Catholic bishops Sunday issued a pastoral letter in which they tipped Malawians on six qualities of a good Head of State and Government.
This comes at a time Malawians are preparing for the September 16 Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections this year.
In a pastoral letter titled ‘Who Will Roll Away The Stone For Us?’, read in all the Catholic churches across the country, the bishops say they will not endorse any candidate or political party ahead of the polls.
In the letter—signed by bishops Martin Mtumbuka, Peter Chifukwa, Thomas Msusa, George Tambala, Peter Musikuwa, Montfort Stima, John Ryan, Alfred Chaima, Yohane Nyirenda, and Vincent Mwakhwawa—the bishops said while “humanly speaking” the magnitude of the challenges Malawi is facing are almost impossible to overcome, the bishops believe that with the right kind of President, Malawi can eliminate most of such challenges and reduce some.
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Among other things, the bishops say the best president for Malawi must be capable of making tough and brave decisions for a better future of the country and not bury his or her head in the sand in the face of oncoming storms.
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They further say a good president must have the courage to stand up and say what needs to be said rather than just saying what people like to hear or being tossed about by her or his advisers.
“Work for people’s wellbeing rather than fighting for his/her re-election or protecting political positions of colleagues.
“Listen to the people he/ she leads. He/she should also listen to other leaders so that they can work together and face problems together,” they say.
“Resist nepotism, regionalism, cronyism and corruption,” the bishops add.
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The men-of-the-collar further say the best president for Malawi must reinforce the rule of law across the country and bring to an end the torturing and killing of elderly people in villages.
The bishops are quick to note that while they have attempted to describe qualities of most suitable candidates to be voted into office, in reality, it is very unlikely that any single candidate will have all these qualities.
They observe that even in the case where none of the candidates is of a voter’s liking, the voter should still vote by applying the principle of the lesser evil.
“The principle of lesser evil means choosing the option that causes less harm, even if both options are considered negative, essentially picking the lesser evil between two bad choices. Even if a voter strongly dislikes all candidates, he/she should choose one of the candidates based on the ‘lesser evil’ principle.
“In short, even in cases where no candidate meets all the desired qualities, citizens, listening to their informed consciences and after prayer, should apply the ‘principle of lesser evil’ by voting for the candidate whom they perceive as least harmful.
“Abstaining from voting is not an option. The common saying that ‘we have a choice-less election so I will not vote’ is not acceptable,” the letter reads.
But when asked yesterday, all the major political parties—namely the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), UTM and People’s Party (PP)—claimed that all the qualities prescribed by the Catholic bishops were prevalent in their candidates.
MCP secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda said after reading the letter, he was convinced that the bishops were telling Malawians to vote for President Lazarus Chakwera again.
According to Chimwendo Banda, Chakwera has demonstrated, “without any reasonable doubt, that he is the best leader for Malawi”.
On his part, DPP spokesperson Shadrick Namalomba said Malawians could testify for themselves that the qualities outlined by the Catholic bishops could not be found in any other candidates than DPP leader Peter Mutharika.
According to Namalomba, Mutharika exudes qualities that are vital for one to serve as president of Malawi.
“He has proven to be capable of making tough and brave decisions aimed at securing a better future for our country. His experience in restoring and stabilising the economy, particularly in reducing prices and addressing [the problem of] hunger, showcases his commitment to facing challenges head-on rather than ignoring them.
“Professor Mutharika possesses the courage to speak the truth, even when it may not be popular. His ability to articulate what needs to be said, rather than simply echoing the sentiments of others, is a testament to his strong leadership,” Namalomba said.
“His focus has always been on the well-being of the people rather than on political ambitions. He has demonstrated a genuine commitment to developing the nation equitably, with a clear disregard for personal political gain,” he added.
On his part, UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala said UTM torchbearer Dalitso Kabambe embodied all the principles the bishops are calling for, be it in both his professional track record and vision for Malawi.
“A good president must make bold decisions for the country’s future, even in difficult circumstances.
“During his time as governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi, Dr Kabambe made tough but necessary economic decisions that stabilised the economy. Under his leadership, Malawi’s foreign reserves increased, inflation dropped to single digit and the Kwacha remained stable, demonstrating his ability to make difficult but necessary decisions for long-term economic stability,” Njawala said.
He added that a leader must have confidence to tell citizens the truth, “even when it is unpopular, rather than just saying what people want to hear”.
“Dr Kabambe was never one to manipulate figures for political convenience. As governor, he ensured financial transparency and presented the real economic situation, even when the truth was difficult to accept. His professional integrity is and was evident in his refusal to sugarcoat economic realities.
“A leader must focus on improving the lives of Malawians rather than being obsessed with re-election or protecting political allies. During his tenure at the Reserve Bank of Malawi, Dr. Kabambe prioritised financial inclusion, ensuring that more Malawians, especially those in rural areas, had access to banking services. His leadership was not about political survival but about creating policies that improved people’s economic well-being,” Njawala said.
On his part, PP secretary.
