Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) National Chairman Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad says for a short period of time he has stayed in office, he has managed to bridge the gap that was there between Muslims and Malawi Government.
The Chairman said this at the ongoing Muslim Women Ijtmah in Mponela, Dowa.
He said even the Muslim women have managed to invite the First Lady to be Guest of Honour because of the good relationship which is now there between MAM and the government.
Sheikh Muhammad however, blamed other Muslims whom he said are trying to break that hard-fought relationship between Muslims and the current government.
The Chairman therefore said Muslims are free to follow parties of their choice but told them that its good to work with the ruling government if they want things to change in the Muslim community. He said if Muslims are not working with the government it will be difficult for MAM to get funds from outside as some donors ask a reference from the government.
The Chairman therefore, asked Muslims in the country to continue working with the current government for the betterment of their community.
The issue of MAM working with the current government has brought tension in the Muslim community attracting both negative and positive reactions.
90 percent of the Muslims in Malawi support United Democratic Front, former ruling party which was formed by Dr Bakili Muluzi (a Muslim) some 15 years ago.
And it is becoming difficult for the new MAM chairman to lobby the Muslims to support the current ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
However, there are allegations that the chairman even once asked Muslims who don’t want to work with the current government to go and stay outside the country waiting for the regime change, saying as long as they are here, they will still be ruled by the current ruling party.
Aisha Mambo, (Radio Islam reporter) reporting for Malawi Muslims Official Website from Mponela, Dowa. Marshall Dyton in Blantyre also contributed to this report.
