Archbishop George Desmond Tambala, President of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), has strongly condemned political violence in the country.
Speaking in his Archdiocese of Lilongwe, where he ordained two new priests, Archbishop Tambala expressed concern over reports of political violence in Malawi ahead of the 2025 elections.
The Archbishop encouraged the Catholics to accommodate all aspiring political candidates. He believes this will allow candidates to freely share their manifestos, enabling close scrutiny by the public.
“I do not expect and I actually urge priests and lay leaders not to take sides. Do not favor one aspirant over another. Let them all spell out how they plan to deal with problems that we are faced with.
“They should tell people what it is they will do to change our lives. To develop this country. Not pangas. We do not want violence in the South, here in the Centre or in the North. What are we gaining in hacking each other? If you are a Catholic, do not take part in violence,” he said.
He emphasized that the church expects Catholics to refrain from participating in violence. Tambala specifically addressed priests and lay leaders, urging them to ensure a level playing field for all presidential aspirants in the September 2025 polls.
