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Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) presidents John Tembo and Brown Mpinganjira never turned up for the presidential prayer breakfast held on Tuesday in Lilongwe to pray for unity and peace as the country prepares for the May 18 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
MCP spokesman Nicholas Dausi said Tembo could not attend the function because he was busy with other things.
“He delegated other people to attend the function and MCP was well represented,” Dausi said, referring to Louis Chimango, Betson Majoni, Jodder Kanjere and other party members who attended the function.
There was no any representation from NDA and party spokesman Salule Masangwi said they could not attend the function because they feared the ruling party’s young democrats who are known for violence.
“The moment President [Bakili] Muluzi confirmed that he was going there we decided not to go. Wherever Muluzi goes our leaders are not protected,” Masangwi said in a separate telephone interview.
He recalled a time when people alleged to be young democrats pounced on NDA supporters soon after President Muluzi had opened Parliament about three years ago. The attackers burnt a car belonging to an NDA member while the police looked on.
“We did not want to put our lives at risk. Our security is not guaranteed even in the presence of Muluzi himself or heavy police,” Masangwi said adding that NDA would have attended the function if President Muluzi were not there.
Organised by the Pentecostal Revival Crusade Ministries, an interdenominational grouping, the function brought together party presidential candidates of all the opposition parties that have signed a memorandum of understanding for a coalition to contest against the ruling party.
UDF’s presidential candidate Bingu Mutharika also attended the three and half hour function, which took place at the New State House.
Guest speaker at the function Reverend Elijah Maswanganyi from South Africa said that greed, corruption, lack of integrity and self-control are some of the causes of instability in African countries.
He said that Africa is not a poor continent but is being made poor by its people. He urged political leaders to promote peace, love for one another and a spirit of reconciliation for the benefit of the nation.
“Unity, peace and reconciliation is possible in Africa,” he said adding that Africa countries are poor because of poor governance, lack of planning, psychological damage caused by colonialism, imperialism and other forms of oppression.
He urged those in leadership positions to be servants of the people they lead and be part of solutions, instead perpetuating problems.
“I hope that all of us who are involved in leadership, be it in the home, in the church and in government, will have the spirit of a servant to serve Africa,” Maswanganyi said adding that leaders who are gifted orators should not use that gift to curse others but speak of unity, peace and reconciliation.
President Muluzi, who was guest of honour, described the function as important and timely.
“These prayers are important and timely because in this country we seem to be in a time that is full of selfishness and hatred, thirst for power, violence and lust for vengeance,” he said.
He added: “During the political campaigns and after May general elections, we need a better Malawi that would be marked by peaceful coexistence, love, unity, tolerance and mutual respect. Irrespective of our religious or political inclinations we are today all united as one nation and one family.”
The President also urged every Malawian, including the clergy, to promote peace and political stability during the campaign period.
“We need to forget our political differences. We need to love each other and be united to build our nation as sisters and brothers of one family called Malawi,” he said.
President of People’s Progressive Movement Aleke Banda, one of the opposition leaders Muluzi has ridiculed at his political meetings, welcomed the President’s call to promote unity and peace, saying the President should be the first to lead by example.
During the function, the clergy also offered special prayers for free and fair elections, HIV/Aids, food security and the prophetic role of the church, among other issues.
Reverend Madalitso Mbewe, one of the organisers of the function, thanked the German government for providing financial assistance for the function.
But Germany ambassador in the country Franz Ring expressed his concern over the opposition parties’ inaccessibility to the public media.
“In an election campaign, it is absolutely necessary that political competition and campaign should be characterised by the marketing of manifestos, political ideologies and programmes. And the voices of all parties must be allowed to be heard,” Franz said. “Coverage of all political parties by public media channels is a condition for free and fair elections.”
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