Analysis by: James Dube
A vibrant, diverse and a biting civil society is a best mechanism that helps the local person to put government accountable to it’s citizens.
Civil society that builds or strengthens governance institutions are the salt and light of the earth.
Civil society organizations give voice to the disorganized, voiceless segments of society. They raise awareness of social issues and advocate for change, empowering local communities to develop new programs to meet their own needs.
True, religious groups in Malawi have an important role to play in strengthening our democratisation process. Faith community apart from it’s core duty which is spirituality, it also offers a platform for the governed to take part in development as one way of enhancing cohesion between the State and the society.
Since Malawi attained democracy in 1994, faith based organizations have been the beacon of hope because it does provide a watchdog role by making sure that government is accountable and transparent to it’s people.
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi(ECM) Evangelical Association of Malawi(EAM) Livingstonia, Nkhoma and Blantyre Synods, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) Pastors Fraternity, Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) have been the voice of the voiceless . They have written pastoral letters to government even to the State Presidents in the past denouncing their leadership styles that threaten democracy and the wellbeing of the governed.
But one wonders why these organizations have gone to sleep while the Chakwera led government is losing direction just 9 months into power with gross negligence as MCP is now is rumoured to be training it’s youths at Mtakakata Police Training as reported in Parliament during Midterm Budget Review.
By now, these religious groups could have written a pastoral letter to demand audit report on the 6.2 billion plunder that President Chakwera and his stooges have looted at the expense of poor Malawians who can not afford to buy a mask which is pegged at 200 Malawi Kwacha.
By now, these ‘holy people’ could have been all over in the news media studios giving interviews on the social economic decay this country is heading to as government continues to borrow on the local and international market to fund the budget which is not helping the local person but the bellies of the already rich people through racket and corruption.
By now, these organizations could have reminded President Chakwera of his campaign promises that made him to win government like free connections of electricity and water, reduced passport and driving licence prices, one week duty free, fuel pump rising that has resulted in inflation, telling government to buy maize from farmers at a good price and not lower prices, unnecessary closure of school is affecting the parents and learners, the opening of mega farms, by now these so called men of God could have reminded Chakwera that the Vice President is not the appointing authority of the Cabinet, by now the religious leaders could have told Chakwera in the face that not paying salaries for the teachers is a human rights abuse reminiscing of those old dark days where civil servants subjected to torture for disagreeing with government, when the President appoints Cabinet based on tribe and family connection, the citizens expects the faith groups to denounce that. Examples are many.
In a country where the faith based organizations who are regarded as light of the world start operating from the ‘table of the king with fat cheques’, just know that devil is real.
In one of his sayings Jesus the Son of Living God said and I quote.
Matthew 5.13
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost it’s, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet”.
It is clear from the verse quoted above faith organizations are best regarded as noblest elements of change in the society but if the ‘light’ which is the that has failed to bring visibility to the world, it has to trampled and thrown away.
So far our churches and mosques have lost direction and are too embroiled in the same mud the politicians have dragged all of us.
If the faith based organizations will continue sleeping on duty at this pace, one day, we shall found ourselves again in one party rule and they shall be responsible for bringing us back to those old dark days of atrocities and brutalities.
“Sanzani ma banzi awo ali mukamwamo kuti mukapulumuse ana amulungu, azibusa ndima shehe athu”.
