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

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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chakhalira
chakhalira
6 years ago

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… Read more »

Davies
Davies
6 years ago
Reply to  chakhalira

Bingu was voted 50 +1 but the same PAC insulted him and gave him 60 days

santana
santana
6 years ago

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.

Kaitano
Kaitano
6 years ago
Reply to  santana

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!!

Samuel
Samuel
6 years ago
Reply to  Kaitano

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

chisomo malunga
chisomo malunga
6 years ago

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

Mlomwe Original
Mlomwe Original
6 years ago

stabbing at the back

Santana wa Satana
6 years ago

Things fall apart

MOPAO
MOPAO
6 years ago

PEMPHERO LA KUMVERA

comrade
comrade
6 years ago

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

Banda
Banda
6 years ago

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.

Hambahamba
Hambahamba
6 years ago

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.

mmc
mmc
6 years ago

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.

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