Bishop Mhango remains at the helm of Cosoma

M

inister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda and rights holder associations have resolved to retain Bishop Chimwemwe Mhango as Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) board chairperson.

The resolution was made on Tuesday during a meeting the minister held in Lilongwe with leaders of the associations to iron out grievances they raised about Bishop Mhango.

During Cosoma annual general meeting (AGM) last year, the bishop lost the elections, but he was appointed by the minister to be board chairperson.

The decision did not please  associations who described him as illegitimate. This caused the premature end to this year’s Cosoma AGM they in Lilongwe on Monday.

 But Chimwendo Banda said he was surprised to read about the issue in the media as no member association complained to his office about Bishop Mhango’s appointment.

“None of you here approached me to formally complain. My office is open for contact and dialogue because there is power in it,” he told the meeting.

The minister urged the member associations to accept Mhango’s appointment, saying continued misunderstandings will derail the arts industry in the country.

Rights holder associations spokesperson Maxwell Chiphinga said they do not have issues with Bishop Mhango chairing the board, but were asking for equal representation of rights holders in the board.

“All what we want is equal representation of member associations in the board. If you look at the composition, you will see that it is dominated by musicians,” he said.

The minister has pledged to look into the matter.

Bishop Mhango said in an interview things are now water under the bridge.

“We need to forge ahead. Let bygones be bygones. The industry needs collaborative efforts to grow,” he said.

For nine months, Bishop Mhango’s appointment into the board was met with resistance from some Cosoma member associations who cited irregularities in the manner he was appointed after he lost elections at an elective conference.

He was appointed into the Cosoma Board to replace poet and president of Poetry Association of Malawi Robert Chiwamba who, by virtue of being a public servant, could not serve in a public sector board.