MALAWI: CHURCH-STATE TENSION INCREASES

A catholic priest has said that the president of Malawi and his allies have begun political attacks on perceived enemies of his government.

He now “never misses an opportunity to attack the churches, without any respect,” Montfort Missionary, Fr Piergiorgio Gamba told Fides. A rift between President Bingu wa Mutharika and the Catholic Church increased in August this year when Bishop Joseph Mkasa Zuza of Mzuzu in northern Malawi, gave a public speech in front of the president.

The bishop, who is the head of Malawi’s bishop’s conference, said repeatedly that those who believe themselves to be perfect and to have no need of advice are perfect fools. The bishop intended the speech to be a general criticism of the way the country is led, but the president took it personal.

“There is a campaign of defamation against the bishop, with very heavy accusations towards him and his ministry,” said the missionary who has worked in Malawi for over 30 years. Fr Gamba said, “In the Catholic Church, religious men and women and the entire community share “the courageous choice of their bishops.”

Opponents of President Mutharika on September 21 called for people to stay indoors and not to go to work because police authorities have not granted permission for a national protest demonstration despite the approval by the country’s Supreme Court.

“Police said they will not protect any demonstrators, which is why protest organizers are asking people to stay away,” said civil rights leader Piter Chinoko. Opponents accuse the president of mismanaging the economy and centralizing power at the expense of the country’s democratic gains.