Political posturing and rivalry stunts at Chikulamayembe funeral condemned: Call for code of conduct
Malawian newspapers on Wednesday has been dominated with events during the funeral service of the departed Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe of the Tumbuka (Nkhamanga Kingdom) at Bolero in Rumphi with both dailies carrying extended coverage through editorial comments condemning the drama and a governance commentator has added his voice to the political posturing.
“Shameful” was the banner headline in the Daily Times while its competitor, The Nation, also treated Chikulamayembe’s funeral drama as a main story under the headline: “Shame on you.”
Both papers detailed the drama after Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Livingstonia Synod general secretary Reverend Levi Nyondo wanted Vice-President Saulos Chilima and leader of opposition Lazarus Chakwera to be accorded time to give their eulogies.
But one of the chiefs grabbed the microphone from the reverend, asking all to respect protocol that demands that nobody makes remarks after the President.
After some interventions from chiefs and an apology was made directed to the church, the ceremony proceeded with a caution from the church- “Mungazakawelezgangaso cha!!!” [don’t dare repeat this], in future similar ceremonies where they are involved, they must be involved in the making of the programme.
In extended coverage, The Daily Times editorial comment under the headline ‘Let the departed rest in peace with honour’, noted that the bad and unacceptable culture of politicking funerals of prominent figures is creeping into society.
It said none among the parties involved in the “drab drama” at Chikulamayembe’s funeral can stand on the moral higher ground to claim innocence.
“All the parties involved are to blame,” the paper said.
In The Nation, ‘Political posturing at funeral unfortunate’ was the headline of the editorial.
The paper designated a lot of space highlighting that the drama at the funeral was “out of order and a missed opportunity on the part of political leaders.”
It said that traditionally, funeral services are solemn occasions which, in many instances, provide the bereaved families and society at large an opportunity to celebrate the life of the departed.
“It was, therefore, unfortunate and primitive for politicians to use the sombre ceremony for political posturing instead of celebrating the departed chief’s life by giving him a befitting farewell. The rivalry and partisan stunts were a missed opportunity,” reads the editorial in part.
The paper said politics should not make Malawians discard their cultural values and commended the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia clergy for noting the anomalies based in political posturing and condemning the same there and then.
Adding his voice, governance expert and commentator Makhumbo Munthali told Nyasa Times that the events during the funeral in Rumphi are “regrettable and embarrassing.”
He also noted that it is now becoming common that during high profiled funerals government has used such platforms to bar other politicians to speak, and fears such a trend will continue especially as the nation approach the 2019 Tripartite Elections.
Munthali also observed rightly like the papers that in State affairs, there is set protocol to recognise the presence of holders of public office and that indeed one does not lose their influence by merely stating relevant salutations.
“I believe if government in consultation with the bereaved families and officiating clergy jointly came up with the program which amongst other things would ensure that the representatives of opposition parties [give their eulogies] as well as the Synod General Secretary, the embarrassment the Synod brought in front of the President Peter Mutharika by lecturing government right protocols would have been avoided.
“After all, late Chikulamayembe is well known to have been non-partisan and wielded respect across political divide, and as such it would have been fair enough to us give other political parties a chance to appreciate such a life,” Munthali told Nyasa Times.
He disputed that at a State funeral government should exercise monopoly in deciding on who should speak.
“Whether State funeral no State funeral government must directly consult the family, chiefs and even the officiating church when coming up with the program. This would ensure that no political party hijacks the funeral to score a political point. It’s sad to note that the DPP has often viewed funerals as a critical juncture to directly or indirectly campaign hence viewed the presence of fierce critics like UTM and MCP at funerals as a threat no wonder denying them any opportunity to speak.
[“Its important that our politicians realised that funerals are sad moments which often unite people of different political background as they mourn their beloved ones. Moving forward I would recommend that a code of conduct during state funerals or any high profiled funeral where various political leaders attend should be developed and signed by all political leaders, chiefs and churches,” he said.
Munthali said the Code of Conduct should clearly illustrate how these figures should conduct themselves in the context of such funerals.
“It should further state that if one politician from one political party speaks then certainly those of other political parties should do likewise as long as they stick to the message of funeral.
“It is a fact that most of our political parties in Malawi do not have clear convincing ideologies and plans to move the country out of abject poverty, and as such they seize every funeral opportunity to symbolically show that they are human and caring when in actual fact they are not,” said Munthali.
He pointed out that in Malawi history some State funerals members of the opposition have been allowed to speak.
Born Walter John Hardy Gondwe, Themba la Mathemba Chikulamayembe succumbed to low blood pressure on Thursday last week aged 86.
May the soul of Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe rest in eternal peace.
