Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi Catholic church through its bishops has teared apart President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government poor leadership that has worsened social-economic crisis just two years in power.
The bishops, through Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)’s statement released on Monday, October 10, 2022 hinted that Chakwera must not give excuses to challenges over COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine wars arguing that neighboring countries are registering economic growth.
“We painfully recall that when slightly over two years ago we went to the polls and ushered in anew government we did so on the premises of what we thought were credible campaign promises of a new Malawi coming our way. Regrettably, and this seems to be the verdict of many sober Malawians, the much touted promises of change are far from being realized.
“The daily struggle for survival for the vast majority of Malawians only deepens. Even when such challenges as the hurricanes, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine are factored in, our humble but honest submission is that we have missed out on leadership to seize opportunities, policy direction and intervention critically sought for at such times,” reads in part the statement.
The church adds, ” The end result seems to be a Malawi worse off than what wewere promised and looked forward to in a region where most of our neighbouring countries,affected by the same challenges, are registering meaningful human and economic progress. In this Statement, in solidarity with the vast majority of Malawians who are languishing in deeperand deeper poverty, the Catholic Church, through us your Bishops, wishes, once again, to raise its voice with and on behalf of the poor:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and the needy (Prov 31: 8 – 9).The cry of the poor gets louder and louder in Malawi each day. This cry is caused by, among other things, the worsening general inflation with biting food price increases, rising youth unemployment, rising school fees, inadequate medical services, the fuel crisis driving up transport costs, exploitation by unscrupulous traders and business people, foreign exchange shortages, andlack of effective consumer protection. To truly respond to the Cry of the Poor requires bold and viable public policy actions. Such public policy actions are being prevented and undermined by the vice of corruption, defective service delivery systems, inconsistent government austerity measures, bleak picture of the oncoming crop growing season, and the Tonse Alliance retrogressive way of governing.
To truly respond to the Cry of the Poor requires bold and viable public policy actions. Such public policy actions are being prevented and undermined by the vice of corruption, defective service delivery systems, inconsistent government austerity measures, bleak picture of the oncoming crop growing season, and the Tonse Alliance retrogressive way of governing.
Below is ECM full statement:
A CALL TO HEARKEN TO THE CRY OF POOR MALAWIANS A PASTORAL STATEMENT BY THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE OF MALAWI
Preamble
We, the Catholic Bishops in Malawi once again, as we have done many times before at critical junctures of our country, have, since our last Pastoral Letter, prayerfully reflected on the realities
of our times and our aspirations as Malawians. Through such a prayerful reflection we have heard, as any honest and well-meaning person would hear in the present circumstances, the desperate and
ever-intensifying cry of the poor. We as pastors cannot but identify ourselves with such cries as indeed “the joys and hopes, the griefs and the anguishes of the people of our time, especially of
those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anguishes of the followers of Christ as well” (Gaudium et Spes, 1).
We painfully recall that when slightly over two years ago we went to the polls and ushered in a new government we did so on the premises of what we thought were credible campaign promises
of a new Malawi coming our way. Regrettably, and this seems to be the verdict of many sober Malawians, the much touted promises of change are far from being realized. The daily struggle for
survival for the vast majority of Malawians only deepens. Even when such challenges as the hurricanes, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine are factored in, our humble but honest submission is
that we have missed out on leadership to seize opportunities, policy direction and intervention critically sought for at such times. The end result seems to be a Malawi worse off than what we
were promised and looked forward to in a region where most of our neighbouring countries, affected by the same challenges, are registering meaningful human and economic progress.
In this Statement, in solidarity with the vast majority of Malawians who are languishing in deeper and deeper poverty, the Catholic Church, through us your Bishops, wishes, once again, to raise its
voice with and on behalf of the poor: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and the needy (Prov 31: 8 – 9).
The cry of the poor gets louder and louder in Malawi each day. This cry is caused by, among other things, the worsening general inflation with biting food price increases, rising youth
unemployment, rising school fees, inadequate medical services, the fuel crisis driving up transport costs, exploitation by unscrupulous traders and business people, foreign exchange shortages, and lack of effective consumer protection.
To truly respond to the Cry of the Poor requires bold and viable public policy actions. Such public policy actions are being prevented and undermined by the vice of corruption, defective service delivery systems, inconsistent government austerity measures, bleak picture of the oncoming crop growing season, and the Tonse Alliance retrogressive way of governing.
For More News And Analysis About Malawi Follow Africa-Press
