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Version 81 | Version 82 |
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Africa Live this week: 19-25 February 2024 - BBC News | Africa Live this week: 19-25 February 2024 - BBC News |
(32 minutes later) | |
Peter Jegwa | Peter Jegwa |
Lilongwe, Malawi | Lilongwe, Malawi |
The influential Catholic Church in Malawi has criticised President Lazarus Chakwera, saying the country has become worse in the four years of his | The influential Catholic Church in Malawi has criticised President Lazarus Chakwera, saying the country has become worse in the four years of his |
leadership. | leadership. |
In a scathing attack that appears to be directed at the president, the church, through its bishops, said “we have witnessed a glaring failure of leadership”. | In a scathing attack that appears to be directed at the president, the church, through its bishops, said “we have witnessed a glaring failure of leadership”. |
"Most Malawians fail to see anybody in the current government who cares about them or who is able to improve their situation,” it added. | "Most Malawians fail to see anybody in the current government who cares about them or who is able to improve their situation,” it added. |
In a 16-page pastoral letter titled “The sad story of Malawi”, read out in all Catholic churches across the country on Sunday, it accused the administration of multiple failures including unfulfilled campaign promises, nepotism and rampant corruption. | In a 16-page pastoral letter titled “The sad story of Malawi”, read out in all Catholic churches across the country on Sunday, it accused the administration of multiple failures including unfulfilled campaign promises, nepotism and rampant corruption. |
The church accuses Mr Chakwera's government of favouring members of an ethnic group or region when appointing people to top positions and victimising | |
journalists who expose corruption. | journalists who expose corruption. |
The letter also said the government had failed to raise people’s incomes even | The letter also said the government had failed to raise people’s incomes even |
after the purchasing power of the local currency the Malawian kwacha had | after the purchasing power of the local currency the Malawian kwacha had |
drastically fallen. | |
After detailing | After detailing |
government failures, the letter said: “It is essential to ask of | government failures, the letter said: “It is essential to ask of |
candidates, what their record of service has been, what they are capable of | candidates, what their record of service has been, what they are capable of |
doing, before voting for them – not who they are or where they come from or | doing, before voting for them – not who they are or where they come from or |
what connections they have”. | what connections they have”. |
Malawi holds elections in 18 months and the timing of the pastoral letter is significant. | Malawi holds elections in 18 months and the timing of the pastoral letter is significant. |
The church said it had privately engaged Mr Chakwera several times but it had been largely unsuccessful, hence the decision to try a different approach through the letter. | The church said it had privately engaged Mr Chakwera several times but it had been largely unsuccessful, hence the decision to try a different approach through the letter. |
Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu has acknowledged the issues raised by | |
the church but says the government will not engage in an item-by-item response to the letter. | |
“Instead we | “Instead we |
will not get tired of utilising engagements we do have with the clergy from | will not get tired of utilising engagements we do have with the clergy from |
time to time,” Mr Kunkuyu said. | time to time,” Mr Kunkuyu said. |
ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links. | ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links. |
Copy this link | Copy this link |
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