Malawi VP Chilima reads Catholic bishops’ letter for Dec 13 peaceful demo

December 4, 2017 Osman Faiti -Nyasa Times 32 Comments

State Vice President  Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima on Sunday read out a letter from the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM),  a grouping of Catholic bishops, asking their flock to pray for, and patronise, peaceful marches organised by the Public Affairs Committee (PAC)  on December 13 to register its frustration with the way government has handled the issue of electoral reforms.

Chilima: Read the bishops’ demo appeal letter

PAC asked government to table the Electoral Reforms Bill as well as the Local Government Reforms Bills by Wednesday this week or face nationwide protests.

But Solicitor General Janet Banda, who is principal secretary for Justice, indicated that the Bills are not yet ready, adding that Cabinet will have to meet to agree on the way forward.

Chilima, a devout Catholic, on his usual Sunday attendance ar 9.30am Mass at St Patrick’s Parish in Area 18 in Lilongwe  read out the letter from ECM.

He, however, gave a disclaimer  he was not  adding or substracting any content in the bishops statement.

Chilima was apparently scheduled on roster for the day’s readings and announcement that coinceded with the letter

The Catholic bishops read letter  in churches  on Sunday persuading all their members throughout the country for  peaceful marches to force government to table and pass the Electoral Reforms Bills during the current sitting of Parliament

In a circular letter, addressed to Catholic priests in the country, dated December 2 2017, signed by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) secretary general Fr Henry Saindi, the bishops are urging the priests to ask their faithful to pray for the peaceful marches, and also to participate in them.

Reads the statement in part: “PAC has organised a peaceful nationwide marches on 13th December 2017 to demonstrate dissatisfaction in the manner the government has handled the issue of Electoral and LGA [Local Government] reforms.

“It is against this background that the bishops are asking us to do the following— (1) pray for this nation and its leadership to do what is right and good for the nation, for prayer is indeed our powerful weapon; (2) in the spirit of active citizenship, join the peaceful marches for the love and good of our nation.

“May I, therefore, appeal to all of you to mobilise all Catholics and people of goodwill within your diocese/Parish to participate in the peaceful marches. Let’s stand up and demand for transformative leadership: now is the time to reclaim our destiny”.

The marches, which will be held under the theme: “We demand Transformative Leadership: Now is the time to reclaim Our Destiny”, demand Parliament to table the controversial Electoral Reforms Bills whose major highlight is the 50+1 win requirement in future presidential elections.

The planned peaceful marches will be held in the cities of Blantyre, Lilongwe, Zomba and Mzuzu.

Last week, PAC presented a petition to Parliament, asking the Legislature to table the Bills.

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32 replies on “Malawi VP Chilima reads Catholic bishops’ letter for Dec 13 peaceful demo”

  1. Hey , this man known as Morgan is the most useless man . This letter the VP Chilima read and the 50 + 1 vote has nothing to do with DPP or Mutharika. All those people who think like you are thinking are very useless. This is about voting system that would give us the President who with all fairness should be voted for by at least more than half of the registered voters in Malawi.

    By the way it seems these DPP guys already know that Mutharika can not win 50 + 1. Why then not use him for the Wandale State of Mulanje and Thyolo? Because it shows he is not fit to be the President of Malawi.
    Komatu when change has come, you can delay it , but will still come anyway. Secondly , DPP is seriously decampaining itself in huge style. Kaya izo ndizanu. Chilima mulekeni, he knew what he was reading and he knows why he read it. He is a Catholic period. Thank you Faithfull Christian.

  2. We should not deliberately implicate Chilima in this issue. He is not a signatory of this shit. We are even told by the reporter that it was just a coincidence that the letter was read during his scheduled time. Reading it does not mean he supports it. Even if he supports it it does not mean he is for Chakwera. Tamamvetsani zinthuzi abale.

