Tag Archives: Martin Chiphwanya

Malawi

CCJP challenged to be the voice for the Voiceless 

Ausborn Banda
fr.saindi

……………as Chiphwanya leaves CCJP

The Secretary-General of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Fr. Henry Saindi on Tuesday challenged National and Diocesan Secretaries for Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) to continue playing an advocacy and governance role, especially to the voiceless including the unborn child, the marginalized and the oppressed.

Fr. Saindi was speaking when he opened a day-long meeting for the CCJP Secretaries at the Catholic Secretariat in Lilongwe. The aim of the meeting was to review CCJP projects and programmes hence planning for the future.

The meeting also took time to bid farewell to the National CCJP Secretary, Martin Chiphwanya, who is leaving CCJP for further studies abroad.

“Through our unity of purpose, team work and coordination as CCJP Family, we have achieved a lot. Let me therefore remind you that we will certainly remain great as CCJP Family if we are united and work as a team.

“United we stand, divided we fall,” said Fr. Saindi.

He said while taking pride in the successes achieved so far, there is a need, with humility to acknowledge that in certain areas we have not done well.

“We faced and we continue to face a number of challenges. We are challenged to explore new ways of doing our work. We cannot continue operating business as usual. There is some mess, which people expect us to clean up,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fr. Saindi urged CCJP Secretaries to plan for the next General Elections slated for 2019.

He said CCJP contribution will only be significant in the manner it prepares and plans for this important national event.

“Plan how you will coordinate your election activities as CCJP. Plan on how you will mobilize resources for this important exercise. Revive CCJP grassroots structures for effective and efficient sensitization programmes for the rural masses. And perhaps, consider working as a consortium and approach prospective partners,” said Fr. Saindi.

On Chiphwanya, Fr. Saindi commended him for the major strides and achievements CCJP made when he was at the helm of CCJP.

“Martin, you had passion for your job and CCJP will greatly miss you. Please, continue being the voice for voiceless wherever you may be. On behalf of ECM, I wish you all the best as you take up the new challenge back in the classroom as a student! Best wishes! We have no doubt that you will succeed!” he said.

For his part, Chiphwanya, who replaced Chris Chisoni in 2015, said “the studies will help build my capacity and enhance my understanding of issues to enable me undertake effective advocacy. Certainly, the skills gained will help the Church and the nation greatly.”

CCJP is an advocacy and governance arm of ECM, which has structures in all the eight dioceses of the Catholic Church in Malawi.

Prince Henderson is Communications Officer for Episcopal Conference of Malawi

Politics

CCJP bemoans absenteeism of MPs, calls citizenry to take action

Maravi Post correspondent
Chimphwanya
Chimphwanya

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) has added its voice in condemning the continued absenteeism of Members of Parliament (MPs) from the National Assembly saying it is denying the citizenry from their fundamental right to development among others.

Despite recent warning by the Speaker of Parliament, Richard Msowoya that the Business Committee which comprises the leadership of political parties on both side of the house resolved to forfeit allowances from absconders, the trend seems to be continuing.

Speaker Msowoya pointed out that absenteeism was denting the image of Parliament in the eyes of the public and having a negative effect on businesses on the floor of the august house.

“In view of this observation, the Committee of Chairs supported by the leaders of political parties represented in the Business Committee, resolved that with immediate effect, the office should recover the allowances from members who do not attend the plenary and committee meetings without leave of absence or without valid reasons as required by Standing Order 41,” said the Speaker

It is against this background that CCJP Acting National Coordinator, Martin Chiphwanya said Members of Parliament are supposed to represent constituents who voted them to that position hence should actively participate and take part in business of national assembly.

“Members of Parliament become leaders because people vote for them to do the job in parliament. By choosing to stay away from parliament without any valid reason, MPs betray the people who gave them the mandate to represent them in parliament, “said Chiphwanya.

He said It is only right and proper that people should take these truant MPs to task saying “Being a Member of Parliament is a serious job and requires highest levels of work ethic” and as such those MPs staying away from .the house are a disservice to the nation.

“They are a disconnect between constituents and the country at large. Citizens should strongly protest against these MPs and demand explanations from them. Most importantly, constituents should be bold enough not to vote these MPs back into power because they have deliberately chosen to abandoned their mandate,” Chiphwanya said.

Members of Parliament (MPs) get K40 000 per day as subsistence allowance and K10 000 sitting allowance which is paid out before the meeting starts.

Standing Orders 41 (3) states: “A member who is absent without seeking leave of absence shall forfeit all allowances during the period of absence.”

The Speaker can grant leave of absence, according to Standing Orders 206 (3), on the two grounds of illness or family emergency to enable an MP attend to public business locally or abroad.

The seat of an MP can only be vacated if the member is absent without leave from the Speaker for three successive meetings of the assembly, according to Standing Order 206 (4).