…corrupt, empty speeches, promises
…not Canan but slave market Bagamoyo
It does not rain for President Lazarus Chakwera, but it pours as the influential Catholic Bishops have declared that he cannot listen to any advice; hence, talking to him is “fruitless.” They say Malawi is now a sad story.
The hard-hitting pastoral letter declares that President Chakwera has failed Malawians and failed to change as many hoped. The country has been taken to an ancient slave trade market, “Bagamoyo”, in Tanzania, instead of the promised Canaan.
“We cannot continue this way as a nation. Our leaders need to stop being greedy and serve the people that put them into power,” say the 10 Bishops representing all the Roman Catholic Church diocese in Malawi. The Catholic Church is the largest church by membership in the country.
The Bishops Lantern Letter, read in all Catholic Church, agrees with The Investigator Magazine’s assessment of President Chakwera and his Malawi Congress Party reign, saying Malawians now realise the promises that were made in 2020 during the campaign were merely rhetoric.
“We have privately engaged the State President several times. Still, we fail to see any positive change in the general governance of our dear Malawi or any improvement in the plight of our poor brothers and sisters across the country,” The Bishops condemn Chakwera’s inability to listen.
They said they warned the government that poor leadership would cost Malawi a lot and that instead, the president and his fellow politicians have become “salesmen” who are always selling new promises without fulfilling the old ones.
Empty speeches from Chakwera
The Bishops condemn excess travelling by the Government, draining public funds in allowances and payments to suppliers whose cases are under investigation or in courts at the time Malawians are facing foreign exchange shortages.
They told the Catholic faithful that President Chakwera’s advisors at State House are linked to some of the dubious deals, and rent-seeking from suppliers is part of the current administration’s core work, including the issuance of sovereign guarantees to dubious suppliers.
“We have seen a journalist go into hiding for merely telling the nation the truth about the military’s transactions with an individual who is under investigation for corruption. Is it an attempt at taking us back to the one-party style of dictatorship,” asks the bishops.
The letters point out nepotism under the President as he appears to favour one tribe or region, hiding civil service reform reports and devaluation, and that the Tonse Alliance seems not to care at all about any of the promises made to the people.
“The suffering in the villages has worsened. Some families face starvation, as they could not afford fertiliser that was on the market and further problems due to erratic rains. Parents/guardians cannot afford school/college fees,” states the letter.
Corruption is everywhere, including Judiciary.
Corruption is still rampant, declares the Bishops, indirectly telling the President what The Investigator Magazine told him- he is a champion of corruption.
“From the top down, people with high connections are unjustly turning into multimillionaires overnight to the detriment of the majority of people who are being kept in grinding poverty. Sadly, corruption has seeped into all areas of life in Malawi,” commiserates the Catholic leaders.
They say under President Chakwera, there has been a systematic dismantling of accountability institutions, which have now been rendered useless.
“The fight against corruption has been allowed to collapse. Shame on those who have allowed this to happen! What remains is the game of make-believe, the mere appearance of fighting corruption. People are not fooled by this,” The Bishops lament.
On Malawi’s Judiciary, the Bishops say it has “abandoned its integrity” and has now embroiled itself in corruption and partisanship.
“The Price of judges and magistrates is no longer a taboo; it is an open secret that some lawyers thrive by bribing judges and magistrates to defeat the ends of justice. Some judges and magistrates are accountable to no one. They take years to hear a case, yet the Judiciary does nothing to discipline them,” charge the men of the collar.
Get involved in 2025; Bishops tell faithful.
The Bishops warn against any move to change the 50 +1 electoral system for the President, saying it is the same as attempts in 2002 to change the constitution to enable a third term for the President. This signals that the Church would take the same position as it did during the third-term debate.
The Bishops ask Malawians to be involved in elections, saying everyone should take part to elect a proper government.
“Politicians can use the media, money, power and government/party machinery in devious ways to secure votes,” warn the Bishops.
