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Nkhoma Synod laments poor leadership

 

Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) has lamented poor leadership and a myriad of social-economic ills which have cost Malawi her tag as the Warm Heart of Africa.

In a hard-hitting Pastoral Letter-cum Easter Message under the theme Remaining Salt and Light in the Evil and Crooked World read out in its churches yesterday, the predominantly Central Region-based church urged over one million of its faithful to pray to God to protect their faith and guide them in choosing leaders who will improve their lives in the 2019 Tripartite Elections.

M’buka CCAP Moderator the Reverend David Zembeni reading the letter yesterday

Reads in part the letter: “Our country is no longer the Warm Heart that it used to be. Societal decay has permeated all areas of our society, like spiritual decay.”

The letter also decried spiritual decadence and an erosion in the standard of living.

On leadership, the CCAP clergy, who met on Saturday for a special meeting, said: “We have observed that Malawi is lacking selfless political leaders who have the interests of people at heart… We note with regret that the current leaders have put their personal interests and the interests of their political cronies above national interests.

“Some of our members, whom God entrusted with the opportunity to be salt and light to the world , have failed to demonstrate leadership values that can please God.”

The letter expressed concern that social and cultural values have gone down and that the society is faced with ills such as child marriages, low quality education, poor governance misfiring electoral reforms, environmental degradation and climate change setbacks.

The letter has also condemned the tendency by government to use traditional leaders to achieve political gains where the chiefs are enticed by goodies such as promotions marinated by a raise in perks or honorarium.

When contacted, Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Nicholas Dausi, who is also the official government spokesperson, said: “No comment. I have nothing to say.”

But Mzuzu-based social and political commentator Emily Mkamanga blamed the abuse of traditional leaders on politicians, especially those in the governing party, attributing the practice in part to confused chiefs’ governance system.

The letter has also lamented the weak transparency and accountability in the management of the country’s national affairs, demanding to know how decisions affecting the people are made; how contracts are awarded; and how national resources, including financial resources, are distributed.

The letter has mentioned the process of procuring diesel-powered generators by the Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) as an example of questionable transparency and accountability.

The letter has also questioned the controversial K4 billion fund initially allocated to 86 legislators for allegedly voting against the Electoral Reforms Bills.

Nkhoma Synod is part of the CCAP General Synod which also comprises Blantyre Synod and Livingstonia Synod in Malawi and Harare and Lusaka synods. n

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