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zomwe mwachita adpp ndizomwe zinazetsa chisokonezo
ndale zophangila bas
kumbukilani kuti kunaliso komweko komwe kuna chokeraso downfall ya bingu
tingosintha andale asamabwere pa maliro
Stupid Malawians always think funerals are places where they can gain votes. The army is now being abused to bury every jim and jack with military honours. This nosense must stop.
Blame Jappie Mhango, Kenneth Sanga and Goodall Gondwe for secretly organizing this fracas. They also persuaded pitala to come to the funeral coz they thought if he stayed behind the center stage was going to be hijacked by opposition. Secretly that’s how these thieves will want to hijack the elections. Opposition keep your eyes open, the signs are on the wall!!
I was there at the funeral yesterday! look, our church was very pompous from the very start of the program. we saw it, the church never respect the government of the day as stipulated in the Bible they claim to follow! we congratulated the brave Chief principal Kawazamawe for restoring order when the church authority installed commotion! Kawazamawe grabbed the microphone from clergy! order was restored!
The Synod should come up with guidelines, for it’s Clegy, on how to conduct State Funerals. As in all cases, established protocol(s) should be observed for the sake of maintaining decorum.
Let us remain united and move forward, as a Country.
May the Soul of our departed Paramount Chief, Rest in Peace.
Church vs State, that was really awkward,
I have never seen anything like that, Mpaka kulandana microphone!!!! ……. I still can’t wrap my head around what I witnessed yesterday. I feel bad for the family
Congrats DPP. Its part of your land slide downfall. You will keep on making such silly blunders. Their big impacts will be seen in May, 2019. Inu simukudabwa why you are making these avoidable blunders? Kuseweretsa miyoyo ya anthu mathero ake ndi amenewo. Kusamva. Ndipo simunati mupwetekana nokhanokha.
“Mungazakawelezgangaso chara” What is this, nonsense and rubbish. Does the church have powers or mandate to impose or dictate who to speak or give eulogies on state functions? That was a state funeral (not msokhano wa chitsitsimutso) and the church’s task was to pray and preach but not making funeral program. Program making was state (Government) task not you fake pastors. In addition to this the deceased was a chief, part of government (under Ministry of Local Government) that’s why chiefs salaries comes from government not churches. It could be right for church to come up with programme if the deceased were a pastor or a reverend. Why then the church attempted to overstep their mandate? Good thing was that munamva msanga and change route chifukwatu mukadachita mwano mukanathamanga pamene paja ngati muja munachitira pa mwambo wa gonapamhanya. Mukanaona zikwanje ngati pa gonapamhanya paja, we were ready, locked and loaded against you guys. Ndipotu muthokoze presence ya a MDF aja, ndi amene anatipangitsa “jenkha” kuti tisakukwapuleni azibusa a fake inu. Shame on YOU stupid pharisees.
Ndiye kunyadira usaavage wakowo. Shameful. 5 months you are out with your savegery
iwe ndiye stupid kwambiri wamva
IWE CHI CADET CHOPUSA CHOPANDA NZERU
kkkkkkkkkkk heavy duty umandimvetsa kukoma kwabaasi. Asiye aziyekedwa chomwechi, tidzawathothola mosawamvera chisoni.
Nyondo must just form a party. He is too political.
Agreed program did not include the two Nyondo wanted to speak,..it was an anomaly to change it single handedly in the middle of the ceremony…simple and straightforward..
its just pathetic to see that the church is taking the leading role is despising elderly people.
from my own knowledge of maliro protocol, I know that amayankhula ndi anthu awa only:
1. mwini mbumba
2. mfumu yammudzi or any available senior chief
3. akumpingo
and lastly achipani cholamula. exceptionally comes in when the deceased had an open membership to a certain party when the ruling part is ignored to avoid commotion.
tsopano izi ndi zamdziko lakuti?????
u r wrong my friend. opposition parties should have been gven an opportunitites of reading out their eulogies too.
Where does they allow only a ruling party?Mind you maliro as you stated does only belong to a ruling party.When someone pass on everyone mourns regardless of the tribe,party,church or any organisation.So stop telling lies here if you know nothing.
The church acted professionally when they said no party Colours .lt was a government function therefore a government representative was enough to speak. However the suggestion by Nyondo to slot in Chakwera and Chilima was a spoiler because that was bringing party colours again indirectly
The General Secretary must be a confused person and must immediately be replaced by an intelligent person!!!!! Why did Nyondo not mention Muluzi Chihana are the first two his favourite colours parties he wanted to bring to the funeral
Give him the red Barrett as and T’Shirts
It wasn’t a ruling party fools. It is government. Did you see Peter waving a DPP flag? What I saw a Malawian flag.
Who is ruling anyway if i may ask you?
