President Edgar Lungu says he is surprised to read in some newspapers that someone in the leadership of one political party, a former priest himself, warned that his party will revoke the proclamation of October 18 as a National Day of Prayer if they came to power.
He was speaking at the Ground Breaking Ceremony for the construction of the New Cathedral National House of Prayer to be domiciled in Lusaka.
The President said the house of prayer will be an inter-denominational house of God that will serve as a common meeting point when the nation seeks to speak to God in a collective manner.
He said the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which has served as a national place of worship since 1964, can no longer accommodate the current increase of worshippers during various state functions of a religious nature.
President Lungu has since called on all believers in the God of the forefathers including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to join him build and claim the fulfilment of the blessing God gave to Abraham on behalf of all who were to follow his example of faith.
He quoted Romans 4:3 which says ‘’Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’’
The President further said he has decided to honour God by building his people the House of God and reaffirm that Zambia is and shall remain a Christian Nation.
He said since elected President, he realised that the ways of God are beyond the ways of man.
And Lusaka Province Minister, Obvious Mwaliteta, said the Cathedral will be a place of prayer and reflection on how the Zambian people are ruled.
Mr Mwaliteta said the event is divine inspired and signifies that President Lungu is indeed the chosen one.
And Minister of Tourism and Arts, Jean Kapata, said Zambia is a Christian nation which puts the glorification of God above anything.
Ms Kapata was glad to note that the Cathedral will be an interdenominational worship centre that will help the country in hosting a number of Christian activities.
And Brigadier General Vincent Mwenya read from the book of Exodus 25:8-9.
Gen Mwenya added that it is Biblical that God used the top most political leaders to build his temple for worship.
He further said God has spoken to President Lungu that the tabernacle must be built and all people of all denominations across Zambia must join hands to build the tabernacle.
During the intercession prayers, Henry Matifeyo, Head of Chaplaincy Zambia National Service (ZNS) prayed for confession, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation.
First Republic President, Kenneth Kaunda, Fourth Republic President Rupiah Banda, Service Chiefs, Cabinet Ministers and other government officials were present at the ceremony.
Banda joined the church service at the ground breaking ceremony for
new cathedral and interdenominational thanksgiving church service for
Zambias 51st independence anniversary yesterday, 25-10-2015. Picture
by Ennie Kishiki/ZANIS.
ceremony for new cathedral and interdenominational thanksgiving church
service for Zambias 51st independence anniversary yesterday,
25-10-2015. Picture by Ennie Kishiki/ZANIS.
the church by an architecture and designer Jimmy Sinyangwe during the
ground breaking ceremony for new cathedral and interdenominational
thanksgiving church service for Zambias 51st independence anniversary
yesterday, 25-10-2015. Picture by Ennie Kishiki/ZANIS.
the church by an architecture and designer Jimmy Sinyangwe during the
ground breaking ceremony for new cathedral and interdenominational
thanksgiving church service for Zambias 51st independence anniversary
yesterday, 25-10-2015. Picture by Ennie Kishiki/ZANIS.
Fellow zambians,
Our nation is guilty of Covenant breaking Romans1v31. Zambia remember the covenant
?#rainbow
Every time I turn around, I read about Lungu doing one right thing after another … I am really proud of this President. This guy has his heart in the right place and I am more than convinced that not only is he the innocuously ordained man to lead this nation at this historic juncture, he is also predestined to show case the return to our basics as the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise seek to reposition themselves in geo-political issues of the our modern ooze.
The blithering bands of naysayers are not only in themselves of no effect to this presidency but what is even more overwhelming is the fact that Lungu is actually mostly destined to be the second longest serving President the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise may have.
After finish MCS’s 2nd term, ECL has 2…
Continued …
After finishing MCS’s 2nd term, ECL has 2 terms of his own that he constitutionally is eligible to run for … that give this President 12 years+ as the CEO of the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise. If he keeps up with the good work, I see him as the second President to give us the longest sustained economic boom in history similar to KK’s first 10 years from 1964 to 1974.
KK started diversifying the economy in his second year in office by creating INDECO, FINDECO, MINDECO, ZIMCO just to mention a few of the Zambian Conglomerates. By as late as 1996, ZCCM was the world’s largest conglomerate trading at the New York Stock Exchange.
