MALAWI: The Political Strife That Threatens Peace and Harmony in Malawi
Malawians fulfilling their constitutional Rights by casting their Votes (Images courtesy)
Malawi, a nation that goes by the slogan The Warm Heart of Africa is currently experiencing political turmoil, so much that it is now anything but the warm heart. This follows a contested general election held in May this year whereby the Incumbent President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was declared winner by the Malawi electoral Commission.
Two opposition leaders Dr. Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima of United Transformation Movement (UTM) rejected the results and have since moved to the country’s Constitutional Court. The rest of the country has since been embroiled in protests, looting and destruction of public property and loss of life.
On October 23, the Catholic Church in Malawi held a National Prayer Day for Peace, Unity and Reconciliation. The Holy Father Pope Francis sent his message of solidarity expressing that the prayers would lead to conversion of hearts and reconciliation in the service of peace and social harmony. During the National Prayer Day, the Catholic Bishops unanimously called for dialogue among all the political stakeholders on issues of national interest.
AMECEA Online News in an interview with the chairman of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) Most Rev. Luke Thomas Msusa analysed the situation as it is now and what next after the Nation Prayer Day.
Below is the Interview:
AMECEA Online News: Over five months down the line since the General Elections, things seems to be only getting worse. Looking at the current situation, what next?
Archbishop Msusa: During our National Prayer Day, we the Catholic Bishops unanimous implored both the ruling party and the opposition party leadership to have a dialogue whose content should be issues of National interest. Looking at it, people in Malawi 17 million people are suffering.
Whatever is happening currently is for the interest of individual political parties. The battle about who won and who did not win is currently a none-issue for us as Catholic Bishop. We are therefore saying that, it has been too long. People really voted overwhelmingly for change through their constitutional right which is their vote. Unfortunately, five months down the line, people don’t see where they are going. They know where they are coming from and that is from poverty, regionalism, corruption and nepotism among other social ills.
On October 27, we Catholics in all the eight dioceses held prayers and in one voice, we called on the leadership of all political parties to shade off their pride, come together and look at the nation which is burning and find a political solution.
We know that the case is in court but the reality, as we perceive it, is that the court judges will not bring a solution. Actually, we are seeing two possible scenarios: if the judges rule that the status quo should continue, meaning that incumbent President continues as Head of State, there is danger that the opposition leaders will not accept that judgment. On the other hand, if the judgment is in the opposition’s favour that there be a rerun, again, there is danger that the ruling party will not accept it. So, there will be no solution there. What Malawi urgently needs is a political solution. That’s why we the Catholic Bishops are calling for dialogue.
AMECEA Online News: What has been mostly affected by the turmoil?
Archbishop Msusa: Everything is disturbed, not only the business circle or economy but even in social circles. Unity among Malawians is threatened; people are divided. There is a group of human rights activists that are holding demonstrations throughout the country, all over the districts. They claim to have peaceful demonstrations but in reality the people who are joining in the demonstrations end up destroying public and business properties, looting shops, burning houses, attacking people including the police officers. In all these, a number of people have lost their lives. All these are indicators that Malawi is no longer a happy nation.
AMECEA Online News: Is the strife countrywide or just in some region?
The strife is almost everywhere in the country. Of course in the Southern part where the ruling party dominates, it is more or less calm but this is not because people are not willing to demonstrate. Rather, it is because the majority of cadets from the ruling party are intimidating people. It doesn’t mean that all people are loyal to the party. They are just afraid of being targeted. I should say that the whole country is experiencing strife.
AMECEA Online News: Since the National Prayer Day, are there any political leaders who have expressed willingness to engage in dialogue and reconciliation?
Archbishop Msusa: Immediately after our National Prayer Day, the President of the Republic went to Russia, but when coming back something very positive happened. Newspapers quoted him saying that he is ready for dialogue. So in my opinion our prayers are working because for the President himself calling for a dialogue, this is something very positive for us. We believe and hope that God is responding to our call.
Historically, democracy in Malawi came through the initiative of the Catholic Bishops in 1992. Before that, there was only one political party, the Malawi Congress Party. In 1992, the Catholic Bishops wrote a Pastoral letter entitled Living Our Faith, which called for a freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of belonging and formation of different political parties which almost every Malawian except the then ruling party responded positively including all different faith groups, Muslims and Protestants. They were all united saying yes, what the Catholic Bishops have written is really the desire of each every Malawian.
In 1992, everybody participated in demonstrations, people came out from their houses, and workplaces in large numbers. Even university students joined in saying they want change. As a result, in 1993, there was a referendum of whether people wanted a multiparty democratic system of government of one political party, and they voted overwhelmingly for multiparty. Based on this, we are hopeful that the political leadership of Malawi will heed to our call for dialogue for peace, unity and reconciliation.
AMECEA Online News: Whenever there is turmoil in any country, we often hear the voice of the International Communities calling for peaceful resolution. Are there any of these that have reached out to Malawi?
Archbishop Msusa: My answer is Yes and No. Yes, in the sense that before our National Prayer Day, we received a message of Solidarity from the Holy Father Pope Francis who prayed that a solution be found soon. The AU, unfortunately, has not said anything yet. The United Nations are working with us but from behind as they are saying that if there should be peace and unity in Malawi, it must come from the Malawians themselves.
The UN has supported us through the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) which consists of leadership from different religious groups in Malawi. PAC has been spearheading reconciliation and dialogue among the political stakeholders. The UN has been supporting the committee by facilitating its logistics during meetings with various political leaders. Additionally, the UN is also giving directions on how to go about the issue of mediation, dialogue and reconciliation. Apart from these there are no other groupings or nations that have spoken about our plight.
All in all, I think this is something that Malawians must work on, and I hope that a solution will soon come forth.
∽End∽
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
