The CCAP General Assembly has advised synods to refrain from aligning with political parties as the country prepares for the September 16 2025 Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections.
The general assembly, which is the umbrella of all the three synods in Malawi—these are Livingstonia, Blantyre and Nkhoma—and Harare in Zimbabwe and Lusaka in Zambia, said Christians in the synods should be free to elect leaders of their choice without being enticed by synod leaders.
General Assembly Moderator Reverend Bizwick Nkhoma told The Daily Times that the synods’ role should be praying for peaceful elections, encouraging people to register and encouraging them to vote rather than aligning people with a particular party or candidate.
Nkhoma said the church is not meant to be political but to take people— who belong to different political parties—to God.
- Advertisement -
“This is a very difficult period as we are heading towards elections. Political parties will be selling their candidates to Christians as they are looking for votes. So, the synods are supposed to concentrate on their job, which is ensuring that people are saved from sin,” Nkhoma said.
- Advertisement -
He further said during the campaign period, some candidates take gifts to church leaders, support congregations financially and provide other forms of support, gestures he said should not prompt members of the clergy to endorse candidates or parties.
Blantyre Synod General Secretary Reverend Anderson Juma said their synod has never supported any political party or candidate.
He said, instead, they only encourage Christians to vote, describing it as a birthright.
“It has been our norm to remain nonpartisan because we serve all people, people who belong to different political parties,” Juma said.
- Advertisement -
Livingstonia Synod General Secretary Reverend William Tembo said the church cannot support any leader because it works with the government of the day as well as the opposition, which he said provides checks and balances to the government.
“As such, all political parties are welcome to get advice from us. Our sons and daughters are in all parties and we cannot side with any political party or candidate. We have been doing this since 1875, when the synod was established,” Tembo said.
Meanwhile, Mzuzu University-based historian and political analyst Chrispin Mphande has said the synods should walk the talk.
Mphande said, sometimes, church ministers are given big positions in government, a development that puts them in a fix.
“It is easy to say they are nonpartisan but the problem is that individuals have their own political affiliations. To make matters worse, some use the pulpit to direct people to vote for leaders of their [members of the clergy’s] choice, which is wrong,” Mphande said.
On its part, People’s Federation for National Peace and Development (Pefenap), which takes part in voter education activities, has said neutral members of the clergy fertilise democracy, as they enlighten believers on election issues without advancing a personal agenda.
“As such, the CCAP General Assembly’s position is a move in the right direction. Citizens of Malawi have a right to choose leaders of their choice without being coerced.
“In fact, coercion is a form of corruption and those found indulging in the malpractice must be enlightened so that they can help Malawians exercise free choice, especially when it comes to voting,” said Pefenap Executive Director Edward Chaka.
Chaka added that the church would lose its moral authority once people start associating churches with partisan politics.
The Malawi Electoral Commission is set to start the voter registration exercise in September this year.
