FORMER Radio Icengelo station manager Father Frank Bwalya has quit his pastoral duties, according to an announcement made on the radio station yesterday.
Fr Bwalya made the announcement on the community radio station just before 08:00 hours that he was taking leave of absence to avoid misunderstanding between Bishop Noel O’regan of Ndola Catholic Diocese and the Vatican ambassador to Zambia Nicola Girasoli.
He said that there had been tension between the two after a letter written to him (Fr Bwalya) by Bishop O’regan was leaked to the Post newspaper.
In the letter, Bishop O’regan criticised Archbishop Girasoli for allegedly compromising his office with the Government of President Rupiah Banda.
“I have since apologised to Bishop O’regan in the presence the vicar- general Father Raphel Chanda for releasing the letter to someone which ended up in the Post newspaper and I will not wait for punishment from the bishop. So I have decided to forgo my priestly faculties and take a leave of absence commencing on May 4 this year,” he said.
Recently, the Catholic Church removed Fr Bwalya from Radio Icengelo where he worked as station manager after he was accused of using the station for political activities.
He said he would now concentrate on his “Change or Die Zambia” movement.
He said although he immediately becomes a private citizen, he had no intentions of getting married and denied he had joined ranks with the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party.
Fr Bwalya denied media reports that he was a recipient of funding from the PF to print t-shirts for his movement.
He has demanded an apology from Lusaka Province Minister Lameck Mangani for making the accusation aired on ZNBC-TV on Thursday night.
He gave Mr Mangani two days to apologise failure to which he would take him to court.
Fr Bwalya applied to go on leave of absence, which meant he stops functioning as a priest.
Being on leave of absence means that one ceased to perform priesthood duties and goes into retreat to reflect over issues.
For someone to resume his priesthood duties, one has to re-apply and the church authorities would have to decide.
Fr Bwalya said it was not the church that had asked him to go on leave of absence but applied for it so that he could concentrate on his movement, which had not yet been registered with the registrar of societies.
He said he was bound to go for studies abroad but decided not to so that he could continue with his movement.
“Going abroad could have detached me from the sufferings of the people and that is why I have decided not to go for studies,” Fr Bwalya said.
Fr Bwalya said apart from apologising to Bishop O’regan, he would next week travel to Lusaka to do the same to the nuncio over the leaked letter to the Post newspaper.
Fr Bwalya has opened an account with Standard Chartered bank where well-wishers should deposit money to support his movement or give him any amount.
Fr Bwalya said that he would attend the PF protest rally if a formal invitation was extended to him and an apology tendered to him for being included on the programme without prior consultation.
And Copperbelt MMD youth chairman Evans Chibanda welcomed Fr Bwalya to the political arena and said now that he has finally come out in the open, MMD members were ready for him.
“We in the MMD however, will petition Bishop O’regan to explain the reasons the church has decided to accommodate a political party of a priest within the Radio Icengelo premises which will be propagating the message of hate through the ‘Change or Die Zambia movement.’
Mr Chibanda said there was no reason for Fr Bwalya to continue staying at the radio station when he has been removed and called on him to find accommodation elsewhere to spare the church from further unnecessary attacks from other politicians.
He warned that as youth regional chairman, he would not tolerate Fr Bwalya’s insults on President Rupiah Banda in the name of democracy and would ensure that this was stopped at once.
[Times of Zambia]
deleted-mind your language!
Lets wait and see Fr Bwalya and his “Change or Die Zambia” movement.
obviously tu choir twakukatolika will be first to join the party
Come out in the open, never use the name of God for personal gain. Mr Frank Bwalya
And the plot thickens!!
Cant wait to see wat happens next!!
wat next father
this is a nice movie
am enjoying it
cant wait to see part 2
long live mother Zambia
everyone is free to lead you despite his/her affiliation
Sweet mother Zambia
I love en Miss you
It is quiet sad that Bishop O’regan could not act on the right principles of the Catholic Church
That turn of events is something you can accept in these half-democratic states of ours. It’s his way forward, let the man join the political field. Maybe there’s something better awaiting him than squabbles of personal interest between Bishop Noel and Nicola Girasoli.
