It never rains but it pours for the 2012 men Ijtmah organising committee as two rival camps are tussling over the guest of honour.
According to the information gathered by Malawi Muslims Official Website, members in the committee are failing to agree on who will be the guest of honour between Malawi’s State President Her Excellency Mrs Joyce Banda and former President Bakili Muluzi.
All members in the committee had initially proposed to invite the State President to grace the event which was scheduled to take place in September this year.
However, reports reaching this website indicate that another rival camp has emerged to fight against the initial proposal because they have not yet received any support from the government hence, the reason to push for the shifting of the event to October 5 in order to give a chance to Muluzi who is currently in South Africa for medical treatment to attend.
Malawi Muslims Official Website can reveal that the other faction approached the former president to assist them financially, in the process promising him that the committee will try its best to sell his loved son Honourable Atupele Muluzi who is eyeing for the 2014 presidency under the UDF ticket.
Muluzi has since contributed K4 million as part of the ijtmah’s budget.
In fact, this is the first time for the former President (a Muslim) to contribute such huge amount to the Muslims’ annual gathering, a thing that is raising more questions than answers.
To fulfil their motives, the rival camp is allegedly planning to make the former president’s son Atupele Muluzi as a guest of honour should his father fail to attend the function.
“Yes, I can confirm that we have a slight misunderstanding on who will be the guest of honour. Those who belong to the ruling People’s Party [PP] wants President Mrs Joyce Banda to come while fanatics of the former ruling United Democratic Front [UDF] are for the former president or his son. But the sad thing is that it seems like the Ijtma is now more less like a political platform than a religious event. And, this can be witnessed by looking at the previous functions where most of the people who are invited to grace the event are politicians,” confirmed a well placed source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
This year’s ijtmah is expected to take place at Kamuzu Stadium with a budget pegged at K8 million of which half of it, is the one contributed by the former president. However, the most worrisome thing is that the committee has not yet reached the target.
“We are remaining with about 1 if not 2 million for us to meet the required budget,” said the source.
Last year, the ijtmah failed to take place because of the same issue as two rival camps also emerged – with one supporting the then President late Bingu wa Mutharika while the other calling for the invitation of Dr Bakili Muluzi to be guest of honour.
We told you people but you did not listen, now this is all what you have to offer to the poor Muslims of Malawi? satisfy your
narrow personal interest.Tiye nazoni zikawoneka pa Qiyamah "It will be said], "Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant." Qur'an 17:14
I just have some questions on this matter:
1/ What is the Sha'ri ruling regarding having a Lady as a guest of Honor at such an event? Is this acceptable?
2/ Is the Ijtema on auction to the highest bidder?
3/ Why do we need to politicize these religious events? This is when we end up with these kind of problems that will arise. Is it not better to have a pious God Fearing Muslim who is acceptable by both sides to be the Guest of Honour? In the eyes of Allah this is the best person not based on political colors of leanings as the beloved prophet (peace be upon him) has enforced in his traditions.
4/ What do we benefit from this Annual Ijtema? MK 8 million can go a long way in supporting the education of our children and make their future rather than a few days of speeches and political posturing?
Brothers and sisters in Islam, lets not take personal grudges against innocent people. I believe this is total trash and it's meaningless. Firstly, the author has no sense of professionalism, probably he or she is just a senseless gossiper or s/he is being used. In any set up of an organizing committee, what you do first, is to set up methods on how you are going to fund raise, give out invitations, so on and so forth. As a committee you don't dictate terms on how one should donate and you just honorably ask the invitees confirmation of attendance.
This reporter lacks substance in his story. Firstly he/she doesn't disclose his/her source for the benefit of all muslims. Secondly, there are no names of who agreed with Dr Muluzi about his son's campaign strategy at Ijitima, the date and not even the place where they met.
Can this journalist give us the back ground of Dr Muluzi's donations made to muslims/organizations, Ijitmas attendances as a politician and please I need to learn how many hours is given to warrant 4million for him to campaign for his son?
By his/her investigation skills, can we get a good picture on how much other donors have pledged or donated, because the article says there is a short fall of 1.2m. In addition, the reporter has stated that the organizing committee has not reached its target in fund raising. I would like to ask our so called informed reporter if it would be possible to hold the ijitima earlier than the fixed date without sufficient funding. It seems our dear reporter is confusing himself. First he says the date has been shifted to another day, and then the same reporter says the organizing committee is failing to raise funds. does that not answer his own question, it simply shows the committee is still raising funds that is why they had to shift the date.
Get your facts right before you feed people with false and misguiding information. Chilungamo nchofunika pa Deen. If the aim of the website is to guide the Malawi muslims then i am sorry on this issue the innocent muslims have been misguided.
sharia ikuti chani? (its better a pious GOD fearing man) plse consult outside the organizing committee,its never too late
Assalam Alaykum Country men,Dont wory and get stressed over these issues.The real Ijtima aimed at Pleasing Allah is gone years ago.May be at least the just ended "Tabuligh..Ijtima" organised by our fellow Indian muslims,which was at Lunzu.With no guest of Hounors hence discussions of Allah's Deen.However this type of Ijtima is not bad anyway ,you show case Deen and politics.Name it "ISLAMIC POLITICAL ANNUAL GATHERING(IPAG).So any one can be guest of hounor.Tizikakambirana za deen at glance,2014 presidential candidates,how many Muslim Mps do we want,which party is popular,why everybody wants to be a president,Mufut,Chairman,minister,Why Bingu turned adictator.What killed Prof.Bingu,why muslims have no university,Hospital ,Islaimic complex for MAM,Qmam etc offices.Who is a leader for Muslims in Malawi.Why western attack muslim world,why Gadaff died in that way,Egypt,Syria,Falistina.In a nut shell Malawi politics and the entire world.Akufuna pure za Mulungu ayende 3days 10days 40days 4months Tabulgh Jaamat basi.Kumeneko anthu amakachita fikir ya deen,no hotel sleeping,no red carpert.