Maintaining Unity in the Bond of Peace Eph.

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PRESS STATEMENT
For Immediate Release: 17th March 2014 Contact: Rev. Dr. Osborne Joda Mbe!e" 0# ## $7% %$%. &mail: 'odambe!e()mail.com

*oliati Riots: Condemnation o+ ,olitical -iolence

Mala!i Co.ncil o+ Ch.rches !orried on electoral direction
/I/O0*1&" M2/21I. 17th March 2014. Mala!i is )oin) to cond.ct its +irst 3ri4artite &lections on 20th Ma5 2014. 1ith this electoral 4rocess" !here ,residential" ,arliamentar5 and Co.ncillor 4ositions !ill be contested +or" Mala!ians are e64ected to cond.ct themselves in a 4eace+.l and tolerant manner so that the elections are +ree" +air and 4eace+.l. 2ll 4olitical 4arties are e64ected to cond.ct themselves in a 4eace+.l manner and to en)a)e in mat.re 4olitics characterised b5 an iss.e based cam4ai)n 4rocess. It is behind this bac7)ro.nd that the Mala!i Co.ncil o+ Ch.rches 8MCC9 !ishes to stron)l5 condemn the violence that er.4ted on 1: th March 2014 at *oliati in 3h5olo District" !here t!o 4eo4le !ere 7illed in 4oliticall5 motivated violence. 2s a member o+ the Christian +aith and also o+ the 4eace+.l Mala!ian nation" the Co.ncil !ishes to reiterate its stand that all Mala!ians m.st observe the r.le o+ la! and e6ercise tolerance d.rin) the 2014 elections. 3he Mala!i Co.ncil o+ Ch.rches is also an active sta7eholder in the electoral 4rocess" +.ll5 accredited b5 the Mala!i &lectoral Commission to carr5 o.t monitorin) and observation o+ the electoral 4rocess. In this re)ard" an5 acts that violate the electoral and national stat.tes are e6ceedin)l5 condemned. 2s a member o+ the Inter+aith &lectoral Initiative 8I&I9 that 4ools to)ether all +aith )ro.4s in ens.rin) that the 20 Ma5 2014 3ri4artite &lections are a s.ccess" the Co.ncil calls .4on all 4olitical 4art5 leadershi4 and s.44orters to restrain +rom 4olitics o+ hatred and violence" and concentrate more on 4eace+.l and tolerant 4olitics and a cam4ai)n based on iss.es. /astl5" the Co.ncil calls .4on the la! en+orcement and le)al a)encies in Mala!i to investi)ate and ta7e to boo7 4er4etrators o+ 4olitical violence at all levels. Mala!i belon)s to all Mala!ians and strives at all times to remain a *od +earin) nation.

3he Co.ncil calls .4on all its member ch.rches and all Mala!ians to 4ra5 +or a 4eace+.l cam4ai)n 4eriod and s.ccess+.l elections. 3he Co.ncil e6tends its condolences to the +amilies o+ the t!o 4eo4le 7illed in the .n!arranted violence as !as e64erienced at *oliati. 3his 7ind o+ intolerance shall never and m.st never be tolerated at all costs b5 all 4eace lovin) Mala!ians.