“You Don’t Have Mandate to Topple MAM’s Leadership” – Board of Trustees Warn Islamic Concern

Islamic Concern has to look for other means of forcing the Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) National Chairman Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad to resign after receiving a cold shoulder from Association’s Board of Trustees.

The grouping, has been told that it has no mandate to topple the leadership of MAM and the trustees have demanded the immediate re-opening of the office.

Last week, Islamic Concern, demanded National Chairman of MAM Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad to step down for what they say failing to act on the issue of Muslim women who dance in political rallies.

The National Chairman was told to issue a Press Release condemning the malpractice failing which, he should step down. Ironically, before the chairman responded to their concern, the grouping went to the MAM headquarters and closed the offices as one way of forcing the chairman to resign.

The grouping then petitioned MAM Board of Trustees so that it should tell the chairman to resign and call for elections.

However, on Monday the trustees told Islamic Concern that according MAM’s constitution, nobody has a mandate to remove the National Chairman from his position.

“The General Assembly is the only organ that can remove the National Chairman of the Muslim Association of Malawi from his position,” reads part of the letter sent to the grouping which Malawi Muslims Official Website is in possession.

According to the letter, which dated 14th April 2014, the trustees also accused the grouping of demanding the chairman’s resignation without hearing his side of the story.

“In order to meet requirements of principles of natural justice, there is need to allow for fair hearing from all the parties involved in the matter. The General Assembly of the Muslim Association of Malawi should be convened on 26th April 2014 to respond to the petition,” says the letter signed by Al-Hajj James Ndala.

On the behalf of the the Trustees, Al-Hajj James Ndala, who is also a member of the Trustees has  since asked the grouping to open the office of MAM “to process the meeting and other related issues.”

However, Malawi Muslims Official Website understands that according to the constitution of MAM,  it is the National Chairman who is mandated to call for the General Assembly.

Making matters worse, this website also understands that members of Board of Trustees are supposed to be elected every two years. This means that the current Board of Trustees is acting illegally as their term expired in 2013 so it will take a legal expert to explain whether any decision which may be taken by Board of the Trustees will be valid or not.