially if it fails to bow down to our demand,” reads the letter in part.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) secretary general, Henry Saindi, while confirming the development, asked members of Catholic church in Machinga to remain calm.
He said the Church in Malawi had since referred the matter to the multi-faith religious body the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) while Ministry of Education spokesperson, Chikondi Chimala, said his ministry was waiting for PAC to come up with a resolution on the matter.
Issues of dressing and make up have been an issue in Malawi schools for sometime. Not long ago, members of the Rastafarian community also wanted their wards to keep their dreadlocks in public primary and secondary schools.
The issue has not been resolved up-to-date.
According to a National Statistics Office (NSO) 2018 census, there are two-majority-Muslim districts, Mangochi (72.6 percent) and Machinga (66.9 percent) which account for more than half of all Muslims in Malawi.
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Mangani ma school achisilamu basi if not muzikhalila choncho inu achina Chabulika
These Islamic threats are total nonsense, munthu sungapange malamulo munyumba yamwini, if you really know that the school is run by catholics, do what they want, and if a Christian enrols with a moslem school he/she must abide by Muslim rules, osalanda zaweni ayi, mangani zanu basi. Chomwe mumadziwa kumanga ndi mizikiti basi, mumati anawo akaphunzira my sukulu zolanda? Usandinyanse iwe, Malawi ndi wa a Malawi, not Moslems or Christians, ukuyuzidwa eti? Fokof
Idiots they let FOREIGN RELIGIONS DIVIDE THEM.
Shame on us africans with our gullible following. Islaam is for those Arabs and Catholism is for the Hebrews
Who made those demarcations for either Christians or Moslems territories in this country?
Akukamba zoona asilamu asiyeni Ana awo azivala ma hijab coz ma school amenewo mudakawamangira dala ku dera la asilamu
For all these years we lived side by side with no issues there is no such thing as a muslim or christian territory in Malawi we have lived as one as Malawians so let’s not cause or create a division with stupid thinking like that
Just build your own islamic school problem solved need to nip it in the bud before it creates issues in our peaceful country
Resolve this amicably and don’t let other entities instigate any side we might have different religions but we humans first and Malawians
Ndi anthu abodza awa, kungoti ana awo alephera mayeso a term yathayi chifukwa amawaletsa asapite ku sukulu yokaniza hijab. Kikikikiki, sukulu ndiyovutatu siyimafuna zibwana. Enafe timachokera komweko koma ndife achikhirisitu. Ndiye Islamic territory yayambira pati? Ndipo kulekeza pati? Komanso bodza lawo likuonekera pamene akazi awo savala hijab koma akuti mwana azikavala ku sukulu za eni. Mumayidziwa MANEB zimene imachita inu? Zilimbikirani za hijab zanuzo amzanu uku akuphunzira. Kikikiki, mukuwafunira nyekhwe ana amenewo ndikukuwuzani ndithu.
Mangani ma school anu asilamu…malawi ali ndi ufulu wa zipembezo..even rastafarian can have a church there..
Mwamanga Mizikiti yanu mmadera a christus but we dont complain…pena pake asilamu amazolowela….
This is embarassing which God are you serving omwe sali tolerant choncho? It is a simple matter go to government schools. Otherwise timba sachepa ndi mazira ake alekeleni sukulu zawozo
Just remember kuti nanunso mizikiti yanuyo in other districts munachita kupatsidwa malo. Yelekezani kuwathamangitsa nafenso tigwetsa timizikiti tanuto kuno chifukwa nanu ndi obwela. Anzanu akumanga ma school inu chifukwa cha dyera mumamanga mizikiti mudzi uliwonse ndiye zisakuwaweni lero. Your friends new the needs of their flock, hospitals, schools etc. Just try it and see what happens next, period
malawi police, mdf, take note, zimayamba chonchotu, amangirenitu omwe ali pa sogolo leading this act of terror
Aslamu muli ndi Marriam College ku Mangochi ya a sikana okhaokha kumene inu mumakakamiza aliyense kuti azivala hijab or mukhristu. Awawa ali ndi kapeni kumphatsa. Asakhale atumidwa ndi alishababu yaku Cabo Delgado ku Mozambique. Mukumva zimene akunena akuti ati ku Machingako ndiku territory yawo si ku Malawi koma daily amapezeka akwera min bus kubwera ku Malawi ku Blantyre ndi Lilongwe. Intelligence yiwaunikire bwino ndikukuwuzani a Malawi anzanga.
The Islamic fury is based on religion, two religions shouldn’t be practiced by force at one place.
My fellow moslems let’s not force the Catholics to allow us practice our religion in there schools … No!
If we can’t afford to abide by their requirements then let’s build our own schools where we will be practicing our wishes.
Siimamanga mudzi. Musapwetekane chifukwa cha zikhulupiliro za Kwa Aluya. Nonse ndi nzika za Africa, mbumba za chipululu cha Sahara, zidzukulu za mphepo ya Mwera yochokera ku nyanja ya apwitikizi. Ana aatsikanawo aloleni akhale nawo mmakalasi mipango abvale. Phikani chakudya, iphani mbuzi, itanizanani mukambirane mofatsa musalole a PAC ndi ena alowelere. Mbuto ya Kalulu inakula ndi ‘tadzaonani’.
Chopitira ku school za Catholic nchiyani.osangopita school zanu bwanji
Am also a muslim. Structures which were already there managed by various religious bodies have offered education as well as health facilities. Now if its difficult for us to abid by their rules the best is to put up our own structures to accomodate our beliefs otherwise this issues will bring unnecessary tensions. It will be an individual choice as to which schools to attend.
May I ask when this Hijab thing started in schools in Malawi? I am 42 and I can’t remember in my primary, secondary or university days seeing anyone wearing one. Were there no muslims that time?
