OPENING REMARKS DURING AN ALL-INCLUSIVE STAKEHOLDERS CONFERENCE HELD AT LIMBE CATHEDRAL, BLANTYRE, 14-15 MARCH, 2012 BY RT BISHOP JAMES

TENGATENGA, CHAIRMAN OF THE CONFERENCE

Bishops from various religious bodies General Secretaries of religious bodies Leaders of political parties Leaders of civil society organizations Members of Diplomatic Community Observers Ladies and Gentlemen

Let me begin by welcoming you to this beautiful city of Blantyre and indeed to this All- Inclusive Conference organized by the Public Affairs Committee (PAC). Your presence in this city today is very symbolic and demonstrates the commitment towards the promotion of common good and peace in our country. Malawians are aware that you are gathered here to discuss issues of national importance.

Though our booking was cancelled at Mount Soche Hotel last minute, God has provided us with another venue for our deliberations. The developments we have witnessed and experienced in the last few days are characteristic of deteriorating relations among various stakeholders in the pursuit of democracy and the exercise of the rights thereof. Why the government would play interference with our exercise of the democratic right of assembly is beyond comprehension.

You will agree with me that everybody is aware of the challenges our country is facing in the economic and political terrain. However, not everybody follows consistently and at the same pace and with the same understanding the political and economic situation Malawi as it is unfolding. Nor are we all fully aware how deep-rooted some of these economic issues are. There are many versions from different sectors and at the same time these sectors have created their own strategies to resolve their challenges. It is important in such situations to share knowledge among ourselves as Malawians.

Before I go further, may I remind all of us why PAC considers it its responsibility to call such meetings. PAC works with all stakeholders drawing powers from its constitution. To cite a few objects from our Constitution, I quote:

To encourage religious bodies to fulfill their prophetic and religious roles, and respond to the socio-economic and political affairs of the Republic of Malawi To enter into and maintain a dialogue with any person, political body or any other institution in the Republic of Malawi regarding any issues of concern to the nation; To promote peace and tranquility in the Republic of Malawi; To promote the rule of law and human rights in the Republic of Malawi

As you have noticed PAC has a mandate to operate on issues of political governance and economic affairs. It is for this reason, therefore, that key stakeholders are here today including ruling and opposition political parties. As you may recall, this is the way PAC has previously been convening meetings. To this end, we are like children returning to our motherland. You are our constituency. Your vision and ours are inextricably linked.

Allow me, distinguished delegates, to recall some of the history of our democracy. During the political transition in 1992 Malawi rejected all forms of dictatorial tendencies. We therefore ushered in a Constitution that recognizes democratic tenets and values. Intimidation and unwarranted arrests were supposed to be consigned to the past. The big bwana syndrome attitude was not supposed to be entertained again. We gather here today to take a resolve to maintain the original vision of consolidating democracy, and to rekindle the original motivation to reclaim the future we have always wished to see. We do so realizing that our Republican Constitution allows us to assemble without suppression. It is in the same vein therefore that Malawians have the right to assess the progress of any regime at any particular time for all leaders rule based on trust bestowed upon them by the Malawians society. In this regard, the Republican Constitution (S.12) (111) stresses this point by stating as follows: the authority to exercise power of the State is conditional upon the sustained trust of the people of Malawi and that trust can only be maintained through open, accountable and transparent Government and informed democratic choices. The provision quoted from our Republican Constitution is critical for any government that rules our country in the new dispensation. It is a provision that gives mandate to any organization or individual to criticize authorities or to withdraw the authority to govern. This brings me to another assertion made from other quarters that civil society organizations do not have mandate in articulating issues of governance because they are not elected. Let me argue this way. Mandate does not only emanate from elections. Different legal frameworks where the functions of CSOs are outlined provide mandate for such organizations to operate. It is not an elected official only that has mandate to pursue issues of national importance.

Therefore your gathering in this hall is a legitimate cause to articulate issues that can shape the future of this country.

