UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has said that government’s response to the issues raised by Catholic Bishops in their Pastoral letter leaves much to be desired.
Speaking in an interview with Qfm news, Mr. Hichilema said that the Pastoral Letter has raised pertinent issues that need urgent attention from government.
Mr. Hichilema said that his party fully supported the issues the observations of the Catholic Bishops and that the concerns put forward are a representation of the state of affairs in the country.
He said that Chief government spokesman Kennedy Sakeni should desist from engaging in cheap politicking on issues of national interest that citizens request government to consider.
The opposition party leader said that government must listen to the concerns of the people and that Mr. Sakeni should appreciate the Pastoral letter as free counsel.
He said that the Pastoral letter was clear and that any response other than providing clear answers was tantamount to undermining the voice of Zambians as the church speaks for the voiceless and the marginalised in the country.
Mr. Hichilema has since urged other members of the church to speak out against the injustices allegedly being perpetrated by the ruling Patriotic Front.
And veteran politician Nason Msoni says any responsible government, cannot ignore the cardinal issues raised by Catholic Bishops in their Pastoral letter.
Mr. Msoni has told Qfm news that the ongoing developments in the country’s governance system where the opposition has come under intense suppression from the ruling party must be halted.
He says government must therefore analyse the Pastoral letter and quickly attend to the concerns raised.
The Zambia Episcopal Conference comprising Catholic Bishops recently released a Pastoral letter raising their concerns on various social, economical and political issues currently obtaining in the country.
But Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister said government values its partnership with the church and is therefore reluctant to engage it on national issues through the media.
He said government has an open door and inclusive policy in which all stakeholders are free to engage in dialogue over issues of concern in building a better and prosperous nation.
QFM
The PF seem to know it all..Does it hurt to admit you are wrong
the downfall of pf will be horrible.watch the space..!take heed..
How can PF fall, what space should we watch because we have occupied all the spaces. Advise your under 5 to go and campaign in Luapula, Muchinga, Northern, Copperbelt, Central if he has to make headway, otherwise without these provinces, he is far from Plot 1, Independepence Avenue, opposite Arrakan barracks.
He is just trying to win support from the church. HH be reminded that more than 80% members of the catholic are from Northern Province. The same people you insult on watchDog.
HH is a boy controlled by manipulative emotions and prejudices without a grain of reasonableness
He is not privy to everything that goes on in govt and must appreciate that govt does not always engage important institutions such as the church through the media.
I quiver with apprehension to imagine the thoughtlessness that would be the order of the day if he was by mistake elected (God Forbid) to govern our beloved country.
HH’s demeanor is so coldhearted and his greedy appetite for power is inconceivable! We reject politics of demagoguery
HH, you are such a political demagogue
Mwana tell this under five(HH) to shut up the catholics ni ba donchi kubeba ,he thinks they will fill sorry or support him HH wailasha, your friend jail master his busy with Namungala & major Kachingwe issues pasopo!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aaaaahhhhh, I just LOVE your analyses guys. Under 5 is a wounded buffalo who is still leaking his wounds of 2011. HH is very happy with Nevers’ woes because he thinks Nevers is gaining momentum in splitting the Bemba-speaking vote. To the contrary, a lot of us bemba-speakers are happy with MCS’s PF government and will vote for MCS come 2016.
The problem with HH is that his policies and comments on National issues are based on what he reads in the Media. HH has never been a news maker i.e no originality
The Bishops should have sort audiance with the Govt other than through the media.Thats is failed leadership.Its easier to pin point and find faults .Let us examine our selves are we above board.The Lord is watching
@Add value; The Catholic Church has always issued Pastorial letters to the public. Why should it be different now?
ba hh we genuine catholics will not give you sympathy just shut up your big mouth mumbwe iwe.let the pf work mumutende .
No sense! HH is right to point out that. Government should not hide when important issues are put up by such a right and genuine body. It is not the issue of sympathy. Read the pastoral letter and compare it to the response by government. A sensible person will make right judgement and see who is wrong and need sympathy
Don’t claim what you can’t prove. What makes you more genuine Catholic than some of us?