FTJ’s Lilliputians destroyed all that and Zambia, my Zambia went back 40 years in civilization and now it is time to rise again…
Don’t get carried away by stone bibles, work to change the attitudes that have stagnated Zambia.
It was Fr. Bwalya who is against day of prayers.
Using the name of Lord to plunder and starve more the already starving poor people. God will rise and destroy this PF soon.
Bamumba kuti mwaloloko!
Ba Fyashupa:
Ala bane na tuloloko kwine … even the all-too-human tetchy, the airily dismissive, the lordly—without knee-jerk defensiveness or wide-eyed guile. Kanshi ninshi uyu umulumendo Lungu bamu patila bamo.
Nebo amano yalaapela, he is a nice guy … thanks a trillion.
President Lungu has since called on all believers in the God of the forefathers including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob……
It seems Jesus is missing in the whole story, could it be because some people do not believe in Jesus? Which religion will this structure belong to? Are Muslims welcome to this building…. and which god talked to someone in this day and edge when all instructions are there in the bible?
That’s the way to go Mr president
Zambia check your foundation there is a crack.
He said other religions like Muslims and.Hindu’s are happy with the idea. Is he trying to accommodate his fellow Muslims?
Looks like religious nut case fanatics have taken over the leadership and are hoping for God to over look their incompetence and do their work for them of fixing zambians problems.
Much as this is a welcome gesture, I hope this building has been budgeted for in the current budget announced by the Finance Minister this month. If not, then the project should wait until next year, in the meantime we can continue using the Cathedral of Holy of Cross. We are faced with an economic crisis and we therefore must avoid unnecessary spending.
This is the kind of analysis that has made Zambia what it is today – mediocre with 10% of the population controlling 90% of the wealth. Why should we postpone infrastructure development? That is why Zambia has a serious power shortfall today because every successive government have failed to invest in power stations. All these big projects are capital intensive and therefore will create jobs; the government must invest in the future. HH and his supporters will NEVER tell you unsuspecting electorates where they will get money for infrastructure. For example to build a hydro power plant costs no less than US$500 Billion. I invite your comments
@ Alternative to the cartel
To comment on what? Ranting of am 1mbecile in search of attention?
And what economic returns will come from this church? It hurts to think that millions will be wasted building a church for worshiping Spiderman’s friend, kaili both God and Spiderman are non-existent’ to the detriment of stocking our hospitals with medicines. Very very sad! And Lungu knows that most dull Zambians are Christian fanatics and he is doing this to win their support and it seems to be working because generally christians, especially pentecostals are simple-minded people. How do you explain convincing someone to eat panties and declare that it tastes like chocolate? smh.
The authoritarian state frequently attempts a fusion of the state and the church,This is because Lungu wants to use religion as a tool to maintain himself in power.
zambians have fully made up their minds against Lingu. A few wanted to give him a chance in January. Unfortunately, he has faltered grossly. His advisors, among them Dr Roland Maiska, have thought of a church strategy to salvage situation. What we need to know is that there is a huge difference between priestly office and the King Saul approach that usurps sacrifices. This is a noble cause though engineered by political motivations. Read Matthew 15:8 honouring God with their mouths and lips and yet their hearts turned away.
Last time I heard of such a church constructed by the state was in the 1960s in Ivory Coast by President Houphouet-Boigny! Amazing that we are today doing the same.
That’s how you shed OFF the tag labeled on you as a drunkard and Muslim. HH has failed to shed OFF his tribal and shetanist tags and he is striving to prove us right by embracing them.
Too much superstition in Zambia, while progressive countries are focused on improving the quality of lives for their citizens, Zambia is distracted by superstitions.
DO NOT USE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VEIN.
The last time there was this much interaction between church and state, The national coffers were mercilessly plundered. But as an ex president once famously said, Zambians forget easily.
We shall soon see false prophets crawling out of the woodwork to support this massive con against the Zambian people. And it will take us another 10 years to realise we were taken for a ride, again
Lungu is completing a term that WHAT he has potential to do . Anything more is a mountain to climb for such mediocrity. Zambia is doomed to failure I’d this cadre is entrusted with more power THAT he can’t handle. He’s a Chawama drunkard who was too lucky to get so much
I new a day of prayer was political and planned, now you can see that the all thing was planned and thought through with a sole purpose of winning the Christians who do not understand the bible. EL and his PF thugs planned this all thing and i hope well meaning Zambians will see through all their lies and stop them from using the name of God in vain.
