By Pemphero Malimba:
State Vice President Michael Usi has urged churches in the country to prepare people who are aspiring for leadership positions to start repositioning themselves now.
“Ngati akufuna akayambe ndale, amudziwe kaye Mulungu [if they want to join active politics, they first have to know God]. Pena timadabwa kuti Mulungu adalola bwanji kuti awa ayambe ndale; choncho mudzitipempherera [we sometimes wonder how some people joined active politics. Please continue praying for us],” Usi said Sunday during the Anglican Diocese of Lake Malawi thanksgiving and farewell mass service for Bishop Francis Kaulanda.
Kaulanda is retiring after serving the church for close to 40 years.
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The event was held under the theme ‘Finishing The Race’.
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Usi further pledged the government’s commitment to working with the church.
“We also believe that the church, with its moral fabric and outreach potential, will continue to promote mindset change and foster social cohesion. Our strides will, therefore, translate to building national values of hard work, patriotism and integrity among Malawians,” he said.
Anglican Council in Malawi Chairperson Bishop Alinafe Kalemba described Kaulanda as a development-minded person who contributed a lot to the church’s growth.
“When he was elected bishop, he brought unity and peace to the diocese. He was also development-minded, where he played a huge role in the construction of schools and health facilities,” Kalemba said.
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He urged other leaders of the church to emulate Kaulanda’s example.
“He was humble, dedicated and hardworking and could match with everyone regardless of age and education levels. This is the kind of leadership we, as a nation, need; people who are there to serve and not seek their own benefits,” he said.
Kaulanda thanked God for siding with him throughout his years of service.
“It is not easy to serve God because there are many temptations but we have to resist the temptations and follow the good examples of our Lord Jesus Christ, who met a lot of temptations when he was doing the work of God but did his work well,” he said.
Kaulanda was born in 1959 and served as priest for 23 years.
He then served as bishop for 15 years.
