The move comes after protesters demanded in a July 20 petition to President Bingu wa Mutharika that he should trim the size of the Cabinet by half.
Sam Vinton with Grace Ministries International says everything snowballed quickly. "The whole issue started last week when a number of people wanted to present a petition to the president. But then there were all these talks of people who were taking advantage of the situation. They began burning buildings and cars, and fortunately, none of that reached to where our churches are located."
Security forces used live rounds to quell the rioters, resulting in 19 deaths. The fighting also sparked international criticism about the handling of a civil complaint. Vinton says although their church buildings were not vandalized, they did come into play at the height of the unrest. "One of our churches became a refuge for people who fled, and they could hide there while this was taking place. Eventually, they lifted the protest ban."
The petition came about as a result of fuel and foreign exchange shortages, as well as a skyrocketing cost of living. People were incensed at having to "make do" while government officials drew large salaries. It's quite a different reception from how Mutharika's earlier years in office were received.
The 77-year-old president won a disputed election in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009. In his first term, he campaigned against poverty and corruption, which made him the darling of the international donor community. After his re-election, that changed.
Vinton explains, "A lot of money was being spent on the cabinet, and the people were lacking. The electricity was being turned off; there were just a number of those issues. Gas was very rare. It seems to be coming back, so that seems to be taken care of. But no one really knows what's going to take place because of the dismissal of the Cabinet."
The clashes came because the people "were angry because of the injunction saying that they could not protest, which they felt they had a right to do." But the injunction was meant to give time for talks with government. Meanwhile, a United Nations-mediated dialogue between the Malawi government and civil society is set for August 25.
The main issues in the petition will be split up into smaller chunks for discussion over the next four weeks. However, if the government still has not responded to the original petition, civil group leaders say they are still organizing demonstrations, vigils, and a general strike on September 21.
It appears that Mutharika's latest move was meant to pacify the protestors, but little else has been addressed on the list of complaints. Vinton notes, "Things are back to where they're peaceful. There seems to be actual discussion. The president has finally admitted that he will listen to the people."
Grace Ministries International began ministering in Malawi in 2000. Six years ago, the team established a training center and expanded the evangelistic outreach and church planting ministries.
The training center in Lilongwe is offering module programs for the leadership of the churches. Two Malawians are presently studying at the Zambia Grace Bible Institute in Kabwe, Zambia. Several churches have been planted in Lilongwe and several elsewhere, plus 20 preaching points which will eventually become church plants.
Keep praying for a peaceful resolution to Malawi's troubles and for opportunities to share the hope of Christ.
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