An ‘Order of God’ that lied to Malawians

February 28, 2018 Nyasa Times Reporter 14 Comments

For Brother Aidan Clohessy and the St John of God Order in Malawi, it does not rain—it pours.

Brother Aidan Clohessy

Not more than a fortnight ago, Nyasa Times in collaboration with the Centre for Investigative Journalism in Malawi (CIJM) and Mail on Sunday (MoS) of Ireland reported of Misean Cara, a charity that has supported St John of God order in Malawi, suspending  aid to St John of God of  over €2 million (about K1 200 000 000.00), over “allegations of abuse against a former school principal and member of the order”—Brother Aidan Clohessy.

And, on Monday, Nyasa Times, through a report of investigative journalist Micheal O’Farrel, learnt that Brother Aidan had actually lied to get funding from Germany.

It is said that the funding that Aidan received from Germany, provided by more than 300 000 citizen donors, the EU and other stakeholders is questionable.

And one of these organizations is Kindernothilife (KNH).

Collins Mtika, of the Centre for Investigative Journalism in Malawi (CIJM)  said it is crucial that Malawian receivers of foreign aid should be thoroughly analysed.

Said Mtika: “They have done us more bad than good in all morals of society. As a country, and a sovereign state, we should do better. We should not be taken as puppets.”

Mtika, a former investigative journalist for Nyasa Times has also contributed to trainings of investigative reporters in Malawi among them Serah Makondetsa, Enelless Nyale, Bobby Kabango, Rex Chikoko, Lameck Masina, Tamanda Matebule and Josephine Chinele.

The two were at Amabhughane for Centre of Investigative Journalism and in Botswana respectively.

KNH is one of Germany’s most prominent NGOs with an annual budget of €56m provided by more than 300,000 citizen donors, the EU and Germany’s government.

Since 2007, when Brother Aidan first signed a contract with KNH, it has provided over €1.3m to support SJOG’s child-focused programmes in Malawi.

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14 replies on “An ‘Order of God’ that lied to Malawians”

  1. Mtika is now an expert kkkkk Nkhuku yachabe chabe. He appears like he has a personal problem against the brother in this story. Pakufunika another investigative journalist should investigate this Mtika fella. His ethical practice is questionable

  2. The reporter who wrote this story needs to go back to the school of journalism. The story is unclear

  5. The reporter who is want to bring down For Brother Aidan Clohessy, how I wish you were near me I could slap you right on your face. DO YOU KNOW HOW GENEROUS For Brother Aidan Clohessy IS? GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTER FOREIGN JOURNALIST WHOM YOU ARE DOING THIS TOGETHER. KUNO NDI KUMBALI NDI LEMBA MU CHICHEWA. KODI For Brother Aidan Clohessy ANAKUDYERA CHANI????

  6. Collins Mtika specialises in sensationalism. His stories lack journalistic etiquette. What type of journalists has he trained?

  8. Collins Mtika,

    Here you are playing journalism of your belly and pockets. This story is a personal vendetta thing…It want take you anywhere. There is no concrete evidence on the ground either on misappropriation or child abuse. You will talk about it, write about it as St. John Of God keeps growing.

  9. Cursed is the journalist who wrote this article. Malawi Malawi Malawi what type of people are we? Who do you want to shame here? God ? It would have been better if you were not born. Repent you journalist

  10. Friend you need to go back and rework on the story. You are doing yourself and your tabloid injustice. There are proper avenues where you can market your investigative journalism skills rather than messing up your story.

  11. The reporter must stop misleading the nation about St. John of God. What promises did the Order make to the nation that it is failing to fulfill? Have you ever visited that institution in Mzuzu City? My friend, their services and programs are second to none. The best mental health care a mental health user can get in Malawi is provided by ST. JOHN OF GOD IN MZUZU. What about the excellent infrastructure the Order built for Malawi in Mzuzu? Be professional enough to draw the lines between an individual’s problems if any and the achievements of the Order. If the brother has problems with the donors that does not make the order bad. APPRECIATE THE GOOD THINGS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS DOING TO MALAWI THROUGH St. John of God. Brother, let negative people not make you lose focus of your good works. These detractors can’t even once help any mental health user in any way, not even giving a smile, a handshake or good willed sentiments. ST. JOHN OF GOD, MEN AND WOMEN OF COMPASSION, KEEP UP YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GOD BLESS YOU MORE AND MORE.

  12. nanu a nyasatimes mizilemba zinthu bwino. inu zoona mutu wa nkhani mungamati an order of God that lied to Malawians kapena you wanted to use the small g for god and not the big G. You need to know God, you must repent, God lying, God is truth, it is the devil who is a lier for he has been lying from the beginning and in him is no truth. But God Abba Father, Elohim Elyon Adonai does not lie and will never lie. so change mutu wa nkhani yanu. kodi mulibe ma editors? Kodi simupanga proof reading?

    GOD IS SO BIG

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