Rev. Royd Mwandu, 17th Episcopal District TCR Field Representative
Greetings, my AME Church family, especially those who are preparing to attend the August 2024 General Conference in Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Regretfully for me, the US Consulate in Zambia has not acceded to my request for an accelerated interview.
This has nullified my travel to the 52nd session of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church as an elected Clergy delegate.
I take this opportunity to thank Bishop David R Daniels Jr., the 17th Episcopal District, for being elected by the clergy electoral college of Southwest Zambia Annual Conference and for the confidence in my attributes to serve on the 2024 Revisions Committee. I am afraid I will be absent.
Since 2004, I have sacrificed my time and finances and attended every General Conference without fail.
This became part of my lifestyle. I feel bad that this time around, my overly delayed interview has hindered my travel.
Despite my firm itinerary of August 12 – 29 August 2024, the US embassy has ignored my request. They insist I must appear for an interview on April 4, 2025, several months after the General Conference would have concluded.
The General Conference is the biggest gatherings of AME Bishops, General Officers, Connectional Officers, Clergy and Lay delegates, alternates, and observers.
Delegates are expected to come from all five continents, hence the classification as a “global gathering.”
The previous General Conference took place in 2021 instead of 2020, due to the negative devastation of Covid-19.
As a result, most delegates from outside the USA could not travel to Orlando, Florida. The General Conference was classified as a “Hybrid.” Delegates from Africa gathered in designated clusters due to restricted global travel brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the 2021 General Conference, we witnessed the withdrawal of delegates’ privileges and benefits. Delegates from Africa have not received their General Conference kits despite paying for their registration in full. This again points to lapses in Episcopal and Delegation leadership.
Unfortunately, most AMEs are not aware of the hurdles, limitations, and problems that elected delegates from Africa face to attend the General Conference every four years.
Worse still, information on the costs involved in making it to the site of the General Conference is not shared publicly.
This is my endeavor to create awareness of the challenges experienced by delegates from Africa through my personal experience. Readers will know that I have had the privilege of attending the General Conferences of 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2024 (denied).
I take full responsibility for the contents of the following disclosures.
The Treasurer/Chief Finance Officer has always allocated money for the General Conference GC delegation’s travel and logistics for delegates from overseas. Until 2024, expense allocation has always been the discretion of the Bishop in the Episcopal District. He decides on behalf of delegates how and where the money must be spent.
The General Conference was held in 2004 in Indiana, Indianapolis. The three Bishops from Africa, Wilfred Jacobus Messiah, Paul Jones Mulenga Kawimbe, and David R Daniels Jr., were elected.
Since that General Conference, delegates’ funding to Districts 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 20 has been cut due to financial constraints. The 2004 GC was the last time delegates from the motherland enjoyed full privileges of being elected and all expenses paid for by Bishop Preston Warren Williams II.
You may wish to know that in an ideal situation, as in all circular corporate organizations, the sponsoring Organization is responsible for Passports, visas, Travel, accommodation, pocket money, health insurance, and incidentals.
The above holds the concerned accountable for their representation of the sponsoring organization. Delegates are mandated to provide feedback to their respective Organizations.
Sadly, in our case scenario, the budget cuts to Episcopal Districts have heaped huge burdens on the elected Clergy and lay delegates.
Once upon a time, being an elected clergy and lay delegate was a prestigious and honourable privilege.
Sadly in 2024, being an elected delegate is a thorn in the flesh.
To be specific, delegates in the majority of overseas Districts take care of themselves by paying for the following:-
1. Passport US$200
- Although this is a personal requirement, delegates must be assisted in getting their passport once elected.
2. Non-immigrant VISA US$375
- This is non-refundable whether you get or don’t get the VISA
- The cost of obtaining a VISA is quite prohibitive for an ordinary citizen
- Most genuinely elected delegates get their visas turned down. Some alternate delegates also fail to get their visa
- To make up for the allotted number for each Episcopal District, some Bishops open the door to anyone with a visa to convert them into delegates.
- Unfortunately, the above is done without approvals from respective annual conferences
- The Bishop’s discretion kicks in when replacing delegates.
- This has now turned GC delegation attendance into an elitist club.
- Only people with money have made it to the General Conference at the expense of genuine delegates without financial muscle.
3. Round trip Air ticket US$2000
- For the love of the church, people borrow money from shylocks and lending institutions to purchase air tickets.
4. Ground transportation US$500
- Individual delegates take care of inland transportation from the point of entry to the premises of the General Conference.
5. Accommodation US1500
- Sometimes, Episcopal Offices take care, but room sharing is key.
- There are moments when four people share one room.
- Some of the people who share beds are highly esteemed at home.
6. Food and beverages US$1500
- Sometimes, delegates only have breakfast as the main meal for the whole day until the following day.
- Daily food relief comes from invitations from candidates running for various offices.
- Delegates are turned into beggars as if they do not belong to the Church of Richard Allen.
- Some Bishops confiscate donations of money meant for delegates from aspiring candidates. They claim they would and take the money to pay for accommodation.
So, as the 2024 General Conference takes place, there must be a firm position for the next General Conference to be held in the motherland of Africa. Then and only then will the majority of AMEs appreciate the contents of this write-up.
May God bless us all.
We the AMEC speaks about equity, we MUST begin with the inclusion and discussion and disclosure of delegate selection, process and cost of all.
Thank the you for sharing the need for responsibility, accountability and decision making.
Thank you!
A good write up Dr. It is my fervent prayer that the relevant authority will take time to read and do justice to all. I attended the my first General Conference in 2021 held in Orlando ( Ndola) with no conference kit despite paying for the registration.
Indeed, it is by God’s Grace that I have attended 2024 general conference under a very different situation in terms of finances simply because of the love of the church.
Going forward, it is prudent for the district (14-20 )to begin planning for the expenses of delegates . This can be done at the Episcopal planning meeting .
I pray that, this coming Episcopal planning meeting, the delegate expenses must be on the agenda.
My prayer is that the GC be held in Africa.
Something must be done about this. Thank you for bringing this out in the open.
You are heard and seen. May God bring greater understanding and unity to the A.M.E. Church. We all need each other.
My heart was broken as I read this note to the AME Church, and therefore I am in full support that the 53rd Session of the General Conference be held on the continent of Africa.
Dr. Royd Mwandu, you are a rare breed. Thank you for the wise insight you presented in this article. Our brothers and sisters in United States will be enriched by this article. My pray is that the Episcopal Leadership assigned to the continent will provide providential leadership to insure the viability, equal representation and respect that the delegates from districts 14-20 deserve.
The length of General Conference contributes greatly to the costs for everyone. In some situations the sponsoring organizing uses its Institutional clout and its congressional relationships to facilitate processing and approval of visa applications. Whether GC 2028 is held on the African continent or any other continent where we have churches, the issues put forth in Rev. Mwandu’s essay require intentional, deliberation and resolution.