“Accept court ruling, or challenge it peacefully, constitutionally”: Malawi Bishops

In their December 3 statement availed to ACI Africa, the Bishops have urged Malawians to “desist from any acts of violence or harassment aimed at instilling fear in others.”

The Church leaders have also condemned the sporadic violence  in various parts of the country by human rights defenders, terming it “evil and unacceptable and contrary to human rights and freedoms, which we fought for when we chose multiparty system of government.” 

“We condemn in the strongest terms the violence, in all its forms and manifestations that continues to take place in some parts of the country,” the Prelates have stated and added, “We denounce this injustice, often based on political, regional and tribal lines, that is being perpetrated on innocent people and their property.”

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in Malawi has been meeting with various religious leaders encouraging advocacy for peace among their respective followers including the need to accept the February 2020 court ruling.

In an interview with ACI Africa Wednesday, December 4, Malawi’s CCJP Coordinator, Boniface Chibwana said that the situation in the country is unpredictable as “tension is manifested in other forms and there is a lot of discontentment among the people.”

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“It’s difficult to tell the outcome of the case from a layman's point of view,” Mr. Chibwana said referencing the case in Malawi’s constitutional court challenging the results of the Presidential elections.

He added, “What is clear is that the party that will lose the case is likely not to take it; there is seemingly violence coming in after the ruling.”

In an earlier interview with ACI Africa, the Chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Archbishop Thomas Msusa of Blantyre expressed concerns over the possible chaos that might follow the constitutional court ruling saying, “We foresee problems because one side will not be happy. To avoid these scenarios, we are saying the parties involved prepare their supporters.”

Inspired by Kenya’s 2018 “Handshake” that saw the cessation of hostilities following the coming together of the East African country’s key political rivals after two disputed and quite divisive 2017 elections, religious leaders in Malawi have called on the political class to put aside their differences and agree to work together to get the southeast African nation back to its feet.

In their December 3 collective statement, the Catholic Bishops in Malawi have further warned against fake news saying, “Desist also from spreading sensational news in relation to this court case, especially on social media that can easily stir up and bring about disquiet, anger and violence among Malawians thereby disturbing peace and unity.”

While calling for justice to prevail in their country, the Prelates have reiterated their June 2019 call for peace, calm and unity.

“We call upon all our Commissions such as Justice and Peace, Pastoral and Social Communications, as well as Catholic media houses to come up with concrete ways of preparing people to accept the court ruling in the interest of maintaining, promoting and safeguarding peace and unity among Malawians,” the Bishops have stated.