    1. And we dont want him in M.C.P ali ndikwao ku D.P.P kumene kumamuyenera ndipo amamukonda ife sitimamukonda, but as a Malawian and the Vice President of Malawi, we love him.
      Tikalowa m church he the member not the vice President ndipo timamupatsa zolengeza kuti alengeze, chavuta mchani mmepa?
      Walengeza ndithu ndipo anthu anva kuti tipite pa nseu tonse ndimtima umodzi, mau awa achoka pakamwa pa ndaaaaaaa!!

      1. And I doubt if there will be the much touted mass protest on 13th December, 2017. I am trying to understand this PAC concept.

  3. is time for malawian to understand this issue from the bottom of it. Is not about political missunderstanding, but we we have to be matured in politics. I dont want to see a president be sworn at night and more over at the court. That was bud

  7. oh oh oh nthawi yakwani! when the Catholic Bishops issue a letter ti means someone is about to be Mugabed

  8. 50+1 will not solve our political problems – patronage, nepotism, corruption and the stupidity at the heart of government. It will only allow our politicians to form backyard alliances or force us to vote twice to endorse a particular alliance. The running of government will not change. PAC, Catholic bishops and other clergy men are just waisting their time. Let them campaign on REAL issues. Some of us are fed up with religious people failing to solve their problems and injustices in their churches and yet everyday they bore us with wayward criticsm and campaigns against government.

  9. It is very surprising that some of the comments here from people who cannot see the merit in all this. Very surprising that you are backward and amazingly amused with this good development. In case you do not understand; we are saying we need a president to be voted in by the majority and not minority.

  10. I like Saulos but on this one am not so sure? I mean he is the Vice President right? And on DPP ticket? Arlight I think he has picked his side… DPP needs to move on from him or he needs to move on from DPP officially.

  11. I recall the VP once said “do not clap hands when you see that things are going wrong”. He went on further to say that if he himself said or did something wrong, it is not right just to clap hands because he is the VP. Wrong is wrong and right is right no matter who does it. We salute you Sir for your bold decision to read out the letter on this important issue or matter which, in all fairness, is not targeting an individual or a particular grouping, but is aimed at consolidating the democratic values that we chose in 1992.

    1. Only idiots indeed do not understand the basis of the 50+1. Am in total agreement. How can one claim he has won votes with only 20%? Utter nonsense and shit of the highest degree. President azitenga 50+ of the total votes casted. Koma because DPP knows that even if they spend a night crying at Bingu’s grave, they will never get half of the total votes casted. Ngati agwa ndi ma by-elections?

  13. Bwana Namaliya. 50+1 ia the way to go. The government is not being forced only that it has realised that democracy is not what DPP government beleives in. In Zambia the system has worked, what makes people think that it can not work in Malawi.

    1. Whenever something is under contest, like the 50+1 issue we should be saying “50+1 could be the way to go”, and then say “50+1 is the way to go” after it is tested. In Zambia, Kenya, and Liberia it is the practice but is more controversial in as far as rigging issues are concerned. So, I agree with you in as far as 50+1 could be a way to go. My problem is the masses are not forewarned of pros and cons of the different systems in order to make an informed choice. If it were possible, I would suggest a referendum, which is a constitutional way of getting voters’ views. All that said, all is well that ends well.
      As for government being forced, yes, it is being forced, especially the Executive, to bring the proposed amendment Bills to Parliament. It is force because the Republican Constitution does not provide for forcing the Executive to bring any bill to parliament when demanded. When there was debate about gays and lesbians, Australia, Ireland, and Canada just went for a referendum, and the people voted en mass for the freedom of gays and lesbians to marry. Why cant we take the same route? More over, there are 32 proposed amendments to the Constitution, the amendments are equally important because all concern the supreme law of the land. Why are the PAC selective? That is another reason I have problems with PAC. After this, what will be the next change? I HOPE THIS HEALTH DEBATE CONTINUES FOR THE BENEFIT OF MALAWIANS AT LARGE. Koma zopita kunsewu without thorough explanations, mmmm, I am afraid, I have reservations. Even the Church where I pray, if people will go it is because we respect men of GOD. Otherwise, they have a lot to explain. The PAC et al were in front of drafting this Constitution, what wrong has this Constitution done? (yes, like Lucious Banda Played in one of the songs). What benefit will accrue to the common man if not for the Powers that be usurping more power and starting to oppress us as was pre-1993. Let God remain our Protector and the President whoever it is or will be, our leader. Amen.

