Catholic Bishops commended the Patriotic Front-PF administration for the remarkable achievements made towards the uplifting of the welfare of the people despite the mounting challenges the country faces.
The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) delegation comprising the church’s 12 most senior clergy, was led by Archbishop Chama Bishops when they met President Lungu at Statehouse on July 16, 2015.
The Republican President who was accompanied by his special assistants Mr Lukangaba Sukwana for Legal, Mr Amos Chanda, Press &Public Relations, and the Permanent Secretary Mr Emmanuel Chilubanama discussed a broad range of national issues during the meeting with Catholic Bishops.
“Despite the many challenges your government faces, there are good things happening in our country and we would like, through you, to commend the Government for the achievements made in advancing the welfare of the Zambian people and their dignity,” said Bishop Alick Banda in a speech read on behalf of ZEC.
“We recognize in particular, the road, health and educational infrastructure development programme and the resolve of your government to entrench the national motto of One Zambia, One Nation,” the Bishops further said.
This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Amos Chanda today.
Mr Chanda said, as leaders of the Catholic Church in Zambia, the Bishops assured the Head of State that the meeting would continue to promote mutual understanding and forge cordial relations between the Church and the State.
He explained that the Bishops called on government’s attention to Statutory Instrument No. 103 of 2013, which revoked the exemptions on duty for imported vehicles and other essential items extended to Public Benefit Organisations.
Mr Chanda revealed that the Bishops submitted that the SI makes it difficult for them to import vehicles for use to render essential health and educational services to the poor.
“The Bishops also raised the critical issues of care for the environment, which they feared was being dangerously exploited especially through irresponsible cutting down of trees, “said Mr Chanda.
They called on the President to ensure increased funding to health and education sectors and for greater investment in renewable energy.
The Bishops also noted that it was inevitable that Zambia will have to resort to borrowing on the open market in order to execute the country’s ambitious programme of infrastructure development.
Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, however said the Bishops cautioned that debt must be kept within sustainable limits.
He also said the Bishops drew government’s attention to the threat of religious fundamentalism and the threat of family disintegration due to various socio-economic pressures on it.
And the Bishops praise President Lungu for his active dialogue with traditional rulers and called on him to extend the same to other stakeholders.
On the constitution-making process, the Bishops called for continued efforts towards greater consensus.
Meanwhile, Mr Chanda said the Head of State assured the Bishops that his administration respects the role the Church plays in nation building, and pledged that he will continue to ensure that there was a health relationship between the Church and State.
President Lungu urged the Church to help forestall unnecessary tribal and regional sentiment that seemed to a preoccupation of some people.
Letter from King Leopold II of Belgium to Colonial Missionaries, 1883
……….interpret the gospel TO THE NIGGERS in the way it will be the best to protect your interests in that part of the world. For these things, you have to keep watch on disinteresting our savages from the richness that is plenty [in their underground. To avoid that, they get interested in it, and make you murderous] competition and dream one day to overthrow you.
Your knowledge of the gospel will allow you to find texts ordering, and encouraging your followers to love poverty, like “Happier are the poor because they will inherit the heaven” and, “It’s very difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” You have to detach from them and make them disrespect everything which gives courage to affront us.
But not welfare of Ba kalubale & ba kaonde, Edgar went to tell them not to fight, and immediately he left they started killing each other.
This statement is released by Amos Chanda 3 days after the meeting took place.
Before I speak against the Bishops I would have loved to see their full statement.
iT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT EVEN BISHOPS COULD BE TURNED IN TO MARE CHURCH KAPONYAS NO WONDER WHY FATHERLESS BWALYA LEFT THE CHURCH , IT IS NOW PURE BUSINESS > ANY WAY GOD TE ALMIGHTY IS WATCHING
That is the end of any hope for Zambia’s redemption from failure. Catholic bishops went to state house to praise a failed president and encourage him in his wrong doings? Which welfare of the people has this president and his government improved? This is very disappointing. Are these bishops also wanting to play, praise lungu for jobs or what. Which other voice shall speak for the people in Zambia if catholic bishops can be so deceptive? Anyway its true, “wako ni wako” at play.
The voice of ordinary people not these hypocrites with hidden religious agendas.
Wake up!!