Wake up fellow Zambians and through these lies, these guys will do anything to win a vote, by the way when did Lungu become such a committed Christian after seeing that he can not run a country.
That’s so true, unfortunately Zambians are too gullible to see this
MORE WASTE OF MONEY! THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE PLACES OF WORSHIP DOES NOT FALL ON GOVERNMENT. GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE PARTIAL TO ANY FORM OF WORSHIP.MANY OF US ARE ALL CHRISTIANS BUT WE DEMAND THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT AND SHOW THAT NOT A SINGLE KWACHA OF TAX PAYERS MONEY WILL BE USED TO BUILD THIS CATHEDRAL. WE DO NOT WANT GOVERNMENT BEING INVOLVED IN DIRECTING RELIGION. LUNGU IS OVER HERE PLAYING CHIEF PHARISEE WHILE THE CHILDREN OF GOD AT CBU ARE BEING BRUTALIZED BY HIS ROMAN SOLDIERS. THIS PRESIDENT IS A PHARISEE. HE IS ALL ABOUT SHOWCASE RELIGION!
Who’s tutoring this drunk? He’s taking the fire & brimstone gullibility to the next level.
Hearken ye my brethren, when this guy is done with you even the wailing by the daughters of egypt after the passover will look like child’s play.
He was just telling his cadres in luapula how he doesn’t care the cost of his re election. Now he’s building a white elephant no one will use.
Good news is he won’t dupe us for the second time.
Ati (JAMESON LUNGU THE PHARISEE) THAT IS HIS NEW NICKNAME lol
Government has been using the cathedral of the holy cross, the cathedral of child Jesus, we have a government conference centre, the government complex etc, Bread of life centre takes over 7000. Why build another structure instead of building building schools for kids in Kaunga mashi who learn under the trees? Since when did you become a Christian? I hope this is not another Temple of David for demonic worship! God is watchind the true motive
This is the kind of analysis that has made Zambia what it is today – mediocre with 10% of the population controlling 90% of the wealth. Why should we postpone infrastructure development? That is why Zambia has a serious power shortfall today because every successive government have failed to invest in power stations. All these big projects are capital intensive and therefore will create jobs; the government must invest in the future. HH and his supporters will NEVER tell you unsuspecting electorates where they will get money for infrastructure. For example to build a hydro power plant costs no less than US$500 million. I invite your comments.
$500 million was already allocated for kariba, but we see no improvements and no one can account for that money. What UPND are saying is let’s fix the economy first before ploughing more money into these long term projects. The situation now is like a farmer having leaking roofs destroying his equipment while he invests in long term maturing crops.
The only reason PF want to “invest” Eurobonds into roads is so that they can have kickbacks and commissions. That’s why Zambian roads cost three times the normal cost in the region. Sata rejected private investors who were ready to build KKIA and Kafue Lower Gorge part station. He then allowed his son and nephew to take $25m on the construction of KKIA which four years later has not even progressed to slab level.
This is what happens when you go blindly to elect “ifintu” without listening to advice. Talking of speaking to God? There are many in Chainama who also say God has spoken to them…
Laughable indeed!!
All is well with the ORD always. UPND needs prayers. We the people though shall not let the PF dupe us. Prayers are always good, so is firing ministers like Kambwili.
Let them build. Christians will use the building for seminars and crusades. but how come we are not shown the design?
Charismatic christians are a very large district easily conned at mention of prayer and faith even with their eyes wide open! ECL understands gullibility very well and is exploiting it. Government should not involve itself in matters of religion. All religious structures are open to the various denominations when need arises by any grouping wishing to have conversation with the Creator arises. I bet Zambians who are watching events that will unfold following this so called Christian Center PF is pushing for that Pentecostals and I mean the hyper ones will take over this building!
Ba LT chizungu namwe!! Ati an Architecture??? “…being shown the plan of
the church by an architecture and designer Jimmy Sinyangwe…”
look at those hypocrites..the satanists..the drunkards..oppressors of people..God can’t be mocked..some day you will be sorted out..that will not win you elections in 2016..
Religion is a recipe for deception and controlling the ignorant and the poor. Lungu knows he has done very little to uplift the lives of the many sufferers and his reelection is on the line hence he needs to find something the sufferers always tend to be swayed with, God and faith. It is no point declaring 18 October a day for national prayer, we are simply increasing days for lazing about instead of working. Why don’t we just say 24 October should also be the day of worship anyway? Lungu and his cronies are simply trying to divert the attention of the people, things are not working in Zambia and we must be directing our energy and resources towards improving the lives of the sufferers not this mediocre of building some worshiping place when we already have such places. Knowing the…
Quite interesting development. Is history repeating itself as in 1990?. Religion and superstitions take centre stage amid immense suffering. KK released white pigeons at similar occasions, built the David Universal Temple, invited illusionists in the heaven on earth project and finally warned Catholics that they would eat their rosaries after he wins the elections. Just a piece of history.
True — Karl Max said ‘Religion is the opium of the masses.’ Really sad when the government starts using religion to garner votes of the intoxicated masses. There should be separation of church from government!! Its sad Africans are this way . Makes GOD really shed his tears
It is good to see President Lungu announce Zambia as a Christian country but very very disappointing to see he wants to squander precious money in such a way.
Religion guides how we live, we do not live for religion.
Being a Christian is helping your fellow man and woman.
Taking care of those that are less fortunate. Empowering them and giving them the means to look after themselves and their families.
Example, teach a man to fish and he will feed his family for the rest of his life.
The money that is collected at church should be used to help the community. Educating people, helping the sick, making repairs to roads and buildings for communal use.
If the government has money to build a church this money is surely better used in developing the country?!
On…
On education, housing, roads, sanitation, repairing the damaged Hyrdo-electric dam, energy production, farming, manufacturing and aiding small businesses. The list goes on.
Surely Gods will is to help the people to have better lives here and now.
God just provides guidance and the tools (your hands, feet and brain) for us to help ourselves. Offering assistance and strength when we feel we no longer can carry on.
This is a “Smoke-Screen”
Making monuments in the name of God is a waste of money when there are so many problems that this money can be used to help resolve.
Where is this money coming from anyway?
Donations and loans from other countries that what Zambia to develop?
Do you really think they would have given money if they knew it was going to be wasted…
Lungu is politicising religion, its never a good thing
aking monuments instead of solving the real issues?!
Shame on you.
This is not leadership.
This is ignorance, lack of analysis and demonstrates that a person has no plan to resolve big issues.
God cannot save us through prayers and attending church. Saying that you will help someone but not actually doing it.
Actions matter and God will only help us if god sees us trying to save ourselves by behaving in a Christian way.
Following the Ten Commandments, helping your neighbour, working hard and being self-sufficient.
God didn’t build Noah’s Ark, Noah did!
God guided him as he built the ark, as he steered the ark and then guided him to dry Land.
This govt has run out of ideas. I suppose this church building is govt sponsored. So why take away tax payers money to build this church which will be dominated by those fake Pentecostal pastors we saw on 18 October? is it a gift to the fake Pentecostal pastors who run the show on 18 October? I believe God would like the money to be used prudently in helping the economy and the vulnerable. Zambians are already meeting God in various church buildings. If indeed PF and those fake Pentecostal pastors are true believers, then they did meet God in the showgrounds unless they are telling us they do not believe their own words of a covenant through the halo of the sun. How can a father take away money for food and buys a suit because he feels he needs one? So a stadium can still be used for…
It has already started to rain. The flood is coming.
It’s not time for prayer, it’s time for action. Action to work together to build something that can save the situation and everyone that wants to work to be saved!
