By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The quasi religious grouping, public affairs committee (PAC) has on Wednesday elected Monsignor Patrick Thawale of Episcopal conference of Malawi as its new chairperson for the next three years.
Thawale, who has been elected during the groupings’ elective annual general meeting held at mount soche hotel in Blantyre, replaces the long serving member Felix Chingota who has served his two consecutive terms in office.
Thawale outclassed Wilard Kamandani with 51 votes against 27.
On the vice position, Osman Karim from the quadlia association of Malawi retained his seat after beating Reverend Gondwe with 52 votes against 26.
Mark Mkandawire was declared the board secretary for the committee after claimed 48 votes against Innocent Chikopa and Alinafe Kalemba.
The position of publicity secretary went to Gilford Matonga who outsmarted James Mwanyongo and Mustapha Hussein with 50 votes.
Emmanuel Makalande got the position of the treasure general after he got 49 votes against 29 votes of Damston Chifungo.
Alinafe Kalemba, Matilda Matabwa, Boniface Chibwana, Agness Kamoto and Maureen Tinenenji were all voted the board members of the committee.
In his acceptance speech, Osman Karim, who also spoke for the new members, said he felt honoured by the position.
“It is my pleasure and honour to be entrusted again to serve the committee for another term. I am overwhelmed by confidence shown to me across the borders,” said Karim.
Speaking earlier before the elections, the outgoing chairperson Felix Chingota encouraged the religious body to continue pushing for the electoral reforms in a bid to bring about sanity in governance structures of the country.
“What is currently happening in the country on the electoral front needs reforms which we advocated for but was rejected.So we call upon the newly elected committee to make sure it continue pushing for it until it is implemented, ” said Chingota.
The soft spoken Chingota also advised the committee to make the grouping non partisan per its registered mandate.
“This is an interfaith organisation, so we to desist from being used by politicians to advance their political ideologies through us. We have to to narrow our membership by scrutinizing those who want to join us because there are people within us who want to kill this group through various tactics,” observed Chingota.
The socio-economic commentator Humphreys Mvula, who was the keynote speaker, appealed for dialogue amongst the political parties on the 2019 electoral case which is in the constitutional court awaiting judgement.
He observed that the outcome of the case would worsen security in the country if dialogue is not preached amongst the aggrieved political parties leadership.
Mvula also said the current 2019 electoral case couldn’t have been there if only the country reformed its electoral system such as the 50+1 and trimming of presidential powers.
The public affairs committee is s religious grouping which was formed in 1992 during the country’s political and transition from one party to multiparty system of government.