Jealousy and envy will kill you. You can either decide to leave in Mmembe’s world or be in the real world. For those with eyes EL has been a huge upgrade to MCS and thats apparent in only his six months of his leadership. I am with the catholics.
During the same meeting, Mbungu assured those present that he will allow homo sexuality and pedophiles will go unpunished
“A man is responsible for his ignorance.”
Milan Kundera
“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.”
Harlan Ellison
“Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.”
Walter Cronkite
THIS IS NOT ABOUT ZAMBIA
THESE BISHOPS ARE DANGEROUSLY MISLEADING. WHICH ZAMBIAN PEOPLE’S WELFARE ARE THEY REFERRING TO? NOTHING HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE PF TOOK OFFICE. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THEY ARE INVOLVING THEMSELVES ONLY BECUASE HH IS “SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST” AND THE GOAL IS TO BLOCK HIM AT ALL COSTS. THE BISHOPS ARE FIGHTING A PROXY WAR OF THEIR OWN AND USING ZAMBIA AS THE BATTLES FIELD. THE PEOPLE SHOULD REJECT THE TYPE OF INFLUENCE IN OUR SOCIETY LET THE BETTER CANDIDATE WIN. ATI MADE THE LIVES OF ZAMBIAN BETTER “FATHERS PLEASE SPARE US THAT PROPAGANDA WE ARE NOT FOOLS” JUST TELL THE TRUTH.
This is what the respectable and learned Bishops went to discuss with HE?. Amazing indeed but let me just be mute on this one!
There you have catholic Bishops…these hypocrites would say anything these are the selfsame criminals who signed a pact with Hitler…how black African can be a catholic is just beyond beggars belief…meanwhile their Pope is praying to a black Madonna in the Vatican while the docile followers are busy praying to statutes of a fictitious white man in their churches.
Africans wake up from your docility!!
IF INDEED THIS IS WHAT THE BISHOPS SAID, THEN THEY ARE TRAITORS OF THE WORD OF GOD. ONE THING I HAVE OBSERVED FROM THESE BISHOPS IS THAT THEY SUPPORT CORRUPT GOVERNMENTS BECAUSE SOMEHOW THEY BENEFIT. HOW, IN THE MIDST OF UNPRECEDENT SUFFERING AND HOPELESSNESS, ANY NORMAL CHURCH LEADER CAN PRAISE A GOVERNMENT THAT IS PLUNGING THE COUNTRY INTO MISERIES NEVER SEEN BEFORE. ONE THING I HAVE OBSERVED IS THAT WHEN THERE IS MORE SUFFERING IN A COUNTRY MORE PEOPLE GO TO CHURCH AND THAT IS A BLESSING TO THE CHURCH LEADERS FOR WHATEVER REASONS. SHAME ON YOU BISHOPS.
That’s how religion works…hope and fear…once one wakes up its spells disaster for them and those con men preachers like TB Joshua…they are all the same they all deal in the same currency, same agenda.
These catholic chaps are like totoise. They are the same pipo who partnered with sata in injustices. Ati roads, u bishop banda, have u been to northwestern prov? Go and see around the country. What challenges is banda talking about? Does he mean corruption in the roads being done only in lusaka, chinsali, mpika, chipata, kasama? I have stopped taking these catholic bishops seriously. They shud have gone there to ask for tax incentives not what they are talking about. Hitler and mafia connections……….
The Catholic Church Bishops lost it when Peter Heriot & Duffy left!We only have a semblance of the former now!Nothing sensible & radical as well as rational now comes out from these lions in sheep’ skins devils!To them because everything is free,(from poor church goers’ contributions) all is well!How I wish congregates can advocate for accountability & transparency from their contributions & or boycott from offering due to deplorable social economic standards under PF now!Which achievements can a normal person sure can point at!
Kikikikiki, now I understand why there are so many rapists and criminals in the house of GOD. I will continue praying from home.
This is the news UPND cadres do not want to hear!!!they only wish mother zambia bad things under PF so that voters may rise and vote for kachema HH-God forbid!!WHAT UPND CADRES FORGET IS THAT MAJORITY ZAMBIANS DO NOT CONSIDER HH AS AN OPTION IF PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU FAILS THEM!!JUST PREPARE FOR MORE TEARS IN 2016 AFTER YOUR HH LOSES FOR A RECORD 5TH STRAIGHT TIME!!!OUR VOTES ARE FOR PF IN 2016,COME RAIN,COME THUNDER!!!