LIKEWISE MR PRESIDENT, WE THE CATHOLICS ARE SURPRISED THAT A FORMER PRIEST FRANK BWALYA CAN DO A BLOOD RITUAL LIKE HE DID WITH A CHICKEN
iT IS GOOD THAT LUNGU HAS COMPLETELY REALISED HOW HE CAME INTO POWER AND IT IS WRITTEN, GOD REJOICES FOR THE REPENTANCE OF ONE SINNER. FOR ME THIS MUST HAVE HAUNTED LUNGU WHEN HE LOOKED BACK TO SEE HOW HE FOUND HIMSELF WHERE HE IS. SOME KINGS OF ISRAEL IN THE
IT IS SOME FEW SELECTED ANIMALS SERVING THEMSELVES WITH MILK AND APPLES, WHILE THE REST OF THE ANIMALS ARE WALLOWING IN ABJECT STARVATION. SOMEONE IS TRYING TO FOOL THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE, MAKING US DOCILE BY TURNING INTO A CLERGYMAN WHEN HE IS FAILING TO ATTEND TO PERTINENT ISSUES OF GOVERNANCE WHICH HAVE AFFECTED ALL OF US. LUNGU’S MOTIVE BEHIND HIS SUGGESTION TO CONSTRUCT A NEW CATHEDRAL IS NOT PURE. HE IS JUST SEEKING FOR SYMPATHY FROM ALL OF US EVEN WHEN HE STILL CONTINUES BEING EXTRAVAGANT AND DEPLETING OUR NATIONAL RESERVES, ACTING AS THOUGH THERE IS NO TOMORROW. ALL ZAMBIANS SHOULD JOIN HANDS AND KICK LUNGU OUT OF POWER NEXT YEAR 2016.
We Zambians are gullible because we love our neighbours. Our neighbour may be thieves, kachemas, pompwes, or even murderers but we Zambians love them all. When they slap us on the right chick, we turn and give them the left chick for them to slap again and again because we are Christians. Time will come ilyo tukesa votela umwana wa kwa kachema not wishi twakana…
This is the President of Zambia taller than the dictators voice. Forget about EU…they ran away until the Chinese found us and helped. We need Chinese capital not the EU’s. Keep your money mr EU…after all yours is just as bad if not worse…
Isn’t the Cathedral of the Holy Cross are govt building? Why spend more money when the govt already have one building in place?
It Is good to harken unto The Lord in all things. Man is fickle but God, is faithful and will reward the Righteous.
He who honours Him can never fail.
Inter denominational. That just shows how parochial our President is. Who said every Zambian is a Christian? There are Hindus, Moslems, Buddhists, Africanists, who are all Zambians so if you are going to build a house of prayer you have to accommodate them because they all pay the tax money from which you want to dip for the project. An interdenominational place of worship doesn’t cater for all because it is focusing on Christians only. KK tried it with his David Universal temple and the Christians didn’t like the concept so it died. Better you leave such projects to the religious organisations themselves not the government
What is happening in Zambia, in the 21st Century is just exasperating. I wonder when it is that the Zambians will eventually wake up to all these deceptions that keeps us backward forever. While Addis Ababa is putting up electric trains and their airline is making profits we are busy hoping God will take over the running of our country. What!? f00ls!! God has already gifted you! The f00ls you have have FAILED! Chuck them out and usher in someone who works WITH GOD!!!!!!!!
we thank God for giving us a man who fears him he will take Zambia to higher heights we are praying for you siir God bless you and give you more wisdom and knowledge AMEN
the issue of prayer and fasting has caught everyones attention, i have a question…. how many times have we as individuals at personal level turned to God in difficult times even economic times and when things turn good we say thanx be to God, Lesa awe nayasuka and many sayings. if this same God answered wh then cant he answer when we pray as a nation in this difficult time??? if at personal level he answeres how about wen we pray as a nation???? and Israel in its History from Egypt is the same. remember POLITICS CAN NOT BE SEPERATED FROM RELIGION.
LESA AFWA ABAYAFWAAA…. GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEM SELVES… STOP GIVING THE GOOD LORD STRESS!!!! CHECK FOUNDATION.
EVEN KING HEROD THE ONE WHO WANTED TO KILL BABY JESUS REBUILT THE TEMPLE
The temple of Herod was built on massive quarried blocks still visible today at the Wailing Wall or Western Wall in Jerusalem where many Jews congregate to pray. Often they write out a prayer intention on a small piece of paper and place it in a crack in the wall. Baedeker says that
#politically Herod wanted to gain the #favor of his Jewish subjects, so he rebuilt the temple by combining the requirements of the Jewish religion with elements of the Graeco-Roman style.