Bishop Brighton Malasa makes u-turn on excommunication

Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Upper Shire, Brighton Malasa, has changed his decision of excommunicating 30 church members.

Last Tuesday, Malasa excommunicated 17 priests and 13 deacons for their alleged role in pushing for his removal on accusations of abuse of office.

But in a twist of events, Malasa on Friday reinstated the priests and deacons, arguing that they are all a family.

In a letter dated September 27 2019, Malasa says he rescinded his decision after consultations and a directive from Archbishop Albert Chama of the Church’s Central African province.

“We still believe that as a Church of God, there must be room for dialogue and resolve the issues at hand as opposed to using some mob justice and unrest which only causes an embarrassment to the Church of God,” the letter reads.

Malasa rescinded the decision four days before a planned three-day vigil organised by most churches of the diocese to force Malasa out of office.

However, spokesperson of the group pushing for Malasa’s ouster, John Awadi, said the vigil will start on Friday targeting the bishop’s residence.

“We are going ahead with the vigils, and no one is obliged to stop us. We once sought a court intervention on this matter but the court proved to us that our matters are supposed to be summoned at a church level,” Awadi said.

He described Malasa’s decision to reverse the excommunication as a matter that was aimed at character assassination.

“We have been underrated. Others were ambushed and kept in fear yet in the first place, he was supposed to seek other people’s interventions before the excommunication,” Awadi said.

Malasa was not available for a comment.