@12 eddy. THIS SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT HH. THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT THE TRUTH. PLEASE NAME ONE (JUST 1) ASPECT OF ZAMBIAN LIFE THAT THE PF HAS MADE BETTER SINCE THEY CAME TO OFFICE. THE CHURCH SHOULD HAVE ONE AGENDA AND THAT IS TO TRULY HELP SOCIETY TO CRITICALLY REFLECT ON THE WELFARE OF ALL PEOPLE.FOR THE CHURCH TO PRAISE THE PF FOR ITS PERFORMANCE THIS FAR IS PURE HYPOCRISY. THESE GUYS ARE BEHAVING LIKE THE PHARISEES IN THE GOSPEL. REMEMBER HOW THE PHARISEES CATERED TO AND PROMOTED THE AGENDA OF THE EMPERORS OF ROME.HH OR NO HH TO STAND UP AND SAY THAT THE PF SHOULD BE PRAISED IS PURE HYPOCRISY ESPECIALLY FROM THE LEADERS OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. DO NOT BE BLINDED BY COLLARS AND ROBES THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH. THERE’S MORE BEHIND THE MOTIVES OF THE PROPAGANDA THAT WE ARE BEING FED.
@ loadist
How about:
1. fight against corruption by opening accounts in Hong Kong;
2. fight against tribalism by protecting Chama;
3. fighting for rule of law by appointing debarred crooked lawyers;
4. having CONVICTED MP;
5. fighting for children by pardoning convicted rapi5t;
shame on the catholic church these are let down cadres
Critics, hold your fire! It is reported that the Bishop’s warned of the socio-economic evils besetting families. That means it was not a blanket praise, but they made an error by leaving it to the spin-doctors to publicise it, though ofcourse there is always a Judas Iscariot among Apostles.
The problem is that everything is politicised. When are people going to stop the campaign mode. Democracy must be guided process by the rule of law. Those UPND cadres not happy must wait for another shot at the presidency next year. Otherwise, just going on a path to criticise anything the govt does will not help your cause next year. You must sober up and help in terms of governance. Or otherwise you might just be time wasters and people won’t take you seriously!
@15 peter LEST YOU MISUNDERSTAND OUR POSITION. FIRST OF ALL NOT EVERYONE THAT CRITISIZES LUNGU IS A UPND SYMPATHISER OR CADRE. SECONDLY IN THE RARE OCCASIONS WHERE LUNGU HAS DONE WHAT WE FILL IS THE RIGHT THING WE HAVE BEEN EQUALLY FAIR AND COMENDED HIS ACTIONS. EXAMPLE COULD BE WHEN HE TOOK THE POSITION TO OVER RULE MR CHIKWANDA ON THE MINING ROYALTY TAX RGIME OR WHEN HE CONDEMNED THE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OF THE PF CADRES THAT ATTACKED HH IN KITWE. AS CHALLENGED EARLIER CAN ANYONE NAME ONE ASPECT OF ZAMBIAN LIFE THAT THE PF HAS MADE BETTER AND WE WILL BUCKLE AND PRAISE THEM. IN FACT IF YOU CAN NAME JUST ONE THEN I WILL PERSONALLY SWITCH MY ALLEGIANCE AND CAMPAIGN FOR THE PF BASED ON THAT SINGLE ACHIEVEMENT. NAME ONE AREA OF LIFE THE PF HAS SUCCEEDED IN IMPROVING. JUST ONE!!!!!
There go our learned UPND cadres, and paid bloggersthey are never happy about anything . Theirs is a life of misery and they will never see anything good. They are so miserable where they come from that they wish the same misery on the face of every zambian. Sorry guys where we come from, our faces carry smiles. The world is not perfect. I advise them to allow a little smile on their faces if they want to stand a chance of ever ruling this country, Zambians don’t votefor miserable people. We are a nation of hope.
