Last Saturday I tried to outline the news out of Malawi regarding some clergy leadership of the Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) that crossed some national political leaders in their messages at a funeral for a doctor who had only days before been removed from his position as the Minister of Health. For more details see my writing from Saturday, but the bottom line is that when I was writing on Saturday the three pastors had been arrested Friday but two were released the same day. A magistrate had denied bail for the third on Saturday.
I am pleased to report that on Monday the magistrate granted the Rev. Levi Nyondo, Secretary-General of the Synod, his release on bail of K100,000 (about US$658) with instructions to check in regularly with the police. Trial is set for September 14. (coverage from The Nation )
What has been interesting has been the reactions reported by the media from other groups in the country.
In the message at the funeral Rev. Nyondo is reported to have suggested that the Livingstonia Synod would be supporting current Vice-President Joyce Banda of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for president in 2014. Then there was an article in the The Nation where DPP member and government minister Symon Vuwa Kaunda said at a Tuesday news conference that Ms. Banda was not the party candidate for 2014. Then today the official party spokesman is reported to have said that Tuesday’s comments were only “an expression of interest” by Mr. Vuwa and that there is no official party candidate yet.
Another article talks about the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) calling on the DPP and Livingstonia Synod needing to come together to mend their differences for the good of the country. The spokesperson is quoted as saying “It is dangerous for church and state to be fighting, both are entities that yield (ed. wield?) power in their own right and for them to be fighting each other can put the whole country in a very awkward situation.” However the response from the DPP is that “The issue is between police and the Livingstonia Synod, and I wonder how the DPP is coming in…”
Even more interesting from the point of view of a GA Junkie is the reaction from another CCAP synod, Nkhoma Synod generally in the central part of the country. I say “generally” because Livingstonia and Nkhoma have had disagreements about church planting in each others territory as individuals from different tribal groups move around the country. They have now agreed to be flexible in their geographic nature.
With that as background, it is noteworthy to see an article where a spokesperson, the Deputy Moderator, for the Nkhoma Synod denies giving “moral support” as claimed by a Livingstonia speaker. Instead they “only prayed for sustainability of his spirit silently.” To me prayer is a substantial form of support but I think they are looking for public support because he goes on to say that “As any other Malawians we were concerned, but chose to speak through silence.”
The best article I have read today on this whole situation is an op-ed piece in the Nyasa Times titled “Marginalizing the north.” The author, whose name I can’t seem to find in the article, writes as someone from the south of the country but provides a very insightful and balanced view of the geographic/ethnic/religious dynamics and tensions that exist. He starts off by saying “As a Southerner, I feel the North has been hard done by when it comes to certain elements of how public life and civil service have been organized and structured in Malawi.” He discusses several issues but within the political representation section he says:
The refusal by Livingstonia Synod to come to terms with Nkhoma Synod is a complex, very complex political issue. It should not just be understood as a mere squabble over boundary issues. It is a political conflict, largely because Nkhoma Synod, glorified and represented the Banda regime, something the Livingstonia Synod rejected throughout.
To ask or even condemn Livingstonia Synod for ‘failing’ to come to agreeable terms with Nkhoma, an iconic representation of the demagoguery of the MCP is, is in my opinion, overstretching the tortured political memories. It’s almost like criticising the people of Moto Village in Mangochi for not voting for MCP.
A bit later he says of the clerics that were arrested:
Instead of arresting them, let us mediate on what may have transpired such ‘treasonous’ statements. Think about the progression of political developments: the quota system (I was not a beneficiary and will never support preferential treatment in education); the sacking of DPP officials and ministers from the North; the feeling of marginalization, after the North staunchly supported Bingu’s survival under intense persecution from the UDF and MCP between 2004 and 2009; the firing of three DPP ministers from the North (even when one or two from the same region replaced them); and then, the death of a minister after being sacked.
He does say that the north has its own problems, issues, and reasons that it is not innocent in this. But as this situation develops I found this a wonderful insight from a Malawian who is outside the current tensions. We will see what happens in the trial in two weeks.