Gilford Matonga’s past silence during the rule of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has come under scrutiny, with critics questioning why the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) spokesperson was largely muted at a time when allegations of corruption and nepotism dominated public debate.
During President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration — himself a fellow pastor — PAC was widely perceived as less confrontational, despite growing public concern over governance issues.
Observers now argue that the contrast with Matonga’s recent strong stance raises uncomfortable questions about consistency.
The debate intensified after Matonga told Zodiak Online that President Peter Mutharika should suspend senior government officials suspected of corruption until they are cleared by the courts.
But senior PAC members have moved quickly to distance the organisation from those remarks.
In separate interviews, committee executives stressed that Matonga’s comments were personal and not backed by any formal resolution of the body.
“PAC supports accountability and integrity in public office, but those remarks were not endorsed by the committee,” one senior member said.
Behind the scenes, some members fear the comments risk creating the impression that PAC is politically aligned — a perception that could erode its standing as a neutral, faith-based voice on national affairs.
There are also internal calls for Matonga to withdraw his statement and consider stepping down as spokesperson for presenting personal views as institutional positions.
A senior cleric within the committee said PAC’s influence depends on collective decision-making and strict neutrality.
“Our authority comes from moral balance and broad consultation. No single individual should speak in a way that compromises that,” he said.
PAC has since reaffirmed its commitment to due process and the presumption of innocence — principles also upheld by the Malawi Law Society — insisting its role is to guide the nation with fairness rather than inflame political tensions.
As the controversy unfolds, the focus remains not only on Matonga’s recent comments, but also on whether PAC has applied its moral voice consistently across different administrations.
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