On Thursday this week, Blantyre CCAP Synod officially commissioned and dedicated broadcasts of its radio station at a function graced by Minister of Information and Civic Education Brown Mpinganjira. Mpinganjira took advantage of the occasion to ask the synod to declare its stand on contentious issues such as homosexuality and its prophetic role in governance issues. Our reporter WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR talks to general secretary of the synod Reverend Alex Maulana.
How do you feel that you have finally dedicated broadcasts of CCAP Blantyre Synod Radio?
I am so delighted and pleased. I thank God for what has just taken place today. It is a dream that has come to pass and mission accomplished.
By the way, what does it mean to dedicate broadcasts of a radio station?
This simply means that the synod has given a mandate to the station to start its work of evangelising through the air. You may wish to know that although the radio already started broadcasting some weeks ago, it did not have the blessing of the Synod. So, the dedication of the broadcasts today signifies that the station has been given the mandate to do the job for which it was established.
Give us a picture of what it took the synod to come up with this station.
The idea to have a radio station was hatched over three years ago. We immediately applied for a licence, were kept waiting until last year when the current government accepted us to open the radio.
This reminds of something. Why did you take so long before going on air after being licensed last year?
I should admit that we did not plan financially. That is why when we were offered the licence, we had to go back to our faithful for support. Let me take this opportunity to thank our faithful for responding positively to our plea for financial contribution towards the project. Particularly, we thank President Joyce Banda through her Joyce Banda Foundation (JBF) for giving us K10 million (US$25 000) as a donation towards the radio. This money assisted us to buy state-of-art equipment and we are very grateful for the goodwill of whoever contributed.
CCAP Blantyre Synod Radio is a Christian media house. Don’t you think accepting donations from politicians will compromise your professional ethics in your programming?
I can assure you that we will maintain our neutral stand on politics despite receiving support from politicians. By the way, you need to know that whatever politicians give us in terms of donations is not necessarily theirs. It is the money we give them through taxes. Politicians, on their own, cannot make money. They rely on taxes. So, there is nothing wrong in accepting donations from politicians because they are simply giving back to where the money came from.
Therefore, the synod will continue criticising government where necessary without fear of losing support. I hope you heard me criticising government handling of cash-gate scam. This shows how objective we are and is an assurance that donations will never close our mouths when things go wrong.
The minister also asked you to use the radio in condemning homosexuality. What do you say about that?
Blantyre Synod of the CCAP is already clear about homosexuality, lesbianism and gay issues. This is a sin, which needs to be condemned. However, this does not mean we will incite hatred for practising homosexuals. Instead, we will pray for them so that God can heal them. What we hate is not the person who practises it, but the sin itself.