There is no christian nor Muslims territory in Malawi.Muslims are all over Malawi like wise with Christians.So when you are talking you should think carefully.This is Malawi for all.
Malawians be malawians those who follow those 2 religions can migrate to where they originate. Both religions was brought by colonisers
Chonsecho kophunzira uKaristia mRoma wa chitsikana saloledwa; kulowa opanda mipango kumutu
Pena ukali wathu asilamu ~ tiyeni timange zathu sukulu ndiye tiike malamulo athu athu
THIS SHOWS YOUR UTTER IGNORANCE ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND CATHOLIC PRACTICES. WHERE DOES THIS HAPPEN? MUMUNGOMVA ETI? KAFUFUZENI BWINOBWINO.
Zonsezi ndi za dziko lapansi. Chauta amadana ndi zipolowe ndi nkhondo. Nyumba yamwini saochera mbewa. Musawamanitse anawa mwayi wa maphunziro abwino. Hijhabu adzavala akamaliza school. Asilamu anzanga chonde ine ndaphunzira ma sukulu onse a Chikatolika, ku Likuni girls primary, ku Likuni girls secondary komwe sitimaloledwa kuvala, koma ndikapita kunyumba ndimavala mpaka kupita ku University komwe ndimavala mpaka pano. Ndimanyadira maziko maphunziro anga ndi phindu lomwe ndinalipeza ku ma school anzathuwa. Tisawaphere atsikana athu ufulu wa maphunziro Abwino. Chonde akulu akulu mvetsetsani anawa aphunzire ndi tsogolo lawo. Mudzaimba lokoma ndi inu mawa lino.
Chala chamwini sukandira pa thako. Amznthu achisilamu ingimangani masukulu anu ambiri. Ana anu azivala mmene mukufunira.
Inu asilamu ndiuzeni madistrict a CCAP, Catholics ndi Seventh Day kuti nditsimikize kuti Machinga ndi Mangochi ndi madistrict achisilamu. What I know is that those are Yao districts not Muslim districts. Muslims alipo kulikonse even kuVatican.
Forcing the Catholics to leave that is terrorism. There are muslims in other christian dominant regions but they are not forced. Stop terrorism.
Shame Muslims cannot respect the teachings of the Catholic Church. Why if this area is Majority Muslims that the Muslims have not built their own schools. Government Schools should not allow any child student or teacher to wear any type of religious symbols. Religion ihas no place in Government Government is for all people of all religions. Each Religion is free to open their own schools. Malawi is not the place for Holy Wars, Respect each other’s Religion. If this is a Catholic School it should be their Rules.
My Muslim Brothers and Sisters, I am your brother who’s a Christian, will you allow me to enter through the gates of Mosque and worship with you with shoes on my feet?
Just exposed your ignorance. Muslims can and do pray with shoes on if the want.
Can a Christian be allowed to go into the Mosque with shoes on? Definitely not. Let’s continue respecting each other’s religion. Just establish your own Islamic school to cater for your girls, period.
But this is very interesting cos Muslims what do they want from a Catholic establishment???? It is not a government school. So Catholic as a religious establishment on it’s own then Muslims expect Catholic to what Muslims need yet they’re two different entities? I have never seen in Madras Christian pupils there dictating the dress code & they don’t go there cos they don’t belong there. They should cry to the government to build a government school in that area cos that one will belong to everybody as it will be built by taxes of the people.
Musabweretse udani WA ku middle East kuno. We don’t want religious wars. It’s archaic.
Asilamu anzanga tiyeni timange ma school anthu , Chifukwa bmunyumba ya mwini saotcheramo mbewa, vuto lathu timakjala busy kumanga mizikiti instead of building schools,
😂😁😁🤣auzembo ndiwe shamwali
To force the Catholics to leave Machinga is a violation of freedom of religion of the minority. Moslems should consider taking their children away from the Catholic schools.
..But if the Catholics cannot accept local children to attend their schools just because of their beliefs then I support the muslim brothers’ actions, fully.
Let them build their own schools and dress the way they want. M’nyumba mwa mwini saotchela mbewa
This is laughable and pathetic. Why can’t the Muslims build their own schools to enable them do whatever their faith demands? In addition, there is no Muslim nor Christian territory in Malawi.
Izizi nde zachamba. Chidule, ingomangani anu ma school kuti mudzichita nao zomwe mufuna.
The issue very simple and just allow to wear hijab.
These schools are run with my tax and wearing hijab is not against any law.
Those who say they should build there own, they are missing the point and moreover the land which they built the school were given to them in good faith.
Then now they should not pretend that they are clever.
When you said given in good faith does it mean the land is for muslims only? Should we also chase Muslims from the Christian strong holds????? A school should remain religious neutral. No hijabs, no coronas, no dreads basi, life goes on.
iwe sukumva pati? these are catholic schools. where does your tax come in? do you pay tax to the catholic church?
The issue is very simple indeed; when you are in someone’s house or country then you abide by the rules of that house/ country or you fotseki because that house happens to belong to the Catholics not useless Muslims.
Same thing as wearing shoes in mosques is not against the law
But why is this coming up now? Enafe ku Machinga komweko taphunzira ma school a CCAP ndi ma moslems koma kunalibeko zimene zikuchitika panozi.
ubulutu weniweni. Just build your own schools basi musatinyase
A katolika amamanga okha ma school awo…but amapeleka ku boma kuti liziphunzitsa mwa chikhalidwe cha chikatolika..so mangani anu mupeleke ku boma
Cathoric Private schools are not built by someone’s taxes. It’s private institution. How can you say it’s you tax?
If you send your child there, just follow the rules and regulations for that school. Mtopola siwabwino.