MALAWI: ECM Calls for Patience, Peace and Calm as People Wait for the Election Results

Rt. Rev. Joseph Mukasa Zuza

Chairman – ECM

The
Episcopal Conference of Malawi ECM has
appealed for patience, peace and calm as the nation waits for the announcement
of the results of the tripartite Election that was held on 20th May.

The
announcement of the results has been delayed following disputes arising from
political parties accusing the Electoral Commission of committing serious
irregularities during the time of election.

Below is the
full statement of the bishops, which was signed by the chairman of the
conference:

ECM Statement about the Tripartite Elections

Let Justice
and Peace Embrace!

Preamble

The
Episcopal Conference of Malawi, an umbrella body for the eight Catholic
Dioceses in Malawi, having followed with keen interest the turn of events
surrounding the current Tripartite Elections, wishes, through this statement,
to make its humble but sincere contribution towards the building of our nation
at this critical juncture.

What we have noted

We recognize that the road to the
tripartite polls has been a mixed bag of preparatory successes and
challenges resulting in doubts been cast on the levels of preparedness,
the competence of the Malawi Electoral Commission and the credibility of
the results;

We note that some logistical challenges
resulted into some polling centers opening late and some other pockets of
polling centers not actually voting on 20th May in so doing
heightening the levels of impatience among some Malawian citizens;

We regret that in a few places the
levels of frustration because of electoral related logistical challenges
degenerated into ugly scenes of anarchy and violence;

We note with a sigh of relief that even
in such a challenging operating environment, alternatives were found to
allow Malawians exercise their right to vote on 21st and 22nd
May;

We note and respect the sentiments that
have so far been expressed by various political parties, the Malawi
Electoral Commission and various stakeholders.

Our Call and Our Appeal

We the
Catholic Bishops, realizing and reiterating the significance of elections to
our nation 50 years after independence and considering as well that this is the
only time that Malawians have to elect or re-elect leaders who will transform
Malawi

We call for timely, effective and
efficient delivery of electoral results that will sustain public
confidence in the electoral process;

We call for continued patience, peace and
calm
from all electoral stakeholders and Malawi citizens in general to
create an enabling environment in which the Malawi Electoral
Commission releases the official results of the polls;

We call upon all Malawians to refrain from any confrontational,
defensive and uncompromising language and allow room for genuine reason, faith
and dialogue;

We categorically discourage violence as
means of settling differences of our frustrations with the challenges the
electoral processes are facing and encourage everybody to give room and
space for dialogue and mediation.

Conclusion

As we
reminded you all through our recent pastoral letter and as our national anthem
always reminds us, let us ask God to bless mother Malawi and keep it the land
of peace. We are mindful of the command
of the Risen Lord, “Peace is what I leave you, it is my own peace that I give
you…..” (John 14:27. We need peace
supported by patience to allow the Malawi Electoral Commission to officially
release the results.

We
reiterate the advice we gave to winners and losers in the same Pastoral Letter:

We would like to remind those that will emerge victorious after
the elections of their enormous responsibility to turn around our national woes
and take this nation forward.   As such,
they will celebrate their victory with a sense of humility.   They will do this nation a lot of good if
they exercise servant leadership, being “last of all and servant of all” (Mk.
9:35, Mat. 20:24 -28), and not narrowly be interested in serving people of
their own party or region or ethnicity.
Those who lose the elections should accept the results gracefully and
quickly turn their energies towards building this country. (Strengthening the Vision of Our Destiny, par.4.2.5
p.17)

We pray that
the peace and calm that has been characteristic of Malawi as a nation will
continue to prevail in our country and that justice and peace will continue to
embrace in our midst.

23rd May, 2014

Signed by:

Rt. Rev.
Joseph Mukasa Zuza

Chairman – Episcopal Conference of Malawi

SOURCE: ECM Communication Office