WHAT IS THE STRATEGY FOR REMAINING BITTER FOR 2 YEARS? SOMEONE TELL ME.
Sata……nists are quacking and quaking! Muchinga United….shall only accept criticism from one of their own like crown Prince Chipimo! Sata….nists are insular, nepotistic, incestious, tribal, clueless and visionless! Why is Crown Prince’s NAREP not taking part in by-elections? Is he busy writing the third instalment of his essays?
Here you just 8 people commenting, on this story? I just heard dogs barking… they are alot. More than 200 already. Maybe they see something in HH.
There is nothing people see in this under five bwana, they only see a thick-skinned bitter man with no vision or future plan for zambia. Start campaigning in HEMCS’s strong holds if you dare. If HH is popular, why the Kabwata ‘mammoth rally’. Don’t blame it on anybody baba.
i think the response ws vry good and mature thts the way. on th bishops, i feel tht some of the issues raised left much by such a body that represents a goodnumber of peaple,e.g thy wanted to know the road map for th consititution, why should they ask bcoz 2 of them are members of cmc. did at any time try to advise th GVT dd nt listen. as for th GVT pliz listen.
The fully ordained Bishops of the Catholic Church issue Pastoral Letters to us the folk in the Holy Catholic Church on many topics, shared with all people of Goodwill addressing matters of common good for the benefit of anyone who has ears including the Government, the opposition, and every Jim and Jack. The Bishops as pastors only speak after very discernful prayers, and mostly they could have already addressed such concerns to Govt without drawing suitable responses and resort now to share with the citizenry pertinent issues close to their hearts, which could even affect our faith if not addressed by those entrusted to unsure that we live in Zambia happily. This why we wonder what Govt means to insist that we are on Christian nation but not listen to free advice from Christian Leaders.
My moderation emphasizes that if we were a truly Christian nation we must abide with all values of Christian teaching, that the poor must be fed, that there should be no political enemity, but brotherhood through torelance, that politics is not a job, but service to God and mankind. In fact all leaders should have sacrificed their salaries/ riches to improve the lot of the poor and develop Zambia properly. This was the hope people had in PF, but now there is no difference in suffering of the poor, while the politicians are basking with pride, many go in the sun. When our brothers declare an Islamic nation they abide with Shariah Law and teaching of Holy Koran. Here we are merely rhetoric on being a christian nation while hurting, hating, and insulting/fighting each other everyday.
HH still suffers from 2011 defeat. the guy is even aging faster he looks like a 70 year old when he’s just 50. Waona you could have being VP to earn experience. just go and head your cattle in Namwala. Remember Diangamo cried too much cattle rustlers solve that issue first.
The so called matters of national intrest wil be dealt with,not thru the media.Mr HH ve tried to apply for apermit to hold a mammoth rally in luapula?
YOU BEMBAS IF YOU THINK CHIMBWI NO PLANS IS GOING TO WIN YOU ARE MISTAKEN.YOUR HYENA HAS DESTROYED THE ECONOMY OF THE COUNTRY HE HAS NO CLUE HOW TO RUN THE COUNTRY. NOT ALL BEMBAS ARE HAPPY WITH WHAT CHIMBWI IS DOING. MOST OF MY BEMBA FRIENDS ARE READY TO VOTE FOR PROPER CHANGE HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Munsha, munsha, munsha.
Let me just put a bit of sense in your empty brain.
You start by insulting us Bembas and claim that most of your bemba friends are ready to vote for HH,; VERY INTERESTING.
How many bemba friends do you have? hehehehehehehe! yaba!
you know, in politics you cant afford to miscalculate,assess yourselves correctly bwana. It wont help you to make yourselves feel good over false information. It wont help you at all to feel you are Mike Tyson and yet you are no match even to Esther Phiri.
Hate it or love it, Mr Sata is the only President of Zambia,get over it guys!
Insulting the big man like that bwana will get you no where but just cursing your selves. where you raised in Zambia or abroad?
Real zambian youths respect elders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!