RUMPHI-(MaraviPost)-Tumbuka Chief on Wednesday demanded an apology from entire Livingstonia Synod leadership for messing up during the burial of paramount Chilulamayembe on Tuesday this week.
Below is the full statement from Temba Chikulamayembe’s headquarters.
Reverend Nyondo a
From: Themba Chikulamayembe Headquarters, Box 1 Bolero, RUMPHI
To: The Moderator, CCAP Synod of Livingstonia, Box 112, MZUZU
Date: 05 December 2018
CC: Moderator, Bolero CCAP
Moderator, Rumphi CCAP
Chief Secretary for the Government,
Office of President and
Cabinet, Lilongwe,
Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development,
Capital Hill,
Lilongwe
District Commissioner,
Rumphi District Council, Rumphi
PRESS RELEASE
TUMBUKA CHIEFS COMMENT ON BURIAL OF LATE PARAMOUNT CHIEF CHIKULAMAYEMBE
First and foremost we would like to thank His Excellency the State
President of the Republic of Malawi, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika
for honoring our late Paramount Chief with Military Honors.
We would
also like to thank President Mutharika for personally attending the
burial ceremony of our beloved leader.
We were greatly honored and we
say thank you.
We say thank you again to all the people of Malawi, Tumbuka and
non-Tumbuka for your coming and support rendered to the royal family
of the late Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe during this sad time.
But we would like to strongly condemn what happened during the
funeral service of our beloved Chief as rudely displayed in the
character of Rev.Levi Nyondo and Rev Douglas Chipofya who are General
Secretary and Moderator of the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia
respectively.
We did not like the conduct of the two Synod officials
for dishonoring our late Paramount Chief by causing confusion and
chaos during the funeral service.
The funeral ceremony was a State event and as such it is the family in collaboration with the State to decide on who should speak and who
should not at the funeral. Their conduct only displayed that they went
beyond their role and responsibility as a church on a funeral of a great a King of the Tumbuka.
The two Synod leaders, Nyondo and
Chipofya dishonored our chief and we demand an unconditional apology
from them.
We would like to call upon Mr Nyondo and Mr Chipofya to explain why
they thought of demeaning the Chikulamayembe Chieftaincy as well as
the entire Tumbuka culture in such an embarrassing manner in the presence of the leader of the Country. Does it mean they do not value
and respect authority?
It is our strong belief that even you
yourselves in your own church set-up you appropriately respect the
laid down authority.
We demand an immediate and an unconditional apology from Mr Nyondo and
his moderator Mr Chipofya first to the Tumbuka people and their chiefs
and to the State President of the land for dishonoring not only the
late Paramount Chief but the President as well.
As Tumbuka chiefs; we would like to advise the two leaders, that if
there are any outstanding issues between them and the Head of State,
they should seek an amicable way of resolving such matters other than
utilizing the sacred platforms as the burial of a renowned Tumbuka
King.
We would also like to state in strongest terms that as chiefs,
we serve the Government of the day whose President was demeaned at the
funeral.
Therefore we are not happy to see the two leaders spoiling
our good working relationship with the sitting Head of State.
We are further saddened by the conduct of the Synod moderator Douglas
Chipofya that by virtue of being our own son from the district, he
should have known best how to respect our norms and traditions.
Chipofya hails from Mwazisi in the same area of Themba la Mathemba
Chikulamyembe.
Again we would like to advise the two Synod leaders, Rev Chipofya and
Nyondo that they should realize that being men of God does not mean
they are above the law of the land. They would have known better that
no-one is above Government protocol as stipulated in the statutes.
We expect that the two as revered men of God should display an exemplary
behavior during esteemed gatherings like the funeral of Themba la
Mathemba Chikulayembe.
Sadly, as chiefs, we noted with grave concern how the two leaders kept
on interrupting State-designated Director of Ceremonies.
As chiefs,
we expected to hear the message of peace and love from the two church leaders; sadly we were disappointed to note that the conduct displayed
by Rev Nyondo and Rev Chipofya left a lot to the admired as they did that in public in the presence of a duly elected Head of State and Government of Malawi.
As chiefs, we appreciate that whether some people voted for the
current President or not, but he remains the duly elected Head of State of the Republic of Malawi because the majority elected him.
According to the Holy Bible as quoted in the book of Psalms Chapter 27
verses 4 and 5, the Church is supposed to be a refuge where people
seek comfort.
We are however saddened that the conduct by the leaders
defeats this understanding. This therefore gives us a lot of
questions.
Finally, we advise you that your preaching, as men of God must be led
by the Holy Spirit and not by your personal emotions.
Signed by:
Chief Principal Group Village Headman Kabazamawe
Chief Principal Group Village Headman Khalapamhanya
Principal Group Village Headman Kamzinga
