Malawi Muslim youth, Quadria back PAC demos: MAM integrity ‘seriously questionable’
Malawi Muslim youth leadersgip has joined the Quadria Muslims Association of Malawi to throw their weight behind the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) peaceful demonstrations this Wednesday calling on their membership to come en-masse to support the cause.
Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) leadership told reporters in Blantyre on Sunday that they will not attend the march because doing so will be going against their doctrine of peace, contact and dialogue.
MAM, an umbrella body of the Muslim community in Malawi which also sits on the quasi-religious grouping governance body, argued that demonstrations contravene the teaching of the Holy Quran–the central religious text of Islam, and the teaching of their Prophet Muhammad.
Another Islamic association, The Qadria Muslim Association of Malawi asked Muslims in the country to take in the demonstrations which have been organized to protest against government reluctance to table the electoral reforms bills in parliament.
Responding to call which also appeared on Malawi Muslim Website page, Muslims have described the MAM leaders as hypocrites who pocketed a lot of money from government authorities to denounce the demos.
They have vowed never to listen to the call and that they will still take part in the demonstrations.
In a statement signed by Muslim Students Association, spokesperson Allie Jafali and member Silverster James, said the Muslim youth should take to the streets on Wednesday, saying those those who are “eating” should stay away.
They stated,that when it comes to national politics the conduct of MAM led by national chairperson Sheikh Idrissah Muhammad “is seriously questionable” to the extend that most Malawian Muslims “no longer have trust in MAMA” as an institution with integrity to lead Malawian Muslims in political bargaining and religious services.
“Over the years, MAM’s influence over the affairs of Muslims has significantly dwindled,” reads the statement seen by Nyasa Times.
The Muslim students quashed MAM arguement that the peaceful demonstrations will be against the teaching of the Holy Quran, saying the current issues does not arise within the context of religion.
“It is purely political dispute whose solution is equally political,” reads the statement.
In the wake of the decision by PAC to hold the demonstrations, more faith groups have also drummed up support for PAC, rallying their congregants to engage in the demonstrations that aim to protest against government’s failure to table the Electoral Reforms Bills in the current parliamentary meeting as promised.
The Electoral Reforms Bills include an amendment of Section 80 (2) of the Constitution and Section 96 (5) of the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act proposing a 50 percent plus 1 percent majority in presidential election and an amendment of Section 81 (3) of the Constitution for the swearing in of the President and Vice-President to be done after 30 days.
PAC marched to Parliament last month to deliver a petition to President Peter Mutharika and the Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya.
In their petition, PAC gave the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government until November 29 to have the set of six Bills tabled, failing which PAC would schedule a peaceful demonstration in the country’s major cities.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
“demonstrations contravene the teaching of the Holy Quran–the central religious text of Islam, and the teaching of their Prophet Muhammad”
It ironic that demos are haram but terrorism like al qaeda and boko haram are not really haram for these islamic extremists!
Utterly shameful!
TIYENI KONKO CHABULIKA MUSIYENI APANGE ZA MITALA YACHE
I have noted that if you want to enrich yourself, start a demo, be paid million before the demo and call off the demo.
Let us wait and see
Wa chibanzi uyu musiyeni kkkkkkkk apitila limodzi 2019.