Ululation, jeering and shouting for joy filled the air around Kabudula Traditional Court in the outskirts of Lilongwe after pronouncement of a landmark verdict in favour of Mavundukila congregation, a branch of Seventh -day Adventist, Area 49 in Malawi. Presided by Traditional Authority Kabudula, the court heard that the local chief with influence from his right-hand wise men was victimizing Seventh day Adventists by refusing them their constitutional freedom of worship. In his ruling, the T/A warned the accused village headman and slapped him with a fine equivalent of 5 goats. The Department of Religious Liberties with guidance from SDA - Lingadzi District Pastor, Julius Chambwe made the application to Traditional Authority Kabudula, the supreme ruler of this part of Lilongwe following a series of abuses by locals to the congregation at Mavundikila "It all started when we refused to clear the graveyard bush on Sabbath. We'd previously requested the Group Village Headman (GVH) to allocate us any other day apart from Saturday -the sanctioned day of worship but he refused," said Bikitala, one of the leaders at Mavundikila Bikitala further narrated that the 9 faithfuls who dared the local chief were fined to pay the equivalent of 2 goats and 4 chickens each for failing to show up for the once a year 'Dambule ceremony' for the village "We couldn't afford such an exorbitant penalty so we took the matter to Area 49, the mother church," remarked one old lady Church leadership for Area 49 made several attempts to reason with village leaders but all was to no avail. "The local village tribunal was very irritating but we were ever mindful of the gospel call. We didn't want confrontation, so we simply appealed to the T/A," mattered First Elder Morson Chika of Area 49 Mavundikila area is about 20 km from Area 49 church in Lilongwe. It was established in 2016 after a VOP crusade conducted by elder Joseph Maruwo and kept ablaze with a nurturing program championed by elder Malizani and team. The branch has over 100 baptised Adventists most of whom were Presbyterians, Atheists or Gule wamkulu cult members. Mavundikila has a centre for Saturation 2017 crusade. Reports reaching this desk indicate that hundreds are following Pastor TY Nyirenda with some already surrendering their lives to Christ.

Meanwhile, in a related development, harassment has been reported of of members of Seventh day Adventist Church at Matowe Saturation Centre in the Adventist District of Lilongwe North West of Central Malawi Conference. The persecution which got to a climax on the evening of Wednesday 26th September ended with an immidiate decree by the leadership of the area to shutdown the centre.