Blantyre Synod elects new office bearers
Blantyre Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) on Tuesday elected the Reverends Edna Navaya, Ernest Mpate and Baxton Maulidi as moderator, vice-moderator and deputy general secretary (GS) in that order.
The election took place during the 33rd Biennial Meeting at St. Michael and All Angels Multipurpose Hall in Blantyre.
The polls saw Navaya amassing 263 votes against Reverend Lyton Kilowe’s 156 votes.
On the position of vice-moderator Mpate received 194 votes against 107 for the Reverend Immaculate Chikwatu and 58 for the Reverend Dr. Humphreys Zgambo.
The Reverend Jafali Asidi came fourth with 46 votes, followed by the Reverend Annie Kapinda who collected 27 votes.
Reverend Maulidi rose to the position of synod deputy GS after scooping 266 votes, beating the Reverend Jimmy Banda and the Reverend Anderson Juma who got 132 and 24 votes respectively.
Navaya is not a stranger in the Synod management board, she once served as vice-moderator the late Reverend Rabson Chimkwezule between 2015 and 2019.
Announcing the results, the elections committee chairperson Justice Frank Kapanda thanked the delegates for the smooth process of the elections.
He said: “It now remains my honour to thank you all for allowing a seamless flow of these elections. Thank you for entrusting us to run these elections. We hope that we have fulfilled the mandate and that we will all work towards building our church.”
Kapanda called on members to support the new office-bearers to carry out their duties.
Held under the theme Rebuilding the CCAP Blantyre Synod Together by the help of God (Nehemiah 2 verse 17 to 18), the 33rd Biennial Conference was less confrontational as previous gatherings where differences in voting procedure, selection of voters and last minute campaigning caused tension.
In his speech, guest of honour business mogul Thom Mpinganjira commended CCAP Blantyre Synod for various projects it is undertaking in the country.
But he called upon the church to start spiritual rebuilding in line with the great commission that calls believers to go to all the world to preach the Gospel.
Said Mpinganjira: “The CCAP Church like all else have been rocked by racism, nepotism and politics and this has led the church to divert from the great commission and focus on internal fighting. This year’s theme is pertinent.”
The CCAP General Assembly which comprises five synods—Blantyre, Livingstonia, Nkhoma, Harare and Zambia.
The CCAP Blantyre Synod holds elections for synod office bearers every two years. In 2019, the synod elected Billy Gama, his term ends in 2023.
The terms of office for the new moderator and vice-moderator end in 2023 while the term of the deputy GS ends in 2025. This ensures continuity to avoid all leaders leaving office at the same time.
