PAC to discuss leadership, Tengatenga replaced
The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has announced plans to hold a third All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference under the theme ‘Malawi at crossroads: Enhancing transformative leadership through holding leaders and ourselves accountable’ in the wake of the political and economic situation in the country.
In a statement at the end of a joint meeting of the organisation’s executive committee and the board of trustees in Lilongwe yesterday, PAC said it has noted that currently Malawi was at the centre of a financial crisis due to what has revealed itself to be the stealing and looting of public resources.
Reads the statement in part: “Whilst Malawians are ashamed of the emerging reality, they have been surprised at some steps and strides put in place by government that seem to portray uncoordinated efforts; slow application of law; slow investigation processes; and therefore, failing to restore public and donor confidence.”
In the statement, PAC says to effectively understand and come to terms with details as to how, when and what caused the cashgate scandal, PAC would organise national prayers to reflect on the current crisis before Christmas and a third All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference early next year to allow stakeholders to thoroughly examine the current political and economic challenges facing the country.
It says there was also a concern that next year’s electoral process might be destabilised by the manner in which the forensic report into the cashgate scandal would be handled.
During the meeting, PAC also accepted the resignation of Anglican Bishop James Tengatenga as board chairperson.
According to the PAC statement, the joint meeting of the organisation’s executive committee and the board of trustees accepted the resignation from Tengatenga who wants to concentrate on preparations as he leaves the country for a new undertaking in the United States of America (USA) next year.
Tengatenga, who was elected PAC chairperson in May this year, resigned as Bishop for Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi in July after serving in that capacity for 15 years.
In July this year, Tengatenga was appointed dean of the William Jewett Tucker Foundation at Dartmouth College in the US and was expected to take up the position early 2014 but the institution withdrew the employment offer over his anti-gay remarks.
At the same PAC meeting, vice-chairperson the Reverend Dr. Felix Chingota of CCAP Blantyre Synod was appointed to lead the organisation with effect from December 5 2013 until PAC holds an annual general meeting whereas Sheikh. Dr. Salmin Omar will serve as vice-chairperson and Bishop Godfrey Matonga becomes treasurer.
The statement also says the trustees elected Rev. Dr Timothy Nyasulu of Malawi Council of Churches to serve as chairperson of the board of trustees and Bishop Montfort Stima of Episcopal Conference of Malawi was elected vice-chairperson of the same board.
