Voter registration exercise currently in progress in Blantyre
* That highlights crises in hunger, forex & fuel scarcity, lack of medicine, corruption, political violence under MCP-led government
* The right to participate in the political affairs of one’s country can only be exercised fully if one is able to vote
* The Pastoral Letter was released yesterday, November 18 signed by Synod General Secretary, Rev. Anderson Jester Juma Chulu and Moderator Rev. Dr. Humphreys Zgambo
By Duncan Mlanjira
The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP)-Blantyre Synod has issued a Pastoral Letter in which it highlights some crises that the country is reeling from of hunger, forex & fuel scarcity, lack of medicine in public hospitals, rampant corruption, political violence, among others— under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP)-led government.
Thus it calls upon its faithfuls in all its congregations to register enmasse to vote wisely in the forthcoming 2025 General elections, saying: “The right to participate in the political affairs of one’s country can only be exercised fully if one is able to vote.
“We therefore, urge all our members to take advantage of the ongoing process of registering,” says the Pastoral Letter signed by Synod General Secretary, Rev. Anderson Jester Juma Chulu and Moderator Rev. Dr. Humphreys Zgambo, that was released yesterday, November 18.
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The concerns raised affecting the economic livelihood of the citizenry, especially the poor masses in the rural communities, include hunger, saying the lives of the majority of Malawians “is being threatened by the looming hunger due to non-availability of maize stocks in the ADMARC depots”.
“While government continues to paint a rosy picture of the situation, we have observed through our research that on the ground, the hunger situation has reached alarming levels as people have resorted to eating wild plants for their survival.”
Continued Forex shortage and economic challenges
The CCAP-Blantyre Synod further says its has observed “with deep concern the continued and unresolved economic challenges manifested in the rising prices of basic commodities due to, among other factors, scarcity of forex”.
“It is quite concerning that there has not been a practical solution to address this challenge. We would also like to implore government to exercise prudence in the use of government resources through strict fiscal discipline.”
On the persistent fuel scarcity, the Church maintains that it is “hindering socio-economic development in the country [and that] despite promises from the executive to improve the situation, there seems to be no end in sight”.
“We would like, therefore, to ask government to provide sustainable solutions to the situation, so that this problem can be addressed once and for all.”
The Pastoral Letter further says the “continued shortage of essential medical supplies is, “thereby, incapacitating the majority of Malawians who cannot afford treatment in private hospitals [and that] the situation has contributed to needless deaths among the people”
“We urge Government to prioritise the provision of medicines in our hospitals as failure to do so will violate the right to good health of many Malawians.”
On the war against corruption, the Church maintains that it is not a “secret that this government rose to power on a promise to rid the country of corruption — but it is of great concern to note that there is little progress in the fight against corruption in Malawi”.
“The discontinuation of some corruption cases involving high profile individuals, including those linked to business man Zuneth Sattar raises a lot of questions than answers and casts doubts on government’s commitment and zeal to end corruption in the country.
“We would like to appeal to government to march its words with action, otherwise mere rhetoric, would breed rising levels of discontent.”
The rising trend of political violence, whose ugly scenes were captured live happening in Lilongwe last week, but the MCP-led government is silent about it, is also highlighted in the CCAP-Blantyre Synod Pastoral Letter, saying:
“As the country draws closer to the 2025 General Elections, we have noted with regret that political violence and intolerance have become the order of the day. It’s also quite disturbing to note that perpetrators of violence have been left scot-free.
“As Church leaders, we are appealing to political leaders, on both sides of the divide, to desist from hate speeches which fuel violence and from using young men, mostly unemployed, for their own selfish ends.”
A day after the violence, when the security agencies remained quiet of the violence that took place in Lilongwe, the CCAP-Blantyre Synod, through its social arm of Church & Society, implored on the Inspector General of Police, Merlyne Yolamu “to intervene and rise above partisan politics and swiftly bring to book all perpetrators of the said violence in Lilongwe”.
Inspector General of the Police Merlyne Yolamu (left)
Additionally, the Church also called upon the ruling MCP to condemn the said acts of hooliganism in strongest terms while appealing to Malawians, especially the youth, “who most of the times are jobless, to desist from being used by selfish politicians in perpetrating violence in the run-up to the General Elections next year, 2025”.
The Pastoral letter also condemns Malawi Police unprofessionalism, saying the CCAP-Blantyre Synod has observed that “law enforcement agencies have failed to provide maximum security to the general public, thereby compromising their professionalism”.
“Recent developments, where the police have failed to arrest thugs that terrorised and disrupted peaceful demonstrations in Lilongwe are cause for worry. We would like therefore to remind security agencies that its their noble and constitutional duty to protect all citizens regardless of their political inclinations.”
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The CCAP-Blantyre Synod, one of the three Presbyterian synods operating in Malawi, holds quarterly meetings called Administrators’ Conferences every year to deliberate on different issues affecting the synod and its members.
The gatherings are constituted by all presbytery moderators and clerks from all the 20 presbyteries as well as synod management members and on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, the Synod held its 3rd Administrators’ Conference at the Multi-purpose Hall in Blantyre where among other issues, delegates agreed to produce a statement on the state of governance in Malawi.
While the Pastoral Letter dwelt on the worrying economic and social challenges the country is facing, it also highlighted some “notable achievements from government”, that included road construction works in Lilongwe.
“The road construction works currently taking place in Lilongwe are worth celebrating and it is an achievement to be proud of,” said the Pastoral Letter. “We are hopeful that once completed, the road will transform the face of the city and the nation.”
The Church also applauded the government for instituting a Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances that led to the cause of the plane crash that killed Vice-President, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others on June 10, 2024, saying: “We believe without doubt that findings from the commission would provide healing to family members and the nation at large.”
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