AFRICA/MALAWI - A political solution is urgent: the Bishops call for dialogue

Thursday, 14 November 2019

INTERNET

Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides) - Malawi, called "the warm heart of Africa", finds itself caught up in political turmoil. The general elections last May, which saw incumbent President Arthur Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) declared the winner by the Electoral Commission of Malawi (see Fides, 21/5/2019), continue to be object of strong disputes. The two opposition leaders, Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and former vice president Saulos Klaus Chilima of the United Transformation Movement (UTM), rejected the results and have turned to the Constitutional Court. Since then the whole country has been involved in acts of violence, protests, looting and destruction (see Fides, 23/10/2019).
On 27 October, the Church of Malawi called a "Day of national prayer for peace, unity and reconciliation" in which the Bishops asked in a heartfelt way to re-start dialogue between all political actors on issues of national interest . And an awareness-raising and prayer campaign continues, hoping for a peaceful confrontation between the leaders, oriented to the good of the nation.
"We Catholics of all eight dioceses in the country have prayed and we continue to do so, inviting the leaders of all political parties to find a political solution", said the president of the Bishops' Conference of Malawi, Mgr. Luke Thomas Msusa, in a note sent to Agenzia Fides.
"Unanimously, we Catholic bishops implore the ruling party to allow the leadership of the opposition party to engage in fruitful dialogue on matters of national interest. What Malawi urgently needs is a political solution. This is why all of us Catholics ask for dialogue", concludes Mgr. Msusa.
The Holy Father underlined the importance of prayers that lead to the conversion of hearts and to reconciliation, at the service of peace and social harmony. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 14/11/2019)


Share: