The former bishop of Upper Shire has ignored an order evicting him from the diocesan office and church properties issued by the Church of the Province of Central Africa.
Three weeks after he was deposed from office by the primate, the Most Rev. Albert Chama, the Rt. Rev. Brighton Malasa has maintained possession of the diocesan properties. On 23 Oct 2022 Archbishop Chama wrote to Bishop Malasa stating he had been excommunicated for violating the provincial constitution and canons.
After a provincial-ordered audit found Bishop Malasa had abused his office, in April the province’s House of Bishops gave him six months to leave office. Bishop Malasa responded by saying he would only go if the province would give him a million US dollar buyout, as was his right under the provincial canons, he claimed.
Archbishop Chama asked Bishop Malasa and the diocesan standing committee to meet with him on October 14 and 15, 2022. However, Bishop Malasa and the standing committee rebuffed the archbishop’s request to meet, prompting the archbishop to “separate them from the Church of the Province of Central Africa and the Anglican communion for actually failing to avail themselves for the two meetings when the Archbishop actually arrived in Zomba.”
Bishop Malasa (46) filed suit earlier this month in the Malawi courts to block his removal from office claiming it was illegal under canon law. In his lawsuit he seeks payment in full of his salary and benefits until age 65 and be given three months after he receives his severance package to vacate his church owned home and office.
“I will vacate the house within 48-hours as demanded by you, unless all issues are addressed, because, these are my rights. It shall be good if the Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire is compliant with all the guiding policies including the Laws of Malawi,” the former bishop said in a statement given to Malawian newspapers.
The case continues.