This man is man a let down, after supporting. Actualy he was using the church and the station for his personal gain, his fit to be in MMD.
yeah, ba father all he wanted was PF and this is what he is doing. what account??? ba father, remember Nevers Mumba??$!”$!”$
Popularity when you are advantaged i.e. have a definite audience/church-goers and media monitors, does not translate into popularity in politics! Politics has other things that christianity will not allow and father Frank will soon learn it the hard way – not to get to passionate rgd these things. Politics is a definite opium!!!
What`s wrong with Father Bwalya joining a political party? Zambians never stop amusing! Count the number of pastors or is it reverends as they like to be called in MMD and stop being wums. #1 That is very childish and I do not know why LT have not pulled the plug on your childish comment.
LT unless comment #1 wa posted by one of your mods as they sometimes do, it should be pulled!
Yawama game nomba. Naba patili ba joina ka ?
@shani ba Dr Maureen. Nomba Zedians you have made a man of God quit his calling. This is bad. Now also go for Nyamasoya and tell him to go back kulya oko afyalilwa.
#14 I agree with you. Ale leta imisango yali muli LT ya kale ! LT Please REMOVE Comment 1
J there is nothing wrong in one visiting his country and birth place. May day is just another day. lol!
THIS BWALYA HAD POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS.HOW DO ACCEPT TO BE GUEST OF HONOUR AT RALLY ADDRESSED BY A POLITICAL PARTY.ITS GOOD HE HAS COME OUT IN THE OPEN INSTEAD OF HIDING UNDER THE VEIL OF BA FATHER.MA POLITICS NI KULIMBA BAMBO.
BWALYAs ACTIVITIES ALMOST CAUSED DIVISIONS IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
@shani Jamaco, ala naliba busy uku pepeka bucks. Naiwama pa zed boyi. Umu guys na chita abandon imikate ka
3RqU if only you knew what it means to that miner that is roaming the streets in Kitwe. Just NS’s presence to explain what is going on will sooth their hearts. Everyone even the miners, even PF knows the cause of this situ…Global Downturn ( Not Global warming as claimed by some senior govt official !)
Ba Dr Maureen NS or no NS, nothing would put akabwali pa table for those miners. I feel sorry for them alright, but do you think NS`s present would make a difference? Let the man visit his relatives and May day may have been just the perfect day to do it. We know how busy the man is. Tomorrow he may be at Windsor Castle so guys go easy on him. lol!
BA FATHER BESU THEY ARE A LET DOWN. ONE REALLY NEVER KNOW IF THEY ARE EDUCATED ENOUGH ON TEARING THE LINE BETWEEN THE SOCIAL TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND CIVIL SOCIETY POLITICS. BWALYA WILL FIND IT HARD TO SPEAR HEAD HIS SO CALLED CHANGE OR DIE ZAMBIA, THE NAME OF THE MOVEMENT IN ITSELF DOES NOT SEEM AUDIENCE ATTRACTING AT ALL. GOOD LUCK BLACKMAN.
Why is the MMD Youth Chairman, Mr. Chibanda scared of Fr. Frank Bwalya? Mr. Chibanda and team should stop talking anyhow just to be heard but try reorgarnise the MMD on the Copperbelt. Mere talking will not help them as MMD. This is the time they should come up with a winning formular for 2011 General Elections or else the MMD will never regain Copperbelt Urban voters. Pipo there have lost jobs and they have nothing to put on their tables. We are multi party democracy state and the Party that conivices the voters carries the day. This is our Zambia not for PF, MMD UPND, UNIP etc. Zambia is our motherland and every Zambian has got a democtratic right to talk freely on matters affecting the well being of every Zambian. What is freedom of speech, what is freedom of assembly.