DPP ikuphangila chilichonse ndi maliro omwe shame on you Chikulamayembe was a gud chief and he deserved respect
Olo ndi manyazi omwe mulibe kubweletsa ndale pa maliro.
To call a spade by its name Rev Nyondo is to blame for the chaos and not even Livingstonia Synod. The ultimate fact is nobody speaks after the president so if the two he very much wanted to speak were omitted he could have just swallowed his pride.
But a critical look at the whole scenario clearly shows Rev Nyondo wanted to cause chaos in one way or another because prior to the funeral the ceremony the synod stated that no politics will be allowed and true to the official program only govt officials spoke but no DPP representative spoke. So why did they want Chilima & Chakwera to speak? Why not Atupele, Khumbo Kachali?
Your deslike for DPP will not take you anywhere and yesterday mwadziwa kuti boma ndi president not somebody on the pillion ndipo simunati DPP/UDF Alliance in power up to 2024. Anthu anu opempherawo sakanika mgwirizano!
Zopanda nzeru mwanenazi
That was not a government rally but it was a funeral gathering hence everyone was allowed to talk.I salute Rev Nyondo for his courage by voicing out his displeasure with the DDP.
Sure Lego, neither was it a presidential candidate debate. Why should the state Vice President speak after his boss? He is delegated by the president to speak, not the Reverend who messed things. By attending the funeral service that was enough for both the party presidents, it doesn’t mean they have to open their mouth and speak.
There is no need to salute the so-called Rev Nyondo here. Unless you are there to agitate viloence, your Rev Nyondo is not even fit to be called so. He is a thug hiding under the pretence of being a man of God. People dont like him, soon he will face what belongs. Chimunthu chadyera chobisalira ku Ubusa, chimunthu cha nkhaza, chakuba chodana ndi atosgoleri for no aaparent reasons. God should visit this man mwapadera. We are tired of his nasty behavior. Nyondo, we see u! pamodzi ndi makape akowo Chipofya ndi Mozes makndawire. Behave!!!!!
Ultimate fact is president should have spoken after the others which he didnt want to speak.
Che was the president there? Or he delegated Namkhumwa.. ? The matter of tge fact is there was aneed to recognize tge ppresence of second in charge of the country even though Munthalika hate Chilima as it has shown by sending nankhumwa local government minister…. Nkhanza zimenezo.. nyondo was right
Well said…
It is sad that some people the society give some much respect they themselves do not behave like honorable men and women. It is within the Tumbuka culture that when a person especially an elderly or anyone with authority, attends a funeral give a word of condolence to the bereaved family, Jappie Mhango being a tumbuka to the core should know this better and I expected him to provide guidance to his colleagues in DPP. Now you see what happened, it is the President who has been embarrassed so what is the gain, the communities in the north, this morning and at least week will be discussing how unwise our leader is.
They was nothing wrong to allow your counterparts speak, it would have in fact brought so much honor, today people across the country would have been saying, see our president is so accommodative that is the political advantage missed. I remember reading on this forum a day before yesterday, the church emphasizing that during the funeral sermon only political leaders will be accorded time to make their eulogy. This is why State President attended the funeral otherwise the President did mention that he will not be in attendance so you knew the protocol why did you embarrass your with that uncalled kind of decision of not allowing other to speak.
I strongly believe DPP should be blamed for the drama and never try to share the blame with others they always start it and turn around start pointing fingers at others.
So the army commander, the chief police should have also given part to speak. What about the district commissioner and other influential church leaders from other denominations what about the chiefs that were under him, did they speak, his chief induna was he given a chance to speak. Was the Reverend Nyindo his pastor every Sunday? It is a yo do who has been embarrassed by being taught who protocol should be by the chief. After all the chief cannot be answerable to Nyondo, but Nyondo can be answerable to the chief if we respect our culture.
Well said Gona pa muhanya. It was indeed a missed opportunity for the DPP and their president. But my worry is that If funerals can not unite us as a people then I wonder what will unite us?
Blame CCAP, Levi nyondo and chakwera. AS LEVI NYONDO HOW MANY TIMES HE VISTED THE LATE WHEN HE WAS IN HOSPITAL, SAME QUESTION SHUD GO TO CHAKWERA AND CHILIMA. KODI AMADIKIRA KUTI AMWALIRE NDIYE ADZA YANKULE PA MALIRO
atleast there is a point1
pitala anapita kukamuzonda!!!? faulty reasoning
WHY BLAMING THEM YOU FOOL?The CCAP has been there with him.From what you said which means the DDP were also waiting for his death
Munthu opanda nzeru iwe. Ukatero umati walankhula? Shame
Petulo anamkako liti? Batchukani mmaliromo !!!