@17 Terrible cath….. PLEASE ENLIGHTEN US. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU SEE THAT WE ARE MISSING. GIVE US ONE REASON TO SMILE AMIDST THIS MISERY. FUEL PRICES JUST WENT UP, COST OF TRANSPORTATION WILL DO THE SAME. EDUCATION IN SHAMBLES CBU CASE IN POINT. HEALTH SYSTEM IS IN COMPLETE DISARRAY. KWACHA CONTINUES TO PLUMMET. ZESCO LOAD SHADING THE LIST IS ENDLESS. WE IMPLORE YOU INFACT WE BEG IF YOU KNOW OF ANYTHING THE PF HAS DONE TO MAKE US SMILE PLEASE BRING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.WE NEED SOME GOOD NEWS FOR ONCE. I REITERATE THIS IS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OPPOSITION ITS ALL ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PF AND THE MISERY THAT THE ORDINARY CITIZENS ARE BEING SUBJECTED TO. GIVE US ONE REASON!
Can you also tell me what the opposition has done worth making me smile . Just one and I ‘ll give you credit. As far as I know the uncontrolled growth in insults demeaning and derogatory statements coupled with disrespecting of elders and others is what you get and hear from the menu of the opposition.
@ arse licking bob
Do you REALLY want list of opposition achievers?
If so, let us start with late Chiluba or shall we go to more modern time and mention late Sata?
Or shall we put the blame on opposition leaders because they did not manage to pass their message to 1mbecile like you?
@sponge bob HERE ARE A FEW CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE OPPOSITION.
1) THEY ARE TIRELESSLY FIGHTING TO GET US A NEW CONSTITUTION
2) PUT PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT TO LOWER COST OF FUEL IN JANUARY
3) UNTIL HH SAID SOMETHING THE NURSES THAT WERE FIRED FOR FIGHTING FOR BETTER CONDITIONS OF SERVICE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REHIRED.
4) HELP SAFE GUARD OR FREEDOMS SUCH AS THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. BEING READY TO DEFEND AND PROTECT PILATO IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THOSE ARE JUST A FEW WAYS IN WHICH THE OPPOSITION CONTINUES TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE LIVES OF ORDINARY CITIZENS IN ZAMBIA. THEY ALSO PROVIDE US A RAY OF HOPE THAT ONE-DAY OUR COUNTRY SHALL OVERCOME AND THE RIGHT PERSON SHALL HOLD THE REIGNS AND LEAD US TO PROSPERITY.
Imwe bakatolika, PF has improved the welfare of Zambians? my foot. what did you eat for you to take that stance. You could have just stayed mute and instead used Jameson for wine as you enjoyed ka mass at statehouse. Is it because of begging for the evacuation of his disgrace Telephold Mupundu(Sata’s secret brother in law). we know you brought Pf to power but you dont needto mock us. which improved welfare? go to compounds even in so called mayard people are using charcoal because electricity tarriffs are too high not mentioning loading shedding. And you cry for loss of trees. Imwe bakatolika, just keep your to ma illigetimate children in those orphanages which you are crying for tax exemption to import cars. mwilatusentingy. I am very annoyed.
Chama is a PF cadre bishop and he is saying the truth about PF uplighting the welfare of the people in his area of Muchinga. But Zambia is not just Muchinga. Sadly, PF has been a disaster in other provinces. What can they say about the people of WP or NWP?
I couldn’t believe it when I read this article!did theBishops say this truly? What alleviation of poverty or welfare of the people has taken place since Lungu took place. Men of God? How on earth will this country develop? The church should condemn the violence, corruption and nonsense going on in this country yet the Catholic Church has joined the queue of those who sing praises to Lungu? For what? To benefit? Sad!
Really sttupid bishops.
You asssholes were supporting PF and Sata-n
What have you said about the $300,000 dollars for Kaseba??? Is that looking after the poor?
Now look at the shiit Zambia is in!
Better just keep your mouths shut instead of praising this failed government No amount of bootlicking can put this right.
We need to kick these thieves and conmen OUT, not praise them, they have already stolen our childrens future by massive borrowing and then stealing it.
AND YOU FOOOLS ARE ASSISTING THEM! ID!OTS!
Catholic Bishops commended the Patriotic Front-PF administration for the remarkable achievements made towards the uplifting of the welfare of the people despite the mounting challenges the country faces.
Mwebantu sure, bushe mutulo wafula Ba Bishop? Look around you and see what is happening, open your eyes, go to the komboni and see for yourselves.
I used to think that priests are closer to the people but alas.