Malawi multi-faith group PAC elects Rev Chingota as chair: Fr Mulomole re-elected spokesman
Malawi quasi-religious organisation the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has elected CCAP’s Rev Dr. Felix Chingota, as its chairperson a position which he was holding after taking over in interim from Right Reverend James Tengatenga, the Anglican Bishop who resigned.
Chingota was elected unopposed on Tuesday at the committee’s annual general meeting in the commercial city of Blantyre.
“It is encouraging that people can notice how I have run PAC,” said Chingota.
“The three years have not been excellent but I can say I run it fairly,” he added.
PAC, a platform for different denominations advocating for different issues in Malawi, elected Osman Karim of Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi, as its vice chairperson.
Karim used to be a board member of PAC.
The elections also saw Catholic priest Rev Dr Mark Mkandawire voted Board Secretary General taking over from Father Emmanuel Chimombo.
Catholic priest, Father Peter Mulomole, who is also a director of Catholic Development Commission of Malawi (Cadecom), was retained as spokesman of the grouping with 51 votes against Sheik Dinala Chabulika who polled 19 votes.
The treasurer general post went to Fr Emmanuel Makalande of Anglican church.
PAC executive committee members elected include Mrs Lonely Laja, Martin Chiphwanya of CCJP, Rev Mrs Matabwa and Rev Mrs Maureen Tchuwa.
The organisation went to polls amid allegations that authorities have splashed money to the officials to silence them.
However, Rev Chingota has dismissed the allegations, saying no one received money from the government or the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
“That is not true, the problem is that we did not fulfill some engagements because of lack of money,” he said.
PAC meetings are usually highly charged politically with last year’s indaba had some participants asking President Peter Mutharika to resign because of collapsing economy.
Chingota however bemoaned that the Mutharika appointed committee failed to meet its expectations of engaging PAC on issues affecting the nation.
PAC is the oldest and most well-known nongovernmental organization in the country and also the national chapter of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP)
Its mission statement is “to mobilize the general public through the religious community and other stakeholders in promoting democracy, development, peace and unity through civic education, mediation and advocacy”.
PAC led Malawi’s transition from one-party dictatorship to political plularism from 1992 to 1994 when the country’s first democratic elections in 30 years were held.
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another useless body with nothing to offer for the good of Malawians, Malawi full of money mongers, PAC is always vocal but no actions, we feel cheated and betrayed by our own brethren, as life is now, it’s a dog eat dog world palibenso kunamizana kuti auje atithandiza chifukwa aliyense akukonza za mimba yache ndi ana ache
There is absolutely NO urgency for the government to meet with PAC. Let PAC cool their heels for a while, after their election. Others would say, let them sweat. The first meeting will determine if the PAC executive is still as egotistical as most politicians, and will pursue an agenda for political reasons. So, if PAC shows they haven’t learned a lesson and changed tactics, and developed a fair non political strategy, then the government should just walk away; for good. And eventually write PAC off. You’ll see how quickly PAC will lose relevance – they are hardly known by… Read more »