Nkhoma Synod seeks Gwengwe apology

Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP) has written People’s Party (PP) running mate Sosten Gwengwe, demanding an apology over remarks he made at a rally held at Chief Mazengera headquarters in Lilongwe on Sunday.

During the rally, Gwengwe, who was speaking in vernacular language, is said to have spoken about how Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera ditched his former church, CCAP, to join the Assemblies of God after the church had given him a scholarship to study theology abroad.

In an interview yesterday, Gwengwe said he would be a fool to fight with the clergy.

He said: “I am yet to receive the letter, but I have no problem extending my apology.”

The letter, signed by Nkhoma Synod moderator Dr Chatha Msangaambe and synod senior clerk Brian Kamwendo and copied to Gwengwe, Chakwera and the Malawi Assemblies of God, says they are disassociating themselves from Gwengwe’s remarks as he is neither an official spokesperson nor communicant church member.

Reads the letter: “The Nkhoma Synod is a church and not a political party, therefore, using CCAP Nkhoma as a campaign tool, either to promote your party or to destroy other people’s candidature is wrong and unacceptable.”

The letter further says Gwengwe should have gotten correct information from the synod officials regarding Chakwera’s move from the Nkhoma Synod before divulging such information as it was wrongly presented.