President of the Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) Reverend Wilson Mitambo has urged Malawi President, Lazarus Chakwera, to establish a Ministry of Religious Affairs and appoint two religious leaders as minister and deputy minister.
Mitambo made the request yesterday during Commemoration of Rev. John Chilembwe Day at PIM in Chiradzulu.
Mitambo said some countries have ministries responsible for religious affairs and Malawi as a God Fearing country should also have such a ministry with a minister and a deputy minister.
“We will be happy with such an arrangement because currently there seems to be a war between government and the church. But if this happens, there will not be any noises because there will be proper channels for addressing issues,” said Mitambo.
The PIM leader also hailed Chakwera for opening the way in politics for church leaders, saying current church leaders in the country can now see a future in politics after leaving the church.
“Now we are not afraid because you have opened the way. We are hopeful that after you, there will be another president from the church. Thank you for being brave and showing us that it is possible [for a church leader to become a president],” said Mitambo.
He also noted that church leaders can now easily make requests to the presidency because the Malawi leader is their friend from the church.
Chakwera in his speech did not respond to the two issues raised by Mitambo but he hailed Chilembwe as a hero who fought for the freedom of Malawians and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Chakwera also described Chilembwe as a symbol of African liberation.
He added that Chilembwe’s dream of a deloconised national was satisfied years after his death but his dream of a decolonized mindset is yet to be fulfilled.
“It is this decolonized mindset that we need today in order to achieve our dream of building a new Malawi of shared prosperity,” said Chakwera.
