The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) has called on President Edgar Lungu and his administration to work towards national reconciliation and building.
ZEC Presidentn, Telesphore Mpundu, said President Lungu should rise to the occasion and transcend partisan politics and work with all Zambians especially those who did not vote for him during the just-ended Presidential election.
Archbishop Mpundu also urged all Zambians to embrace the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation in order to promote peace and tranquility in the country.
Archbishop Mpundu stated that despite the Presidential election being successful there were flaws in the electoral process and if left unchecked it poses a serious threat to the struggle to embrace constitutionalism at all levels of political organization and activity
He said in a statement availed to media that political parties should put their houses in order before aspiring to assume the administration of the country unlike the wrangles that rocked major contending parties over the selection of their Presidential candidates.
Archbishop Mpundu noted that those aspiring for public office should be sincere and make achievable promises because the electorates have lost confidence in the politicians because of their unfulfilled campaign promises.
He has also denounced the misuse of public and social media to funnel tribal tension in the country by exaggerating the isolated incidents of tribalism at the expense of national building.
Archbishop Mpundu further said traditional leaders should also refrain from using their authority to unduly influence the electoral choices of the subjects by openly endorsing their preferred candidates which was a contravention of the Electoral Code of Conduct which forbids traditional rulers to engage in partisan politics.
‘We also disparage the behaviour of those of our priests who openly or privately campaigned for their own preferred candidates or parties because those priests tarnish the image of our Church,” he said.
He noted that the 2015 Presidential election has provided the country with lessons of how to prepare for the 2016 tripartite elections.
Archbishop Mpundu said it is for this reason that there is need to expedite the legal reforms such as the constitution to help deal with issues such as the convenient date of election.
He said government should provide funds to Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to undertake a continuous voter registration and creation of more polling stations to reduce on the distances covered by the electorates.
Archbishop Mpundu said government should also financially empower the ECZ to enable the commission put in place a system that allows voters to cast their votes from any polling stations.
Ok can we let this guy work? He is not a miracle maker. Too many requests. Clergymen do your work too.
Rome did not fall in a single day.
Indisputably the country needs reconcile and heal from a highly charged political rivalry. The damage of tribal biases that in the voting pattern is a crisis. President Lungu has initiated the process by extending a hand of brotherhood to his opponents and widely opening up his doors for constructive discourse on national matters. Good fillers have come out from his speech though he needs to call up a round table with all stakeholders. However, such usually follow after the feedback received through his intelligence briefings indicative that opponents are approachable and responsive. All stakeholders need to show fillers of keen interest in constructive dialogue. The President would then engage them on many issues including integration of opposition members in GRZ structures.
Indisputably the country needs reconcile and healing from a highly charged political rivalry. The damage of tribal biases that in the voting pattern is a crisis. President Lungu has initiated the process by extending a hand of brotherhood to his opponents and widely opening up his doors for constructive discourse on national matters. Good fillers have come out from his speech though he needs to call up a round table with all stakeholders. However, such usually follow after the feedback received through his intelligence briefings indicative that opponents are approachable and responsive. All stakeholders need to show fillers of keen interest in constructive dialogue. The President would then engage them on many issues including integration of opposition members in GRZ structures.
The tribal biases the 2015 election has shown us cannot be taken as small and isolated issue. Doing so will be taking the matter with a simplistic mindset. It has merged as the country’s immediate dangerous scourge that needs deeper thoughts and deliberate leadership measures from the top of the pyramid to the base with political will to address it. We need to allow this discourse while getting to the bottom the problem with respect to underlying issues we believe are fueling it. We then need to start appealing to with practical measures. My opinion is that we should not be in denial that there is tribalism or inherent biases in our politics today. Lets me acknowledge it and devise ways of purging out tribalism.
Tell that to HH!
The bottom line here is … hey, Mr. President, I didn’t vote for you because I was really hoping the guy wins but he lost. Can you bring me closer now that you are in office?
Every system has flaws that’s why engineers work OT to fix them, even in America the 2000 election between Al Gore and George W Bush took a month to decide.
Ultimately, Bush was awarded the presidency they the US Supreme Court having won Florida by a merger 241 votes. Edgar won by over 27,000 so give me a break!!!
