Catholic Bishop backs Chakwera

Says the country’s poor economic conditions are results of long-time causes

Bishop Montfort Sitima of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mangochi has asked Malawians to stop accusing incumbent President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and his administration of being behind the economic turbulence the country is sailing through at the moment.

In a pastoral letter released on Sunday, Sitima argued that ‘our poor economic conditions are the outcome of both international and local causes’ and can therefore not be attributed to the incumbent administration only.

“From the international perspective, the economic trajectory in Malawi began to lose track a long time ago, at least since the 1980’s, the time when Malawi joined the international economic arrangements.

“It was through the loan obtained from the World Bank and consequently, our commitment to the structural adjustment program and its conditionalities that include privatization of production entities, liberalisation of the market and austerity measures among others,” reads the pastoral statement in part.

On the local scene, Sitima highlighted corruption, lack of patriotism, the country’s nature of education, and deep seated unproductive mindset of people, especially the youth, who spend hours doing nothing in the villages, as some of the contributors to the stagnation in development.

He accuses priests and other pastoral leaders of not using their position of influence in the society successfully to civic educate people on integral social development.

“Besides, some priests and religious brothers and sisters have not led by example themselves for many seem to belong to the consuming side of economy other than promoting all dimensions of the economic equation,” he said.

Sitima said his diocese has therefore agreed to train local Christians to be productive in their own small ways by raising chickens, keeping goats, gardening and engaging in modern ways of agriculture.

He encouraged those blessed with rivers to engage in irrigation instead of waiting only for rain-fed agriculture.

“I would like to urge you all my dear Brothers and Sisters in the diocese of Mangochi to teach the people in our Small Christian Communities, church, parish and diocesan pastoral councils, the truth about economy and its social implications by explaining both socio-political and socio-economic factors leading to devaluation of local currencies, and a need for joint efforts to return to the economic normalcy.

“Instead of joining into propagandas that aim at distorting the truth and bringing tension, panic, and hopelessness among the people, devaluation and any other signs of economic mal-functioning can be averted by truthfully engaging both the policy-makers in the society as well as the people at the bottom of social pyramid not only to consume but also to produce and distribute,” he concluded.