There is nothing wrong by Fr Bwalwa joining a politics as that is all we live. Hunger, load shed, poverty, poor health care, corruption etc are some of the things which comes up as the results of the poor political policies. We complain about these though at the end of the day its politic. Please lets understand between mature politics and petty politics. However, he has not Joined and political party but just spearheading a civil movement
Rev Shikapwasha, Rev Nyirongo, Rev Dan Pule, Rev Nevers Mumba, the list is endless all claim to be men of the church but are in MMD dirty politics. Fr. Bwalya is not human to be in a political party. He lives on another planet and does not see the suffering of the masses.
Remember that tythes, and all other church contributions completely dry out when people have no income as a result of job loses. This adversely affects the work of spreading the word of God. So why shouldn’t the church get very concerned if their very existence is being threatened.
Only people of MMD levels of IQ would live to believe that church and politics are only compatible when you are blindly supporting failing policies.
Bushe mwebantu, Ishamumbale nga shaleka ukwisa, bakalyenshi ba Father?? If people have no jobs, it means no umutulo, no tythe, no contribution whatsoever. Instead, the church gets burdened with the poor seeking help at its door steps every day. Marriages break up, crie increases, you name it, and the church has to provide moral guidance in such circumstances.
Sincerely, if MMD characters have anything in their craniums (heads) that looks or functions near to a brain, they need not be reminded about the challenges facing the church today.
Former Roman Catholic priests and nuns are fighting Museveni’s government in Uganda as the ‘Lord’s Resistance Army. Former Catholic Alice Bwalya (alias Lenshina) formed the Lumpa Sect to fight the Northern Rhodesia Govt. Former Victory Ministries founder (you know who) formed the National Christian Coalition which became a political party. Former Roman Catholic Archbishop Milingo also got confused. I pray that Father Bwalya will find his true calling and niche in life to serve God and man rightly. Godspeed sir.
Finally, Fr. Bwalya has come out openly, Some of you blogers critisized Bishop Noel O’regan for removing him from Radio Icengelo. Can. 139 strictly forbids all members of the Catholic Clergy to assume official funcitons in legistlative Body of any state unless they have obtained the explicity consent of the Holy See and of their Ordinary. Can. 141.1 strongly urges all members of the Catholic Clergy to refrain from taking any part in the intenal quarrels of a country and in the perturbation of public order. Bishop knew what he was doing. perhaps Fr. Bwalya needs christians’ prayers. he claims to be the voice of the voiceless, he could be right but all calls for how he presents those words of the voiceless!
“The Saint”, I like your thinking. Do yourself a favour, Leave the EU because they enslaved you. As for me, I will stay here because I do not believe that if One person committed a wrong against another, then all persons are bad. If Catholics in Uganda are fighting Museveni, Former Catholic Alice Bwalya (alias Lenshina) formed the Lumpa Sect to fight the Northern Rhodesia Govt. Former Victory Ministries founder (you know who) formed the National Christian Coalition which became a political party. Former Roman Catholic Archbishop Milingo also got confused, etc etc, Nothing should stop Fr. Bwalya from speaking for the poor and vulnerable who will be forced to crowd the churches’ door steps seeking alms, food, clothing, shelter, etc
Bloggers, forgive my ignorance… what crime did father bwalya commit???? becasuse i dont understand why there is so much blah blah on his issue!!
31# Baby C
Fr Bwalya has not committed any crime apart from Him speaking sense when He His on Radio. Try to listen to Him online on Radio ichengelo on tuesday to His bemba Program around 8 or 9hrs somewhere there and from there you can Judge him
Hi bloggers…good decision by Fr. B, because his rants and raves where about to explode into unwarranted divisions among the overseers of the catholic church in Zambia..
NEW LIBERATION STRUGGLE
Dear Fr Bwalya!
Revolutionary salutations from patriotic young people of Zambia!
