Govt attacks Nkhoma Synod Pastoral letter

The Malawi government through Minister of Information and Communications Technology Henry Mussa has reacted to Nkhoma Synod Pastoral letter guiding its congregants on what kind of leader to vote for in the forthcoming May 21 polls.

The Nkhoma Synod last Sunday released a Pastoral letter which was read in its all churches asking its members to seek God’s guidance to choose a leader with great passion and reputation for service during the May 21 polls.

The church gave out a vote of no confidence to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.

The church highlighted issues such as Corruption, good governance and protection of Persons with Albinism as critical areas that need to be prioritized in the next administration.

Reacting to the pastoral letter, Mussa said the Nkhoma Synod pointing out corruption in government forgetting that the church is also embroiled on corruption scandal.

“Government has searched its memory and has not found any instance where it feigned ignorance of or defended the existence of corruption in Malawi. Corruption is a serious problem which continues to gnaw at the fabric of our society. Nkhoma Synod should be the first to acknowledge the seriousness of this problem as it has not spared even places where the nation should be turning to for deliverance.

“The synod will recall that in 2014, the United States Agency for International Development (USaid) demanded that the church should refund money amounting to K61, 886 389.11 siphoned through fraud that hit a water, sanitation and hygiene project USaid financed and which the synod was implementing,” reads in part the statement.

He added: “Actually, the Nkhoma synod general secretary (at the time) Reverend Vasco Kachipapa was quoted in the Weekend Nation edition of June 15, 2014 as saying, “the church is in shame.”

“This is just one example of the extent of corruption and justifies the call by Government on those who love to criticise to stop finger pointing, to refrain from holier than thou behaviour and join hands in order that together we can form a concerted and robust effort of fighting the vice.”

Below is the letter;

COMMENTS ON THE NKHOMA SYNOD PASTORAL LETTER

The Constitution of the Republic of Malawi provides for the right to worship, to hold an opinion and to freely express it. Government will always guarantee these and all those rights that are enshrined in the Constitution.

In exercise of these rights, the Nkhoma Synod of the CCAP last weekend issued a pastoral letter in which the church expressed a number of issues of public interest.
Government has no wish of responding to the pastoral letter because like everyone, the church has its own opinion. Responding to the opinions of others sometimes smacks of intolerance which is undemocratic. There will never be a time when all of us can think alike. At all times, Government will encourage holding of diverse opinions because that is what refines our society.

This notwithstanding, Government feels it has an obligation to comment on the pastoral letter where, in expressing its opinion, the church has misplaced facts, abdicated from shared responsibility and created erroneous impressions.

The areas in question, which cannot be left without comment, include the following:

1.0 CORRUPTION

Government has searched its memory and has not found any instance where it feigned ignorance of or defended the existence of corruption in Malawi. Corruption is a serious problem which continues to gnaw at the fabric of our society. Nkhoma Synod should be the first to acknowledge the seriousness of this problem as it has not spared even places where the nation should be turning to for deliverance.

The synod will recall that in 2014, the United States Agency for International Development (USaid) demanded that the church should refund money amounting to K61, 886 389.11 siphoned through fraud that hit a water, sanitation and hygiene project USaid financed and which the synod was implementing.

Actually, the Nkhoma synod general secretary (at the time) Reverend Vasco Kachipapa was quoted in the Weekend Nation edition of June 15, 2014 as saying, “the church is in shame.”

This is just one example of the extent of corruption and justifies the call by Government on those who love to criticise to stop finger pointing, to refrain from holier than thou behaviour and join hands in order that together we can form a concerted and robust effort of fighting the vice.

Government will continue to play its part as it is doing to reform the public finance and management regime and increase the number of resources to oversight and accountability institutions. However, all partners, like churches, should play their part too. Some of those who steal are members of churches. Theft results from collapse of morals. The church is where morals are developed and fixed. Our places of worship and men of God should, therefore, not give up on this task and outsource it to Government.

2.0 KILLINGS OF PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM

Government would have loved to hear from the synod suggestions on how the people living with the condition of albinism can be assisted. The synod has dismissed all the measures that Government has put in place but has not given any idea on how Government can do things differently.

The synod may wish to use the Commission of Inquiry set up by the State President, His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, as an avenue through which the missing suggestions can be shared so that they may be included in the final report of the Commission.

3.0 THE DEATH OF MR. NJAUJU

This matter is still under investigation. Government needs all the assistance including information to have this matter concluded. The synod is welcome to assist in this important investigation.

4.0 VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE

The synod is mistaken to suggest that a vote of no confidence has been cast against President Mutharika and his administration simply because some members of his cabinet are presidential candidates in the forthcoming presidential election.

A church should be a fountain and safeguard of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. As such, instead of misconstruing the veracity of the situation, the synod should be commending the President for being exceptionally tolerant and democratic in being able to work and accommodate his competitors. This is good and unprecedented.

5.0 ALLEGATIONS OF RIGGING

Government wishes to encourage the synod to always form its positions on the basis of truth and facts. The church must, at all times, be an advocate of the truth, not a peddler of allegations.

The 2014 elections took place almost five years ago. Five years later, no one has come up with evidence proving the allegations that those elections were rigged. It therefore is irresponsible for the church to repeat such allegations instead of simply showing the people of Malawi proof.

Further, the results of those elections were announced at night because it is at that time when the court of law give its verdict on an electoral dispute that was brought for its determination. Unless evidence is provided, it is wrong for the church to cast aspersions on the court as being an accomplice in the alleged electoral wrongdoing.

Government wishes to appeal to the synod not to undermine the independence of the judiciary and rule of law. If the church was not satisfied with the ruling of the high court, the remedy should have been to appeal to the supreme court.

Again, the church is urged to, at all times, be a bearer of truth. Gossipers should look at the church in awe and self-condemnation. They must not find the church as an ally in vending of gossip.

6.0 CHOICE OF A CANDIDATE

The synod has guided its flock that they should only vote for someone who, among other things, is filled with the holy spirit.

While the church is free in guiding its flock, the guidance should be embracing not alienating.

Malawi is a multi-faith society. A member of any faith grouping is free to participate in an election and seek office.

The church, therefore, should not suggest in its pastoral pronouncements that some people, because of their faith, are more equal and entitled than others.

In a competition, like the forthcoming tripartite election, the church must always be a safeguard of a fair and level playing field where each candidate has equal opportunity to run.

7.0 CONCLUSION

Despite our differences in opinion, Government regards the Nkhoma Synod of the CCAP as a vital partner in the development of Malawi. The contribution the church is making in the social sector cannot be ignored because of some of its misinformed opinions. Let us continue to work together to build our country.

HENRY MUSSA
MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY