I am going nowhere—Malasa

Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire Brighton Vita Malasa has dismissed media reports that he has resigned, saying he is still in control of the diocese.

In an interview yesterday, the bishop said he has no problem resigning if he is paid his benefits by the diocese.

Malasa said: “I can resign on condition that they meet the requirement in the Canon 13. I have nothing to lose. I can find something else to do. They demanded an audit, it was done and there was nowhere in the report that it was indicated that money was stolen.

“If that was the case I could have been arrested. They wanted a new diocesan secretary and that was honoured. This whole issue has a political face.”

According to Canon 13 of the Church of the Province of Central Africa, if Malasa happens to resign, the diocese will have to pay him his benefits package (maintenance cost) which may include building him a house of the same standard as the bishop’s house at the diocese, pay him his salary of 19 years wholesome, and other benefits such as a vehicle, security, medical, cooks and messengers up to his retirement age of 65.

There have been reports claiming the bishop resigned on Saturday.

For the past five years, some members of the church have been accusing Malasa of mismanagement of funds, maladministration, greed and being power-hungry.

The latest debacle prompted the Archbishop and Primate of Central Africa Albert Chama to come to Malawi on Friday to mediate on the issue.

According to sources at the meeting with the Governing Council of the church which took place on Saturday, Chama gave the church six months to decide on whether they will give Malasa his benefits wholesomely for the 19 years remaining for him to reach the retirement age while managing the new bishop.

A member of the diocesan Standing Committee, a committee that governs the diocese, told The Nation yesterday that the church cannot afford to meet all that is demanded for.

The source said: “Unfortunately, most members of the diocesan Standing Committee are not in agreement with the diocese paying a lot of money to the Bishop because the diocese cannot afford.

“Secondly the diocesan Standing Committee does not have issues with Bishop Malasa, it is only a few churches in the diocese that are complaining.”

Malasa said he is happy that the dispute has been resolved as it has dogged the diocese for five years.

In January 2019, over 200 faithful from 35 out of 42 parishes of the Anglican Church of the Upper Shire sealed Malasa’s offices in Zomba, demanding his immediate resignation.

The disgruntled Christians, who included 17 of 50 members of the clergy in the diocese, presented a petition to the bishop before sealing the offices.

Following the petition, the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa last year sent Bishop Malasa on a three-month leave to allow for investigations into the diocese’s wrangles.