|
|
|
|
| National |
| Muluzi, NGOs clash over Blantyre synod vote |
|
by
Gedion Munthali, 21 April 2004
-
19:16:57
|
President Muluzi has dismissed a secret vote cast at Blantyre Synod of the CCAP where ruling alliance presidential candidate Bingu Mutharika came last as just meant to mislead people. But the civil society defended the synod, saying it was exercising its right.
“A vote of 110 people does not represent the thinking of the whole country,” said Muluzi when he addressed a meeting in Lilongwe South East constituency. “That vote is just meant to mislead and confuse people.”
“Mutharika came last,” said Blantyre synod general secretary Daniel Gunya in an interview on the outcome of the meeting called to analyse all the presidential candidates the synod met with. “He only got 10 votes.” About 110 clerics attended the meeting.
Gunya was asked to disclose what action his synod has taken against some clerics who received handouts of K5,000 from Mutharika when they separately met presidential hopefuls to appreciate their manifestos.
Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRRC) chair Rodgers Newa said the Blantyre Synod did not urge Malawians to vote likewise.
“They were just expressing their opinions. This is their right enshrined in the constitution of Malawi. Nobody, including Muluzi, can take it away from them,” said Newa.
He earlier condemned Mutharika “ for accepting to be spoilt by President Muluzi to dish out handouts instead of finding lasting solutions to people’s problems.” He also chided some members of Blantyre Synod and Malawi Congress of Trade Union leadership for “encouraging the practice by accepting Mutharika’s handouts”.
Public Affairs Committee (Pac) chair Boniface Tamani said Muluzi was against the outcome of the Blantyre Synod vote because it went against Mutharika.
“Had it gone in favour of Mutharika he would have trumpeted it. Actually it would have been a running story on MBC and TVM,” said Tamani who added that “mock votes are allowed throughout the world.”
“The Blantyre Synod did not invite people to witness the vote. It was their own internal thing. They had a right to know who, as a synod, they thought is a good candidate,” said Tamani. “Muluzi has no business to tell the church how it should behave.”
Executive Director of Malawi Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation Ian Longwe, monitored on TVM News of Wednesday morning, condemned the clerics at Blantyre Synod.
“People must appreciate the good things the UDF has done,” said Longwe.
But Newa said Longwe “must not be taken seriously because his alleged institution is bogus.”
“He is a tool of the UDF. His institution does not exist. It is bogus. I do not even know his church. We do not want people whose backgrounds cannot be traced to condemn others. Let him come in the open and will be taken seriously.” |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