The sufferings, humiliations and subsequent death of our messiah Jesus Christ and His resurrection gives us a great opportunity to go into deeper meditation, fasting and prayer. We deeply reflected on His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, his appearing before the chief priests, his carrying of the cross to Calvary, his death on the cross and his resurrection. This the messiah endured because of the love he had for his people.
In this time of difficulties, my reflections takes me to the contributions made by comrade Dr Kaunda and his fellow compatriots to the liberation struggle of our country. They envisaged transformation, they became agents of change, and they suffered…
We Mupatili Wakwa Lesa! We have now waken up to the fact that a New Liberation Struggle has been born amongst us. We have to be strong and fight for Mayo Zambia. Zambia is ours; we should stand together for us to succeed. As for me am highly inspired by your detention in Kalulushi, your courageous leadership, your readiness for political martyrdom.
Your brilliant ideas will not be killed in a regulated environment. We will stand with you as you wage a new struggle, a struggle to eliminate poverty and its offshoots of hunger, ignorance, disease, crime and exploitation of the people, corruption and political lying culture. These if left unchecked can and erode the basic principles of democratic governance.
To Bishop Noel O’regan you make us miss Bishop Dennis De Jong (MHSRIP) because…
he was a true defender of liberty and constitutionalism, a preacher of good governance and the tenets of democracy. Your decision to fire Fr Bwalya from Radio icengelo and remove him from Ipusukilo Parish can be likened to the decision Pontius Pilate took which must be condemned by any well meaning catholic and a patriotic Zambian citizen because it’s a clear indication that you have distanced yourself from speaking on behalf of the poor people, you have succumbed to the political pressure. By the way where is Fr Umberto, Fr Joe Komakoma, Fr Gabriel Msipu? Who will join these humble servants(Fr Bwalya and Fr Mwewa) to speak on behalf of the marginalized people of Zambia? Fr Bwalya and Fr Mwewa you are in the diocese dominated by Franciscans please continue siding with the poor like St
Continuetion from 35,35 and 36
Francis of Assisi and be ready for martyrdom like young St Kizito.You will suffer injustices of detention, torture and you will look death in the face, friends including your own Bishop will betray you.
As for me, I will follow you.
Activist.
Chabipa Ba x- father… Sad news indeed. Being vocal without basics does not pay..
People remember we can all be punished for RB s sins. He has frastrated a man of God and u are busy laughing. I hope Mmembe or Pheonix can give him a job.
A hard look at this pastors face just makes me feel his IQ is less than 60. And he is proving it by his unfolding events……..
Let him go. He preached hatred and over did his advocacy work. adovocay is not about being confrontational but sending the right message. We know we need people to speak on behalf of the people but doing it the right way is important.
Being objective on the matter i would say that both sides have gone about the situation wrong as the others actions have in one way or another angered the other party. Government to be blamed for not quitely keeping a lead on the matter by keeping in check people yaping about Mr Bwalya and as for Mr Bwalya AKA Father became too emotional and took a noble fight out of focus and now he comes out to show he will fight for the poor. His call for people to speak against all evils seems in bad faith because of his approach.
mr. bwalya has no morals. he was using the church to advance his political agenda. who doesnt know that this rat of a father is a PF mouth piece? and he is even cheating that he is speaking for the voiceless when he is just speaking for his pockets. shame the day this man was born
He is now free to marry and DO at will, Unlike Fr Nsama who attempted to skrul someone’s wife
#30 Kwathukummawa
Thanks. But I am not enslaved in the EU. Have you not heard that a prophet is not without honour save in his home town? I am waiting for the PHDs (pull him down) in Zambia die off. I yearn to contribute what I have to Zambia but unless one is a journalist for a particular newspaper or has a spot on a particular radio station or is a politician, no one listens to you. Prof Chirwa. A man very successful. Zambians never heard of him until he made political moves! There are thousands of Zambians who are doing very well abroad whose immense experience and knowledge Zambia would benefit from, but ‘who do you think you are’ was LPM’s snub of Prof. Chirwa! I am grateful to LT that I can in a small way speak my mind here and hope for the best. he who has ears, let him hear!
