MCP convention tapes distributed at Catholic Parish,MCP convention tapes distributed at Catholic Parish
by: Mc Donald Chapalapata,Mc Donald Chapalapata, 1/6/2004, 9:21:58 AM

Some people believed to be ruling the United Democratic Front (UDF) functionaries on Sunday distributed free audio tapes containing a plot by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) officials to kill Catholic bishops at St Montfont Parish, popularly known as Catholic Institute (CI) in Blantyre.
A member of the church Patrick Mbejere said in an interview on Sunday that the people were distributing the tapes titled Tisaiwale which President Bakili Muluzi has been playing during his public rallies soon after the 8.30 AM mass.
“I asked them why they were distributing the tapes at the church but they could not give me a proper answer. And they revealed that they had been sent by some UDF officials to distribute the tapes,” said Mbejere.
He said it was wrong for the UDF to distribute the tapes at the church because the matter [of plotting to kill the bishops] is long gone.
The tape has the voice of MCP President John Tembo and other MCP officials at an extraordinary meeting called to react to the bishop’s pastoral letter which helped to bring about change from one party rule to a multiparty system of government.
Muluzi has been telling people at his rallies where he has also been playing the tapes that they should not vote for Tembo and MCP because “they are killers”.
Father Alfred Nsope, who conducted the Mass at CI church on Monday, said he was not aware that some people were distributing the tapes outside the church.
“I cannot immediately react to the distribution of tapes because I am a visiting priest. I have come for Christmas holiday, I am doing a doctorate degree in South Africa. I am not even aware that there is this tape,” said Nsope who at one time served as chairperson for the Malawi Human Rights Commission.
CI Parish priest Father Lawrence Simbota was not immediately available for comment while the Archbishop’s Tarsius Ziyaye secretary Father Enock Kanjira, who is stationed at the parish, was reportedly away attending a funeral.
UDF deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza Banda declined to comment on Sunday, saying she was in Lilongwe and was not aware of the matter.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) spokesman Father Robert Mwaungulu said in October last year when Muluzi made threats to arrest Tembo because of the plot that the issue was “a bygone plot”.
Mwaungulu said mistakes were made and that the MCP took a wrong approach to the pastoral letter and that the church was for peaceful coexistence and urged all political parties to work for the good of the nation.


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Some people believed to be ruling the United Democratic Front (UDF) functionaries on Sunday distributed free audio tapes containing a plot by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) officials to kill Catholic bishops at St Montfont Parish, popularly known as Catholic Institute (CI) in Blantyre.
A member of the church Patrick Mbejere said in an interview on Sunday that the people were distributing the tapes titled Tisaiwale which President Bakili Muluzi has been playing during his public rallies soon after the 8.30 AM mass.
“I asked them why they were distributing the tapes at the church but they could not give me a proper answer. And they revealed that they had been sent by some UDF officials to distribute the tapes,” said Mbejere.
He said it was wrong for the UDF to distribute the tapes at the church because the matter [of plotting to kill the bishops] is long gone.
The tape has the voice of MCP President John Tembo and other MCP officials at an extraordinary meeting called to react to the bishop’s pastoral letter which helped to bring about change from one party rule to a multiparty system of government.
Muluzi has been telling people at his rallies where he has also been playing the tapes that they should not vote for Tembo and MCP because “they are killers”.
Father Alfred Nsope, who conducted the Mass at CI church on Monday, said he was not aware that some people were distributing the tapes outside the church.
“I cannot immediately react to the distribution of tapes because I am a visiting priest. I have come for Christmas holiday, I am doing a doctorate degree in South Africa. I am not even aware that there is this tape,” said Nsope who at one time served as chairperson for the Malawi Human Rights Commission.
CI Parish priest Father Lawrence Simbota was not immediately available for comment while the Archbishop’s Tarsius Ziyaye secretary Father Enock Kanjira, who is stationed at the parish, was reportedly away attending a funeral.
UDF deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza Banda declined to comment on Sunday, saying she was in Lilongwe and was not aware of the matter.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) spokesman Father Robert Mwaungulu said in October last year when Muluzi made threats to arrest Tembo because of the plot that the issue was “a bygone plot”.
Mwaungulu said mistakes were made and that the MCP took a wrong approach to the pastoral letter and that the church was for peaceful coexistence and urged all political parties to work for the good of the nation.