Border wrangles between Nkhoma and Livingstonia CCAP Synods have resurfaced with Nkhoma accusing Livingstonia of rushing to establish churches in its territory without waiting for a constitutional review by the General Assembly sub-committee on how the synods should plant churches in other territories.
Nkhoma Synod is also accusing the CCAP General Assembly leadership of failing to facilitate the constitutional review that would come up with guidance to help the synods follow when planting churches in a different territory.
In an interview on Friday, Nkhoma Synod Moderator Reverend, Chatha Msangaambe, said Livingstonia Synod and the mother body of all synods, the CCAP General Assembly, are both failing to achieve peace, unity and solidarity with Nkhoma Synod leadership and church members.
Msangaambe said the General Assembly meeting held in Lundazi in Zambia resolved that Nkhoma and Livingstonia Synods could establish churches in either territory in an orderly manner, but after the Constitution Review Committee makes recommendations guiding the process.
“It is us, CCAP Nkhoma Synod, who proposed that [constitutional review] because our friends in Livingstonia Synod had already stormed our territory. It is normal for them to establish churches anywhere within our land and we are also going to reach up north. However, it was agreed that because this is a new thing in both synods, we should institute a committee to review CCAP synod Constitution so that the establishment of churches in both synods should be done orderly and maturely,” said Msangambe.
He added: “Nkhoma Synod is always orderly and what Livingstonia did was illegal. They deserved disciplinary action by the General Assembly, but nothing happened. We also kept quiet because we are peaceful and we did not want to disturb both Nkhoma and Livingstonia Synods Christians.”
Livingstonia Synod Moderator Reverend, Douglas Chipofya, said the issue of boundaries took many years to be resolved, hence waiting for the policies was a waste of time. Chipofya said Nkhoma has already planted a church in Mzuzu, adding that challenging the Livingstonia Synod with the new policies will not yield anything.
“We have fought with Nkhoma Synod on the boundary issue for a long time. What policies are they talking about? We resolved that five or seven years ago and we agreed that each synod is free to establish churches in all the synods. Why should we be continuing talking about policies? Anyway, they have a right to speak but for us we are busy evangelising. Let me not comment further,” said Chipofya.
But Msangaambe disowned the new church planted in Mzuzu under Nkhoma Synod. He said Nkhoma Synod does not recognise the Mzuzu CCAP Nkhoma Synod Church, which is under Thupa Congregation of Kakonje Presbytery.
Mzuzu Nkhoma, bought land close to Grand Palace Hotel where they are constructing a church as they want to move from Katoto Secondary School premises where they are currently congregating.
CCAP General Assembly Moderator, Reverend Timothy Nyasulu, refused to comment on the matter.
But responding to the coming of Nkhoma Synod in Mzuzu three months ago, Nyasulu told The Daily Times that the two synods were free to establish churches in central or northern regions.
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