Malawi’s Ruling Tonse Alliance “lost direction”, Catholic Officials Say, Urge Leadership

CCJP officials explain, “The Tonse Government is losing touch with the collective agenda to elevate the socio-economic welfare of Malawians and to improve the quality of governance, which many people embraced.”

"There are incessant wrangles among the Tonse Government political partners, all of them fueled by greed, nepotism and partisan interests spread across the Alliance," the Catholic Church officials add.

They continue highlighting the challenges bedeviling Malawi’s ruling Tonse Alliance saying, “Intra-party contestations and conflicts are manifested in differing politically motivated policy positions and hate speech among the respective political supporters or followers.”

“Deplorably, this is affecting the running of public affairs amid continued socio-economic hardships facing the majority of the people amid COVID-19 pandemic,” officials of the Commissions of ECM members further say, and add, “Poor handling of public interest issues is also accentuated by unclear government direction on supporting small scale businesses and the informal economic sector.” 

“It is deplorable and disturbing that tendencies of nepotism in public appointments continue to thrive despite detestation from many quarters within the society,” the Catholic Church leaders say in their two-page statement titled, “Tonse government, fading hope amid governance lapses: where is the political promise?”

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They further decry the practice of discrimination saying, “This iniquity only worsens social inequalities while debilitating against merit and the equalization of opportunities for inclusive development.”

“Corruption in government procurement processes continues to worsen with rent-seeking behavior flourishing as the politically connected are reported to be benefiting from such corrupt acts,” CCJP officials lament.

While they welcome and laud the new leadership at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the Catholic Church leaders observe that “continued politicization of public procurement and political interference in public service provision bodies will render the ACB ineffective.”

Against this backdrop of challenges, the Catholic Church leaders in Malawi invite the ruling Tonse Alliance government to “show decisive leadership and come up with public policies that will favor the poor of the poorest in this country.”

The Tonse Alliance government “should begin delivering on its promises to avoid losing people's trust and confidence,” they emphasize, and caution, “Mere speeches and podium declarations will take this country nowhere.”

The Catholic Church officials also urge the leadership of the Southern African nation to stop “nepotistic public appointment tendencies and cronyism.”

They recommend that ACB “effectively investigate all alleged corrupt acts connected to patrons and political associates of the new regime without any political interference.”

“Public institutions should be allowed to effectively operate with no politicization,” CCJP Officials say, and further urge partners in the Tonse Alliance government to “rise above sheer partisan motives and start delivering in pursuit of the common good.”

“Unnecessary wrangles within the Alliance should be stopped. It is an insult to Malawians for Alliance partners to be arguing about who actually won the fresh Presidential election while most Malawians are sinking deeper and deeper into abject poverty and worsening level of unemployment,” officials of the ECM Commission say. 

They also call on the Tonse Alliance Government to “practically demonstrate its concrete plans to support small scale businesses and the informal economic sector as poor socioeconomic conditions haunt many people.”

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Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.