Mu mwaka wa 2023, ibiro by’ishami by’Abahamya ba Yehova byo muri Malawi byujuje imyaka 75 bishinzwe. Ibyo biro by’ishami byashinzwe mu mwaka wa 1948, mu mujyi wa Blantyre.

Mbere y’uko ibyo biro by’ishami bishingwa muri Malawi, ibiro by’ishami byo muri Afurika y’Epfo, ni byo byayoboraga umurimo w’Abahamya ba Yehova wakorerwaga muri Malawi. Mu mwaka wa 1934 muri Malawi hari abavandimwe na bashiki bacu bagera kuri 28, ariko nyuma yaho habayeho ukwiyongera ku buryo bageze 5.600 mu mwaka wa 1948. Kubera ko umubare w’ababwiriza wagendaga wiyongera, ku itariki ya 1 Nzeri 1948, hafunguwe ibiro by’ishami bwa mbere, bitangira gukorera mu nzu nto yakodeshwaga muri Blantyre. Ibiro by’ishami byakomeje gukorera aho kugeza bubatse Beteli nshya, mbere gato y’umwaka wa 1958.

Nyuma y’imyaka itageze ku icumi, ahagana mu Kwakira 1967, abayobozi bo muri Malawi bahagaritse umurimo w’Abahamya ba Yehova. Ibyo byatumye ibiro by’ishami bitongera gukoreshwa. Ariko nubwo byari bimeze bityo, abavandimwe bo muri Malawi bakomezaga kuyobora umurimo wo kubwiriza no kwita ku bavandimwe. Mu myaka 26 yakurikiyeho, Abahamya ba Yehova baratotejwe kandi bakorerwa ibikorwa by’iyicarubozo bazira kutivanga muri politike. Muri icyo gihe abavandimwe na bashiki bacu barafunzwe, baratotezwa ndetse baranicwa. Bamwe mu bavandimwe na bashiki bacu bagiye bahungira mu bihugu byo hafi aho urugero nka Mozambike, Zambiya na Zimbabwe.

Ku itariki ya 12 Kanama 1993, umurimo wacu wongeye kwemerwa. Mu myaka ibiri yakurikiyeho abavandimwe bo muri Zambiya bitaga ku murimo wo muri Malawi mu gihe wari warabuzanyijwe, bafashije abavandimwe kongera kuyobora umurimo. Nyuma yaho abo bavandimwe baguze inzu ebyiri mu mujyi wa Lilongwe, maze aba ari zo zihindurwamo ibiro by’ishami bishya bya Malawi. Mu mwaka wa 1994, Inteko Nyobozi yemeye umushinga wo gushaka ikibanza, hakubakwa Beteli nshya. Ku itariki ya 19 Gicurasi 2001, igihe batahaga ibiro by’ishami bishya, abavandimwe na bashiki bacu barenga 2000 bitabiriye uwo muhango. Abenshi muri bo bari barabaye indahemuka bamara igihe bihanganira ibitotezo. Umuvandimwe Trophim Nsomba, wari umugenzuzi usura amatorero mu gihe cy’ibitotezo, yari mu bari bitabiriye uwo muhango wo kwegurira Yehova ayo mazu. Yitegereje iyo Beteli nshya areba n’ukuntu umubare w’ababwiriza wiyongereye maze aravuga ati: “Ni ukuri imigisha Yehova yaduhaye ni myinshi cyane. Njye n’umugore wanjye iyo tubibonye tuba twumva ari inzozi.”

Ubu muri Malawi hari abavandimwe na bashiki bacu barenga 109.000 bari mu matorero 1.924. Muri bo hakubiyemo abavandimwe na bashiki bacu 225 bakorera i Lilongwe ku biro by’ishami bya Malawi, bakaba bakora umurimo wo guhindura inyandiko zishingiye kuri Bibiliya mu ndimi zirindwi.

Dusenga dusaba ko Yehova akomeza guha umugisha abavandimwe na bashiki bacu bo muri Malawi bakomeje kwihangana mu gihe cy’imyaka myinshi.—2 Abakorinto 6:4.