A committee that is organising the 2011 Ijtmah claims it is waiting for Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) National Chairman Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad(who is currently in Turkey) to come and decide the way forward.
A well-placed source from the organising committee confided with Malawi Muslims Official Website that as a committee, they have failed to source the fund from traditional donors hence they are waiting for the ‘Big Kahuna’ who is expected to be back this week.
“We have only got one cheque from one of the well-wishers which cannot even meet our budget. When we communicated to the chairman about the issue, he told us that he don’t want the Ijtmah to be cancelled. So, we are just waiting for him as he said he will try his level best to make sure that the Ijtmah is held before the end of this year,” said the source, adding, “There are also other traditional donors who are unenthusiastic to release the money without MAM Chairman’s presence”.
When asked if at all they have any information of where the chairman is waiting to get the money, the source said:
“I hope he is waiting for the President Bingu wa Mutharika as you know that he already promised them that he will donate something but he was out of the country for a leave. I am thinking so, because he mentioned that the Ijtmah could be held the first or the second week of December, the date of which the President was expected to be back from his vacation.”
However, Muslim Association of Malawi Secretary General has since expressed ignorance on the matter, saying as MAM, what they know is that the committee is still sourcing funds for the function.
“I cannot deny or agree with that claim that they are waiting for the chairman because I was not communicated regarding the matter. But what I know is that the Ijtmah is going to take place and the committee which was set is doing its job of collecting the funds,” said Dr Salmin Omar.
On the same development, rumours has it that National Chairman of the organising committee Biton Ajawa has pulled out, saying he is against MAM’s decision to seek donation from non-Muslims.
“He has pulled out from the committee because of the same issue. He said he is not happy with the MAM’s move of going to the politicians to ask them to fund the function who are not even Muslims,” confirmed the source.
However, efforts to talk to the Biton Ajawa on his pull out proved futile despite several attempts as his phone was switched off while the MAM’s Secretary General has described the matter as ‘news’ to him.
Relationship between Ajawa and MAM chairman went sour after he started announcing that he is going to work with the current government. He said that if Muslims want to benefit from the government, it is important that they first establish a good relationship with it but not just complaining while outside.
Reporting by Marshall Dyton from Blantyre
