Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides)- “On June 9 2007 the whole of Malawi stopped for the funeral of the First Lady Ethel Mutharika, wife of President Bingu wa Mutharika who died on 28 May” Monfort missionary Fr Piergiorgio Gamba, in Malawi for many years, told Fides.
The body was carried to the three regions of Malawi, Mzuzu in the north, Lilongwe in the centre Centro and for the south Sanjika State House where it was honoured with a funeral and a burial service which lasted a whole day. President Bingu wa Mutharika is a Catholic. Christians of all denominations were present. The local Catholic Church was represented by Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye of Blantyre and the papal nuncio to Zambia and Malawi, Archbishop Nicola Girasoli. All the state authorities were present. Foreign dignitaries included the president of Tanzania and the president of Zimbabwe, accompanied by their respective wives.
“It was a political funeral which could help the country find greater unity” the missionary said.
The political situation in Malawi is still critical with many decisions to be made and many issues which divide politics and society. Among these Fr. Gamba, recalls “a definitive interpretation of section 65 of the Constitution which could lead to the resignation of at least one third of the members of parliament for changing political party in the past three years”. Parliament, in session to approve the 2007-2008 budget, is deeply divided, with the opposition which has the numbers of have a majority and destabilise the government.
Moreover 5 MPs should be expelled from parliament for incurring in judicial sentences. “The country is waiting for local elections promised for this coming November, a trial of force which the government has always postponed but which it must now stand ” the missionary concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/6/2007 righe 29 parole 337)