I would like my President to focus on more important things than meeting with your ZEC just so he can be validated. Bishop Mpundu, it is time to leak your wounds and vote wisely next time.
Mr. President, you are doing a heck of a job … please do not be detracted focus on doing your job,…
Well said Mr Mpundu, though you sound like you have noticed the wako ni wako tribalism emerging under Lungu’s reign to disadvantage your tribes mate. How come during Sata you remained mute despite the Bemba hegemony?
I am eager to hear how the Kwacha will be doing at the end of the first quarter. If it does not stay stable, then Lungu will soon be deep trouble because of the constantly dropping buying power of the Kwacha under his reign. Currency stability is a powerful economic indicator.
I know PF zealots will give an excuse that its a world trend and its normal when reality is the opposite. If its true that its a world trend, why does the dollar not depreciate in the same proportion as the Kwacha so that exchange rate levels off and maintains the stability of the Kwacha.
Realistically, President Lungu has started very well and his decisions, speeches, appointments and realignments all manifests to a balancing act. If supported and constructively engaged, as a country we could be making some land mark national progress in many spheres of our national state. We have a golden opportunity to reset for progress in the spheres of democratic Governance, economic development, international relations, healthcare and national security. President Lungu comes out to be a rational actor making a departure from the era of careerist politicians. His success is our success while failure is for the nation. Its more effective if Stakeholders such as ZEC can appreciate the need of engaging the President directly instead of settling for media platforms.
Mr. Lungu looks like a very good and understanding man, but I’ve a problem the pace at which he gets things done. We urgently need a FULL & WORKING cabinet in order for govt to deliver services to the masses. At the rate President Lungu is working am afraid he will still swearing in people WEEKS BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION TAKES PLACE.
Looking at the appointments your guy is making, I do not think he is ready to reconcile and build the nation. I am not talking about tribe here but appointments of appeasement. Although some people supported him later on during his campaigns, he has decided to go with those who supported him during his candidature for PF at Mulungushi. So far I am not seeing any of those guys who challenged him at Mulungushi (I mean the other 10 people) being in good standing with him. Where is democracy if challengers become enemies? We honestly cannot have someone who was in Government in the 70’s to still be running our affairs in the 20’s, especially that I am aware (although am not in the accounts and administration fields) that syllubus has changed several times since the 70’s in these fields.
We need fresh blood especially in finance. I have always supported PF (for anyone’s information) but this area, being speculative, needs change. Otherwise we are already seeing the Kwacha worsening because if investors did not have confident before elections, they have continued not to have confidence after elections. Family appointments have always derailed the future of this country and we are seeing the same even under Edgar (shame!). This country needs massive overhaul at all levels.
The problem is that everyone in Zambia wants to be heard and seen to be advising the President and or the Govt.
Any sane Zambian knows that Zambia needs rebuilding and every sane Zambian knows that genuine nation building will take time and a willingness to achieve the same goal by all stakeholders (Zambian people, Politicians, Churches etc).
However, Lungu has been in office for barely 15 days and everybody is running to the media to advise on what should be the priority.
Good leaders and wisdom bearers often wait until someone approaches them or find a “wise” channel to communicate the need to seek guidance. Not this…
This looks like an attempt to seek “political attention” and relevance
This request is genuine and he must respond to the challenge.
If you stand on the podium and someone is saying Free Mason and the other tribe is less than a chicken and you are not stopping these stupid people, then you are an accomplice in breaking the order of peace and the One Zambia , one nation motto. The request is spot on my man.
you nono are you a ghost or a chimbwi?
Vodka Wagwa Lungu is not going anywhere with the stolen votes. Thanks ZEC for noticing the flaws in our electoral system. HH will sort out all these issues in 15 months time.
The bottom line here is … hey, Mr. President, I didn’t vote for you because I was really hoping the guy wins but he lost. Can you bring me closer now that you are in office?
Every system has flaws that’s why engineers work OT to fix them, even in America the 2000 election between Al Gore and George W Bush took a month to decide.
Ultimately, Bush was awarded the presidency by the US Supreme Court having won Florida by a merger 241 votes. Edgar won by over 27,000 so give me a break!!!
I would like my President to focus on more important things than meeting with your ZEC just so he can be validated. Bishop Mpundu, it is time to leak your wounds and vote wisely next time.
Mr. President, you are doing a heck of a job … please do not be detracted focus on doing your job.
Honest question that requires honest answer, can a tonga, lozi or luvale be president of this country? We’ve people celebrating someone who says he would rather be chicken than be tonga and he is not admonished. Iam beginning to have an eerie feeling that this tribal talk is only seen by us bembas and our cousins from the east.
My brother , the honest answer is NO. This country cannot allow a Tonga, Lozi, Luvale to be President. It will be a suicidal move that will lead to the end of Zambia.
3.1 Donald the tribalist, elaborate why a Tonga, Lozi or Luvale
cannot be President of Zambia. KK depended on these very tribes among others to maintain unity in Zambia.
During Kaunda’s era we had 3 Lozi Vice Presidents namely; Daniel Lisulo, Nalumino Mundia and Malimba Masheke, also Mainza Chona a Tonga and Kebby Musokwatane a Toka Leya. These noble men served Zambia diligently and all had great qualities and
attributes to be Presidents. They helped to hold the nation
together, see how we have disintegrated from 1991 when Chiluba became President, worse under MCS. ECL has a lot of work to do.
If you do not like the Lozis’ give them back their land to manage their own welfare, they have not been part of the ruling class in Zambia and not responsible for the problems we…
Donald******* the truth of the matter you are poorly read and educated on the matter of the country you call Zambia. This country’s independence required that Kaunda and team travel to UK. I bet you have not been informed that only one tribe contributed to the buying of the air tickets. This time only one region had the capacity to raise the money without themselves remaining in poverty. Now today, you and other fun people of your tribe (not all) want to say the country our grand parents contributed to, cannot have a Tonga is misplaced.
Donald, you need to read more about the history of this country before you insult the Tongas and the people who enjoyed the flight paid for by our grand parents.
Of course….The Bembas think they are more superior than the other tribes. Any one who challenges them they very quickly go into the defence mode. Their days are number and for sure, numbered on one hand.
Well well well well so the worms are coming out of the woodwork, welcome back sir after being absent for three solid years? Di you go on a sabbatical leave? The last time I heard you talk sense was during the time of RB, after PF won you went underground and mute!
Can someone put forth a plan of how you can resolve tribalism? This a long journey that can only be resolved through education. Unless the rest of the country becomes like the Copperbelt, this vice will be there in the rural corners of Zambia. Eradicating poverty would go a long way but realistically that is not gonna happen overnight. Corruption in our system prevents us as a people from distributing wealth equatably.
As you can see this would have to be multifaceted; education (campaigns etc.), arresting corruption, spreading development across the country…
The only reconciliation allowed in a democracy is a loser reconciling with his loss, a sidelined reconciling with the fact that he is not needed now may be later. How do you reconcile with a person who wants what you have and is claiming he won you stole?
Eliminate all the foolish tribal appointments -e.g., Sata’s foreign service and main appointments were undeniably tribal and if not nepotistic -Equally, resource allocation was tribal, nepotistic (e.g., special duties given to family members, RDA under his pant to give contracts to his family etc) and regional and never national e.g., infrastructure development in Muchinga (the only province with two universities started and one completed whereas today Western province University and stadium are not even started (The other guy I will not mention remained quiet because he formed part of that family forest of beneficiaries- though today he wants to look holier than thou).
Secondary, let us think of people as people first, then Zambian before we think of tribe. Its a shame some tribes feel…
@7
How come you just mentioned Western Province? You mus be a bitter and very selfish westerner I guess.
Lungu wants to destroy our party, we will kick him out. We have alot of people who can perform and have suffered for this party. Lungu came from UPND and his behaving like a UPND cadre. Why should some take 1 month to constitute a cabinet. Lungu said he has reconcilled with the other function but he is showing the hatret to the fellow member who challenged to stand as president. Is this the legacy he was talking about. Now Iam seeing another political party to be formed.
The clergy men are 100% right.
Nkalani chabe naimwe ba Joze atase! You are just spewng crap all the time!
