Church Influence in Majority World Elections: Malawi Example
Malawi is gearing up for its seventh presidential election cycle on September 16, 2023, with 17 candidates vying for the top position. Among them are incumbent Lazarus Chakwera, Peter Mutharika, and Joyce Banda. The economy of Malawi is in severe distress, leading to high inflation, a high cost of living, and widespread poverty. All candidates have acknowledged the economy's poor performance and have unveiled ambitious economic recovery plans. However, corruption remains a significant issue, with Malawi ranked at 27.3 out of 100 on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index.
Corruption directly impacts public services, job creation, and public trust in Malawi. In an effort to combat this, the church has been encouraging voters to focus on issues rather than candidates' rhetoric. The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) have been at the forefront of this campaign, advising their faithful to reject corrupt politicians.
The Malawi Electoral Commission is employing an electronic voting system in the upcoming election, a step towards ensuring transparency and credibility. The deployment of Smartmatic electoral management devices (EMDs) is a significant move aimed at minimising electoral fraud and enhancing the integrity of the election.
In the fight against corruption, Martha Chizuma, former director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), investigated a record high of 119 cases during her tenure. However, she resigned in 2024 due to making many enemies. An anti-corruption course developed by Robert Osburn of the Wilberforce Institute is offered at the MINTS International Seminary in Zomba, Malawi, providing a platform for continued education and advocacy.
While no direct endorsement of candidates has been made by mainline churches, many clergy from different churches have offered prayers at political party campaign events. The Christian organization 'Brot für die Welt' (Bread for the World), known for its development work and advocacy, including efforts relevant to governance and social issues, is a prominent example of a Christian development organization active internationally. However, the search results do not explicitly state a specific Christian organization working on corruption in Malawi directly.
As the election day approaches, age has become a campaign issue, particularly on social media and the Internet. The candidates will need to address the concerns of the Malawian people effectively to secure their votes. The election will be a significant milestone in Malawi's journey towards economic recovery and the eradication of corruption.