My message to fellow clergy is that we need input from all stakeholders and from experts and other professions in order to complement our prophetic and advocacy roles in economic and political matters. That is why PAC secretariat has invited key clergy and others stakeholders to be present in this all inclusive conference.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me now outline the objectives of this advocacy conference. You will recall that last year PAC announced that it would embark on advocacy in 2012. This is one of the activities PAC has lined up to implement as we strive to restore our democracy. This conference has the following objectives:

The first is to mobilize key stakeholders and various efforts towards a common agenda and collective redress to Malawis political and economic challenges. This objective will be achieved by the participation of various representatives from trade unions, faith communities, legal fraternity, academia, CSOs and CONGOMA among others in shaping a common agenda and collective redress to topical challenges facing our country.

The second is to define a concerted strategy for engaging the government in dealing with the present challenges Malawi is facing. This objective will be realized if this conference defines a clear-cut strategy for the defined common agenda and redress that will be determined under the first objective.

The third objective is to enhance a unified voice among faith-based organizations, politicians and the rest of civil society on issues of economic and political governance. The objective will be achieved if all of us here will speak with one voice on what we want Malawi to achieve. We may not agree on all every issues but we believe that through concerted effort we may reach significant consensus and come up with decisions which will be for the common good and for the future of Malawi.

Distinguished delegates, let us be frank with ourselves. With the current regime there are areas that could be looked at positively especially in the first term of the administration. There were good results in infrastructural development and in the area of checks and balances. At that point in time a ray of hope emerged in our society.

Indeed, Malawians developed a trust in the administration to the extent that the 2009 elections produced an overwhelming majority for the incumbent. Every Malawian thought that our destiny had been defined in line with definition of the future of Malawi as outlined during our political transition in 1992. However, 2010 saw a different political tide. Laws that passed in parliament and policies were without adequate consultations. Modification of Malawi flag, acute shortage of FOREX and fuel dominated our debate in Malawi. In 2011, we saw poor relations on the international scene compounded by the expulsion of the British High Commissioner. Most commentators made it clear that Malawi had lost its direction. And indeed, we can observe today that things have fallen apart economically and politically. That is why PAC has identified this theme: TIME TO RECLAIM OUR DESTINY SEEKING REDRESS TO OUR POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES. In order to effectively tackle this theme, three broad topics have been identified Political Situation, Economic Situation, and Constitutional Gaps and Opportunities in current Political Situation. These topics will provide a basis for our debate and outcomes of the conference. Allow me to clarify the word reclaim which seems to have caused some concerns in some quarters. Reclaim does not mean remove! The word should not imply any intention to stage a coup on the current regime. What we mean is that our vision for the future of this country need to be redirected. I wish to emphasize the fact that PAC has a history of organizing such conferences and using similar themes. For instance, in 2002 we held a conference at Lilongwe Hotel with a theme: Choosing Our Destiny. There was no problem with the theme. But remember that time, there were serious political developments, yet PAC conferences proceeded without any frustrations.

Ladies and Gentlemen, what we want as PAC are few concrete resolutions and strategies. There have been many conferences to date but with general recommendations which do not produce results. In our case, we would like to hear and document specific resolutions and strategies. We need them now, in fact yesterday! Should we not come up with anything we will have ourselves to blame for the worsening situation. The crisis has been discussed enough in the media by various leaders and now is the time for solutions and action. In the next two days we would like to have focus on these issues and come up with practical and effective resolutions and plans of action for solutions to Malawis plight. I think I have adequately outlined the focus of this All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference. It is not about some individuals taking advantage to start war as other quarters have been

propagating. This is a peaceful conference. PAC believes in spiritual, intellectual and practical engagement rather than physical might. Finally, ladies and Gentlemen, you are invited to deliberate on key issues as I indicated earlier. Let us focus on hard issues that can turn around our country. I do not want to pre-empt issues. So let me stop here.

But before I do so let me thank all those who have supported this conference spiritually and morally. Without your support we should not have reached this stage. We say thank you. May the God our Lord Guide us as we deliberate on issues of national importance.

I therefore declare the All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference officially opened.

Thank you

God Bless Us All