“Happy are the peacemakers: they shall be called children of God” (Mt 5:9)
We, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), and the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), are extremely disturbed and greatly saddened by the violence and loss of precious life in the heat of the recent campaigns for the Livingstone parliamentary by-election. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased and all victims of violence. At the same time, we condemn in the strongest terms possible, any form political and electoral violence.
We further wish to appeal for calm and maximum restraint from the various political parties in Livingstone and also from the Zambia Police Service. It is incumbent on all of us not to do or say anything that might worsen an already volatile situation.
This is not the time for finger-pointing. What is needed now is for all stakeholders to do some serious soul-searching: Is this the level our politics has come to? Is this the path we want to pursue in our democratic dispensation?
Let us then commit this great nation to prayer. And may God bless us all!
Issued on 27th February, 2013 in Lusaka by the undersigned;
Rev. Suzanne Matale (General Secretary – CCZ)
Rev. Pukuta N. Mwanza(Executive Director – EFZ)
Fr. Cleophas Lungu (Secretary General – ZEC)
Way to go.The action which the cadres took shouldn`t be tolerated by any right thinking citizen inspite of political affiliation,fear or favour.
This is hypocricy by these 3 church bodies. Why can’t yu just come out and state that Sata and pf are misruling the country? They are cheats and lethal murderers who killed their own cardre just to implicate inocent HH and UPND so that whilst they arrested them they would rig elections like in Mpongwe. Catholics are shocked that their messiah ci Sata has failed them and they are hiding in such call for soul searching. The blood of these people being killed by yo sata(n) shall be required on you pharisees. You supported sata and pf to rise to the hem and you are failing to be brave to ask them to do what is right. Shame on you all cowards for clergy.
You really are very in touch with your emotions……
Have you noticed that that statement has been released by three church bodies rather than only the catholics that you have so conviniently singled out?
Zambian watchdog blogger…..please leave LT alone….they are a fair online newspape go back to your ZED…….we only need pipo with a fair assessment on LT
Very well put. Its time politicians realised that politics shouldnt be a matter of life and death. Civility shd prevail even in the presence of political ideological differences.
Well said.
SATA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE VIOLENCE TAKING PLACE ON IN OUR LAND. MYOPIC PRESIDENT. A LUBANJE SMOKER.
@TRUTH. BUT THIS IS THE KIND OF APPROACH THE THREE CHURCH MOTHER BODIES ARE CONDEMNING. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO LEARN?
hypocrites..where have you been hiding..this violence started last year..in Kabwata it happened..these pf maggots are always protected..
Too little too late Dear Church. Your piecemeal statements don’t add up to much. Does it? Among you are ethnic supremacist who mask their true intentions during the day, and go with a begging bowl in the night. We now have 71 ministers, not mentioning Permanent secretaries and their deputies. By elections are being caused with impunity by him that controls the instruments of power. Ethnic tension has never been higher in the history of our nation. Croniesm and thuggery by government militias are the order of the day. The constitution has been flagrantly violated with impunity. Freedoms of expression,association and movement have been removed. The church has been quite save for half hearted pastoral letters. The people have no confidence in you but in God. Please!
Sata has messed up our country as he has no moral authority due to his poor mental status. Since when has anyone seen a Chainama subject lead anybody to great things? The man is insane and only fit for a pyschiatric ward.
Paja ponse ba church, shuwa? Anyway, better late than never, and whatever your motives at least your words make sense. All stakeholders. Not just PF or UPND or MMD or NAREP (The most peaceful so far), but ALL stakeholders, including the electorate. Finder pointing is not helpful at this stage, but indeed deep soul searching. Even we bloggers, let us do some deep soul searching, and where we find ourselves wanting let us make the necesary adjustments. Hate is not the way forward, nor is vengenece and retaliation, although it is understandable that it is hard to forgive someone who is un-repentant.
democracy is being abused by emotional muderers, they hv killed our brother bcoz of th hatred thy hv. as 4 u church bodies u know that hh and his mps killed the pf member, y cant u strongly codemn them. shame on u.
Because they are being objective; they know the parties involved and the role they played in bringing about the death, if at all it came from the confrontation. I think, what we need are preventive more than corrective measures – party camps are normally separated for a purpose, and there is no group of cadres that should take the police role of policing other groups. It is time the PF realised that UPND does not enjoy their provocation!
enough is enough, we voted for sata and we ar likely to stand up and defend him frm insults frm upnd who opposed hm even b4 forming gvt. killers!
your pf and your church has failed Zambia..tension is mounting everyday..watch the space..go and tell your pope to excommunicate these thugs..
Too little to late! Zambia is gone ! You cannot put a mental patient to be in charge of a sickly nation like Zambia! Just hope that there will be a little left when he is finally discharged from his duties. Then of course you will have to deal with the criminally insane Mmembe, Kabimba Nchito, Sakeni and their militia in the name of Libongani, Jere , Katanga and the ever drunk commandant Lungu.
With due respect to u Church, its difficult to believe if u mean well with your statement. Is it a common characteristic with churches to stay aloof until people begin to run into temples for refuge like what happened in Rwanda & Kosovo? The President has literally commisioned his cabinet to stalk ethnic tension through the likes of Scot, Kabimba, Sakeni,GBM( Tonga under oath authors) Miles Sampa & Sylvia Masebo. State house has become a social welfare centre where jobs are being given to clans men & relatives in diplomatic service & government. Priests now chair corporate Boards. When citizens cry foul against the vices, the church is quiet or warns of disrespecting leaders as “all leaders are appointed by God”. So we should be timid? I ask, what would have Jesus done?
That’s what you said about mwanawasa ,family tree remember?
Its the stupid MPs who jumping the Fence who are causing all this confusion. This has to stop, this can not go on, thats why Paliament is a Joke, Rubber stamp for Sata just as it was for Chiluba, Lupia, even Mwanawasa stole some MPs from across the fence. …………..
ECZ, Churchs, fellow Zambians this has to stop..wake up before these fools Destroy the Country….If an MP switches parties he or she should not stand for any electral office for 5 years.
F*ckin’ awesome things here. I am very glad to see your post. Thanks a lot and i am looking forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
Can the three mother bodies talk to the mason HH. May be tell his adventist brothers to read for him the bible again. He is going astray. Can someone help the young man