One of the prominent and influential Muslims in the country Dr. Uladi Mussa has said the current Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) national chairman, Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad is the kind of a leader the Malawi Muslim community has been longing for and deserves another term.
Dr. Mussa who is also a parliamentarian for Salima South was speaking this at Maganga Primary School in the area of T/A Maganga in Salima district as the MAM national chairman distributed maize to over 300 hunger-stricken households.
“Leadership is not just about leading people but also concerned with the challenges that your followers are facing. If your followers are in problems, you too have to be concerned. That is exactly what current MAM leadership is. MAM is now moving in a right direction because the chairman realizes that putting the welfare of the people first is one of the virtues of a good leader,” said Dr. Mussa.
He further called for the change of MAM’s constitution saying partly it contradicts with principles of Islam when it comes to leadership. He said in Islam, a leader is supposed to hold the position until he dies.
“Islam says someone will only occupy the position if the current leader is dead. So I am just surprised to hear people talking about elections. What for? What wrong has he done? Sheikh Idrissa has done a lot to the Muslim community; he is assisting so many people just like what we are witnessing today. So, do you think things will be the same if he moves out of office?” asked Dr. Mussa.
In his remarks Member of Parliament for Salima Central Hon. Felix Jumbe commended MAM for considering his constituents in its programs.
He however urged MAM to come up with permanent solution to the hunger crisis the country is currently facing.
“This is worth recommending. MAM is doing a very great job in assisting the government towards alleviating the hunger problem in the country. However, I would love if they can consider the issues of irrigation farming because this is just a temporary solution. We have plenty of water sources for irrigation farming here in Salima,” he said.
The MAM national chairman Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad said Muslims in Malawi should be proud that despite several challenges at the beginning of his term, he has managed to win the hearts of many donors who have already started assisting the country.
“It took me three and half years to convince donors to start assisting MAM again. It was not easy but I am happy to let you know that the donors have confidence in my leadership and have promised to help the citizens of Malawi through Muslim Association of Malawi,” he said.
Sheikh Muhammad therefore said, in the second term of his leadership, MAM will continue implementing different projects apart from those which are underway.
“MAM has set aside a number of projects like the construction of school blocks and clinics in every district and everything is ready but we are just waiting for the elections to go then we will start doing that,” said the humble but fast-speaking youthful national chairman.
He added: “Our donor from Kuwait has already said something on issue to do with irrigation farming since he knows that this country depends on agriculture, he said this country can easily develop if we practice irrigation farming and the donor has promised to assist the country with resources for irrigation farming. So what I can ask you is to help us with prayers so that these dreams should become a reality.”
Next week, on August 31, Muslims in Malawi will be going to polls where they are expected to usher in a new Muslim Association of Malawi national executive committee.
However, this year’s elections seem to be just a fulfillment of the constitution because as Dr. Uladi Mussa has said, the majority of Muslims are convinced with the current leadership and sees no any reason of not giving Sheikh Idrissa another term.
