Anglicans meet over Malasa
Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in Central Africa Province Albert Chama has intervened in the disagreements involving the faithful in Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire and their Bishop Brighton Malasa.
The Zambia-based Archbishop has delegated his envoy Bishop William Mchombo to meet Malasa and all parish representatives in Upper Shire Diocese in an attempt to resolve the impasse that has seen the church members rebelling against their leader.
While confirming the development in an interview yesterday, chairperson of the Anglican Council in Malawi Bishop Fanuel Magangani declined to comment further, saying the matter was handled by the Archbishop’s office in Zambia.
“Of course, I am aware but the order is coming from the Archbishop’s office as such it is not proper and wise for me to start commenting on something that is not from my office,” said Magangani, who is Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Northern Malawi.
The Archbishop’s representative was initially scheduled to hold the meeting with stakeholders today at St George’s Parish in Zomba from 9am.
The parish’s warden Liz Chikoti confirmed in a separate interview that Bishop Mchombo, who is based in Zambia, was expected to preside over the meeting expected to bring together representatives from the 41 parishes.
“The meeting is not yet confirmed because there were supposed to be some changes in terms of dates after our request so we were told to wait but we are yet to get the feedback,” she said.
Malasa, who is also dean of Anglican Church in Central Africa Province (second in command to Archbishop Chama), was not available for comment yesterday.
The meeting of the Archbishop’s envoy comes after bishops of the Anglican Council in Malawi also commissioned Bishop Alinafe Kalemba of the Diocese of Southern Malawi to mediate in the issue.
According to leaked communication, on December 15 last year, representatives of 37 out of 41 parishes in the diocese met at St George’s Parish where they agreed to remove Malasa from office accusing him of funds abuse, greed and being power hungry.
The representatives further resolved to ban their bishop from visiting all parishes within the diocese’s jurisdiction.
The parishes, according to the communication, also accuse the bishop of grabbing board chairmanships of most schools and health facilities in the diocese.
The Upper Shire Diocese is considered the richest in the Anglican Church in Malawi as it boasts of several schools, health facilities and a training centre which it jointly runs with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP).
Meanwhile, representatives of the parishes in the diocese met in Mangochi last Saturday to come up with one stand ahead of the meeting with the Archbishop emissary.
