Livingstonia Synod carries a billboard with big letters "CHICHEWA". One with curiosity would look at the top line only "we say no to". He won't even bother to look at the bottom for he is disgusted that a church in the north would hate the Chechewa.
I understand not why it was put and why chichewa should not be in the constitution. For as an official language chichewa bridges several tribes and therefore convenient for communication among the unlearned who can't understand english (farther this was proposed during the tenure of a yao president). The ngoni, to whom Mzimba region is their area of settlement, decided not to hold on to their language and learn the language of their neighbors for peaceful co-existence for they left down south due conflicts arising from language difference. The Tonga, to whom part of Mzuzu also belongs, adopted Chewa names for peaceful co-existence. Livingstonia Synod then does wrong to put this bill-board in Mzuzu. As a church it should be the first to point towards loving our neighbors. Just that.
When it is not wrong for them let down the boundaries and cross into the central region nor the Nkhoma Synod to cross up north for the sake of their flock(Nkhoma for chewa speaking population who may not understand in tumbuka or english services, Livingstonia for their flock who with difference in procedures find acceptance problems in Nkhoma Synod). But with the placard they carry, their action was interpreted on tribalistic grounds.
And very possible, the quota might have been proposed to the president to punish the north by those angry at Livingstonia's action. Since Livingstonia had taken a political responsibility to speak for the north through its bill-board and actions and the rest of the north in protesting their action again is interpreted on tribalist grounds and selfishness.
While this remains my theory, I think its time Livingstonia Synod to let go the "tribalistic" message on its bill-board. I would also love the government to throughly scrutinize the implemented quota system for their might evidence of unfairness. I would love the center and the south to let go the perception that the people of the north are selfish for not all are. Though tribalism might be present as it would be present in the center and the south.
I would love the universities to be really sped up and the quota system to go soon.
We are one people of one nation Malawi and created by the same God. We are all related-in-marriage. Why hate one another?