The Executive Board of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa
(AMECEA) on 25th September 2014 elected His Grace Thomas Luke Msusa, S.M.M., Archbishop of Blantyre, Malawi the Vice Chairman of the Association.
According to the AMECEA statutes, the election of the Vice Chairman is done during the first Executive Board meeting after the Plenary Assembly. The article 14 Paragraph 2 of the Statutes state that, “…..The Vice Chairman of the Association shall be elected by members of the Executive Board at their meeting……”
Archbishop Msusa, by the virtue of his position as Vice Chairman, becomes the AMECEA Delegate in the Standing Committee of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).
Archbishop Msusa was born on February 2, 1962 at Iba village in Mangochi district. He was ordained priest on August 3, 1996 at St Augustine Cathedral in Mangochi Diocese. He was appointed Bishop of Zomba Diocese on January 16, 2004 and was consecrated a bishop on April 17, 2004.
On 21st November 2013, the Holy Father Pope Francis appointed him Archbishop of Blantyre and he was installed Archbishop of Blantyre on 8th February 2014.
The Executive Board also elected Rt Rev Phillip Anyolo, Bishop of Homa Bay (Kenya) as the Chairman of Pastoral department. He takes over from Bishop Kidane Yebio of Eparchy of Keren (Eritrea). Rt Rev Charles Kasonde, Bishop of Solwezi (Zambia) was re-elected Chairman for Social Communications Department; Rt. Rev. Joseph Ziwa Bishop of Kiyinda-Mityana (Uganda) becomes the new Chairman for Justice and Peace, a position that was previously held by Rt. Rev. Martin Mtumbuka, Bishop of Karonga (Malawi). Rt Rev Rogatus Kimaryo, Bishop of Same (Tanzania) and Rt Rev Michael Didi, Bishop of El Obeid (Sudan) become the new Chairman and Vice Chairman of Staffing Committee respectively. These positions were previously held by Rt. Rev. Isaac Amani Masawe, Bishop of Moshi (Tanzania) and Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo respectively.
All these elective posts will last for a period of four years; that is till the next AMECEA Plenary Assembly in 2018.
In his homily during holy Mass at the secretariat, the Vice Chairman commended the secretariat staff for their dedication, commitment and hard work which yielded good fruits over the years.
“During the last AMECEA Plenary in Malawi, all the logistics, all the good things that happened there were because of this place,” he said adding that “Behind all these successful Bishops of AMECEA there are people who are working day and night to ensure that things turn out right; thank you so much,” he said.