    2. I like this guy called the VP. He is courageous and God fearing. Some might not like him but he is one of the few people we are missing . we recuse in court but not in church.

  15. Bwana Veep, you should have recused yourself from reading that letter. It doesn’t sound well. Even if a disclaimer is made but that letter is about your own government,your own boss and your own party. How do your fellow cabinet colleagues take that? Are you going to demonstrate yourself?

    1. I respect this man very much. Men of faith and integrity would rather be disobedient to a king or president in order to be obedient to THE KING. That is exactly what the Vice President. did. Recuse is not an option to people of God. To the VP I say read John 14 vs 1 on wards. And psalms 23 vs 4. There are a lot of us who are genuinely proud of you.

  16. WHAT’S THE FUSS ABOUT DEMOS?
    Demonstrating is a Constitutional right. The only difference is that some demonstrate with the right to stuffed pockets while others have empty pockets. Let those who want to participate in the demos proceed because it is a Constitutional right. You can at least force a horse to a river but can’t force it to drink.
    Forcing the Executive to present bills is not Constitutional, no matter how important the bills might be. It is common knowledge that the Church fueled governance and political system change. The Church also participated in drafting the current Constitution. Should one question the Wisdom of the men of God? But some men of God appear to be arrogant, yes, look at them in the face as they talk, look into their eyes as they brink, if you read a little about the psychology of human behaviour, you will notice the apparent anger in them. I am opined to suggest the driving force of this BIG whip could be a hidden ripe carrot. Nothing wrong in chasing a ripe carrot though (it has the needed vitamins), but perhaps as men of God, they should not leave some of us with suspicions.
    I for one, have began to ask if changing the laws is a way of taking us back to Cairo or preventing us from entering Jerusalem. Something different: today the Western World is accepting gays and lesbians to marry yet these are the same people who advocated to us to change our traditional ways of worship. Should we be on the watch out for other changes the church will bring after succeeding in changing our beautiful Constitution? What does Majority mean to me? It means almost one party state with the rest as hand clappers. The current first past the post system ensures nobody has absolute power since absolute power corrupts absolutely. The proposed amendment of 50+1 ensures the opposite and may end up with a one party state (you can draw lessons from Malawi’s past, how we became a one party state).
    In summary, there is no fuss about peaceful demonstrations because demos are constitutionally sound, but there is a fuss about forcing the Executive to bring bills to parliament because it is not constitutional. File this post, and retrieve it when the prophesy will be fulfilled.

    1. Mukuyankhula ngati ndinu amzeru koma ndinu achitsilu. You are such a wasted sperm. Akanadziwa bambo ako akanavala condom.

    2. Lets wait and see. How come and why forcing the govt to pass the law? Is PAC the govt or is the govt there to take whatever PAC is saying? Did we vote for PAC to run the govt. Let people demonstrate as this is their birth right. But for what? HMMMMMMMMMM

  21. Nothing wrong with that. And we will come out and match against this failed government. The goverment led by a party of thieves. The party where all criminals flock to including Bikoko who has sold hospital place to Simama and fellow cadets.

  22. These events mark the end of an era. Peter Muthalika you will became the first president to rule the Malawi a single term.

    1. Democracy definition by DPP standards:

      1.A political system for choosing and replacing the government through rigging and unfair elections.

      2. The inactive participation of the people, their brutalization as citizens, in politics and civic life.

      3. Lack of protection of the human rights of all citizens; these only matter to Lhomwes.

      4. Absence of rule of law, in which the laws are subservient to Cadets and party cardes

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