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| National |
| Churches Council wants joint enquiry on MP Jangiya,Churches Council wants joint enquiry on MP Jangiya |
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by
Joseph Langa,Joseph Langa, 29 December 2003
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17:24:34
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Malawi Council of Churches has asked the ruling United Democratic Front to institute a joint commission of inquiry with them on allegations that Machinga Likwenu MP Robson Jangiya hired Young Democrats who disrupted a church service at Chinkwenzule Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in the Southern Region district of Machinga last month.
The council has also asked the UDF to apologise to all churches in the country and take a punitive decision on Jangiya “for causing unnecessary damages and disruptions on God’s people and their property” or risk being branded enemies of peace and democracy.
Malawi Council of Churches chair Reverend Matiya Nkhoma said in a statement an attack on one church is an attack on the whole church.
“If the UDF with its leadership cannot do so (apologise), the council may be compelled to view UDF as an enemy of peace and the Malawi nation. The church community will not accept all UDF’s claims of being champion of democracy,” said Nkhoma.
But UDF secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala said in an interview on Monday a decision whether to apologise or not will be made when the party is through with its investigation into the matter chaired by party treasurer Khumbo Kachale.
He said the investigating committee has just finalised preliminary inquiries with the police in Machinga, church officials and other people in the area on whether Jangiya was indeed involved in the issue.
“We cannot just apologise. We must find out the truth first. What if he (Jangiya) was not involved? We may apologise or we may not depending on our findings of the investigations that are currently going on,” he said.
But Makwangwala could not be drawn to disclose what the findings are so far and when they are expected to finalise the investigations.
Matiya Nkhoma adds in the statement the council has been calling upon the government to deal with perpetrators of criminal acts under religious or political influence as the Jangiya incident but “hardly do we see or hear of any action being taken”.
The reverend has appealed to Christians to remain calm in the face of “open and organised hatred and provocation”.
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Malawi Council of Churches has asked the ruling United Democratic Front to institute a joint commission of inquiry with them on allegations that Machinga Likwenu MP Robson Jangiya hired Young Democrats who disrupted a church service at Chinkwenzule Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in the Southern Region district of Machinga last month.
The council has also asked the UDF to apologise to all churches in the country and take a punitive decision on Jangiya “for causing unnecessary damages and disruptions on God’s people and their property” or risk being branded enemies of peace and democracy.
Malawi Council of Churches chair Reverend Matiya Nkhoma said in a statement an attack on one church is an attack on the whole church.
“If the UDF with its leadership cannot do so (apologise), the council may be compelled to view UDF as an enemy of peace and the Malawi nation. The church community will not accept all UDF’s claims of being champion of democracy,” said Nkhoma.
But UDF secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala said in an interview on Monday a decision whether to apologise or not will be made when the party is through with its investigation into the matter chaired by party treasurer Khumbo Kachale.
He said the investigating committee has just finalised preliminary inquiries with the police in Machinga, church officials and other people in the area on whether Jangiya was indeed involved in the issue.
“We cannot just apologise. We must find out the truth first. What if he (Jangiya) was not involved? We may apologise or we may not depending on our findings of the investigations that are currently going on,” he said.
But Makwangwala could not be drawn to disclose what the findings are so far and when they are expected to finalise the investigations.
Matiya Nkhoma adds in the statement the council has been calling upon the government to deal with perpetrators of criminal acts under religious or political influence as the Jangiya incident but “hardly do we see or hear of any action being taken”.
The reverend has appealed to Christians to remain calm in the face of “open and organised hatred and provocation”.
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