QMAM Ushers in New Office Bearers
The Qadria Muslim Association of Malawi (QMAM) has ushered in a new executive committee through election held at its headquarters in Lilongwe on January 5, 2022. The election which is the first since the organization’s inception saw the long serving publicity secretary Sheikh Jafar Kawinga as chairperson.
Kawinga, triumphed over two other contestants, Omar Muhammad Jimu and Omar Jimu Sulaymana who got 26
and 4 votes respectively while Kawinga got 35 votes. Kawinga was all joy after announcing the results and praised Allah for his accomplishment.
“I am grateful to Allah for making this possible and making me stand tall today as chairperson for the organization. I
know it is a huge responsibility but with the help of Allah, I believe I will lead. I would also like to thank the delegates
for having confidence in me to head QMAM as its chairperson for the next six years. I am really humbled, it’s my hope that QMAM members will render their support during my tenure of office,” said Kawinga.
He said the new committee does not have time to waste but will go straight to business.
“We are not relaxing, we are going straight to strategize on the best way forward to stirring the organization for
the benefit of Muslims in the country,” said Kawinga.
He outlined some of the programs to be done which he classified in three categories of short, middle, and long-term plans.
He called upon the former executive members and other competitors who did not make it into the new executive
to work together for the benefit of Islam.
“We are here but this does not mean we know everything, the former executive did a lot, and we need their expertise
and experience and also our brothers who were competing with us have good plans for the organization, we need their advice and suggestions so as to make QMAM great,” said Kawinga.
Kawinga also added that he will call for a roundtable meeting with the former committee and the trustees to discuss
the way forward as this is the time to make QMAM stronger than before. Kawinga vowed to continue with the
projects that the former executive started or those that were in the pipeline and ensure continuation.
“Any organization has its plans, QMAM has its plans as well. All the projects whether on planning stage or they
are on the ground now, this executive will proceed with them. We believe in continuation and consistence,” said
Kawinga.
Religious commentators, Aubrey Thom Vakhani and Peter Chipanga has asked the executive to be united if the want to achieve the organization’s goals. Chipanga said the new executive has a duty to unite the people who had
differences, any election has differences because people have different ideologies but afterwards, there must
be somebody to unite them which is one of the duties of this executive,” said Chipanga.
He hailed the way the organization conducted its elective assembly saying it was well organized, free and fair.
Vakhani on the other hand, asked the executive to be firm and adhere to Islamic obligations when discharging
their duties.
“Most people go astray when ushered into office in most of the religious organizations with different forces both political and social, I would ask the executive to be strong and stick to Islamic teachings,” said Vakhani.
During the election, Secretary General Osman Karim went unopposed and will be deputized by Hassan Abdul-Malick.
Other new faces in the executive committee are Sheikh Jafaal Abdullah (Vice chairperson), Abdul-Aziz Zimba,
(Treasurer General), Salim Shaibu Sumaisi (Deputy Treasurer General) and Maulana Abubakar Panchi (Publicity
Secretary).