One of the Best proven ways of bringing a country, made up diversity of peoples, together is through the devolution of power. This has worked in the US, UK, UAE etc. Through this devolution of powers the individual units (e.g. provinces) that make up Zambia can be empowered to better develop their provinces inline with local needs and thus achieve a situation where hopefully greater Power is given to the People and the whole (being Zambia) is greater than the sum of its parts (Provinces). I would like to know what others think regarding the further devolution of power away from the Executive to the Provinces as a way to bring greater harmony, dynamism and synergies within the Country?
Spot on. Exactly what I would want to go for.
Please give room to the President to work than divert his attention to issues he has already talked about and or given direction to that effect. Why repeat? I think as Zambians we should learn to be analytical before we give comments
Shikofu Mpundu you need to grow up and be consistent in your observations as regards governance issues in our country. When your mulamu, dead man Sata was ruling, you were so mute your silence was audible. If you can’t speak out against your relatives then learn to shut up when it is another person in power. You literally hounded RB out of power. Evil man you are. Hypocritical pharisee.
Good observations. We should however, not ignore the emergence of tribalism in Zambian society. The real cause of which is a perception of a flawed governance system that promotes marginalization, institutionalized hegemony in culture, political power and governance as well as inequality in opportunities and access to public resources. In this situation you have those that want to retain the status quo and those that try to change it through latent resistance. This polarization thus gives rise to the observed voting patterns that tends to be geo-ethnical expressive. Edgar has started well by acknowledging these facts instead of denial and self absorption that has characterised discussions on this issue for years.
It is important that we all support our president. In situations like this there is always one person who gets it. There are no losers. All political parties are important in the whole process. We are not going to go into one party system. Therefore we all have the Duty to support the President of the nation, but at the same time encourage the Presidents of all parties to continue with there positive contribution to the welfare of the people. Negativity and irresponsibility will only lead to serious divisions and catastrophe. Please, all of us must support EL because if he fails it means we all fail and the nation will never recover. Let us criticize constructively. We are all mature and the always Good Zambians. I love my President. Tribalism is next to satanism.
Now look who is talking, the same man Telephone Mpundu who encouraged his ‘brother in law’ Sata to be tribal and promote only bembas.
Consider the disenfranchised Zambians both internally and in the diaspora. That is a good starting point. Next, look at why it is that we are still clinging to identity based on the tongue spoken. Truth be told the Bembas have campaigned successfully by having a lot of people adopt their language and hence mistakenly making the ‘Bemba tribe’ bigger than it actually is. Another point to consider is this absurdity of pricing things uniformly regardless of where a commodity is – fuel is a case in point. It smacks of communism of rewarding the ne’er do-wells by robbing the hard workers. I believe devolution will only expose this reality much better and perhaps get the mouth-runners to double up and work having realised talk is cheap.
The gov’t is aware of all the issues mentioned.
They have already started on some. Clearly someone was not paying attention!
We should all be changing our attitudes on Tribal belonging, that is the pressing issue that may lead to a major disturbance in our peaceful country.
What His a Excellency needs now is all our backing and support, not long lists from every party or body in Zambia!
God Bless Zambia
True this homosexual man called telephones Mpundu is not happy because Lungu is replacing Sata’s tribal political appointees with none bembas. Let no serious person pay attention to such f.ools.
Zambia needs prayers, it is a country that needs healing. This Southern Africa country will experience sadness soon, a dark cloud is slowly approaching this country. Leaders, past and present must repent, the nation must repent, there is a lot of manipulation in this land. There is too much hatred, mistrust, treachery, prostitution, thieving for one’s good. People have forgotten to live for one another. Innocent people are sad and God is not happy.The nation will soon be united in sadness, for this seems to be the only thing that unifies this great nation. Leaders, past and present, seek deliverance, be truthful to god, yourselves and the people you lead. The nation needs healing. The people must be bored enough and do the right thing, they must stand as one and love one another.
This Donald does not exist…..If he does, he is on WEED just like Daddy Crazy who has no brains but water….We shall not allow fools to destroy Zambia by working very hard to accuse other people that they are tribalists when they are the waste enemies of themselves