Mwiponta Mukabwela
Interesting. I heard that some Katolika priests take a vow of poverty (Fransiscans)! It must be holy to be poor. Why not encourage it? But on a more serious note, it is the Vatican that sucked the blood from poor people (Spanish Inquisition) in order to build the St Peter’s Basillica (Seat of the ‘un’Holy Roman empire). Didn’t they lie to people that ‘as soon as the penny drops into the offertory, the soul jumps from purgatory!’ The schools they built all over the globe were meant to catholicise the world and create an army of loyal adherents to this faith. Much akin to Bin Laden’s plot with Al Qaeda (the foundatio). In south America catholic priests were behind the ‘revolutions for the poor.’ But look at Europe, the churches are empty!
Fr. Bwalya, we mwishikulu wa baPandawe, bonse fwe bena Kwacha, Bulangililo na Kapoto, we are behind you. You have done our origin proud.
Could people plese stop refereing to Mr Bwalya as father Bwalya coz he has given up tht right
Rupiah Banda = Fr Frank Bwalya
Shameless fATHER. Not worth a breath.
The biggest shame in Zambia are its youth,cowards,headless,they are not brave at all to stand up for what is right.If only Zambia had a thousand voices like Fr.Bwalya’s,instead all Zambia has are youth who kiss butts of old politicians.More than half the people on this blog are headless chickens!!
This fellow is a lunatic. Now he’s become a beggar – only he’s not doing it outside Shoprite.
Father Bwalya must have seen this coming a long time. I recall when i lived in Kitwe, the same radio station broadcasted issues that didnt reflect the words of a preacher. He has mislead a lot of people. Instead of preaching love and unity he actually did the oposite, which which hate and divisions among people people. There are some things one can mix in life, politics and priesthood, to me the answer will be 0. Look at ba zambia shall be saved, nga bali kwi nomba, he realised in time, so went for one. and now he is a politician, dont expect him to run rallies now, because, khoswe akakhala pa mkhate sapheka.(meaning you cant destroy your beloved china ware just because the mouse is on it, instead you just scare away the mouse and keep quiet.) Wishing him and Milingo good luck. awemwe!!
Fr Bwalya! This is a reflection of what happens when a society lacks proper grooming guidelines. If only we can be able to identify talent and groom it we would have the right people in the the right positions or careers. Come to think of it! One completes University education in our beloved country without knowing what he/she really wants to be in life. It is mere luck that some bump into their destines so early in life. We have depended on fortune rather than nurturing our capabilities and gifts. You cannot play football with a netball or rugby talent or else your team risks penalties each time you play at the back ( in defense).
Let the real Bwalya come to full utilization of his real call.No cat can play with a mouse for hours.You cannot put a mouse and groundnuts in the same pot and give a sabotage prayer against the evil forces that work in the cat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to honest humans like Mr Bwalya! At times we join these organizations for survival / strategizing until we able to walk on our own.
Good luck in your political career sir!!!!
The best of the best Catholic Priest Zambia has ever produced is Emmanuel Milingo and he quit the church,. So what if Father Frank quits? Let the guy answer the calling of getting reed of people like RB, maybe being a man of God can help him to rulhe without corruption. If you read the bible, you will know that Daniel, Joseph all these people where governors and they worked for Christ. Simon Peter was a senior government oofficial. Read your bilbe guys, politics can never be separeted fromthe church because, God puts leaders into positons and the best palce to get a leader is the church, just pray they dont get corrupt like the so called reverands someone wrote about. Ba Danny Pule aba ku Dunamis Ministries. Bravo father Bwalya, am not against the catholic church.
hey!!rumuor has t it that he wants to contest under PF as presido!!!tough luvk young man…you got to be bruised in poliytics and you lose your morals!!
What father Bwalya is doing is right because he is exposing our corrupt practices as a Gorvement to the public which is good in a democratic country like Zambia. I therefore recomend him to keep the fire burning because I know that one day we will stop.