PRESIDENT Lungu has urged the Muslim community to use the power of faith to help promote peace and inter-religious dialogue.
According to a statement released to the media by his press Aide Amos Chanda, the Head of State said this on the occasion of the Eid Al Fitr [the festival of breaking the fast] at the end of the Muslim’s month-long period of Ramadan.
In a message of goodwill to the Muslim community in Zambia at the end of their month-long period of Ramadan, President Lungu says Eid, one of the most important events on the Muslim calendar, should be a moment of reflection and an opportunity for different faiths to interact and dialogue on matters that cut across the barriers of faith and culture.
The Head of State says Eid provides an opportunity for Muslims to invite people from other faiths to join them in the spiritual festival of breaking fast and must therefore be used to spread messages of peace and unity in communities.
“I take this opportunity of the festival of Eid to appeal to the leaders and followers of Islam to join me in promoting nation-building through messages of peace and unity particularly this period when the nation is conducting election campaigns,” President Lungu said. “Let us help our people to understand that elections are a democratic platform through which leaders are chosen. This is not a fierce competition to win at all cost.”
“It is a competition about ideas. It is a competition to serve. Public service should always be about a commitment to God, family and country.
Religious leaders therefore have a duty to guide our people to remain united behind the cherished values of peaceful co-existence that have held this great country together in the last half century of our independence.”
The spiritual significance of the festival of Eid when Muslims thank the Almighty Allah for the strength, will and the endurance during the Ramadan period of fasting should motivate the faithful to apply themselves to the practical challenges that confront our people.
“The Eid prayers therefore must take cognizance of the fact that Islam, as one of the major religions in our midst, must contribute to the promotion of peace, hope and serve as bridge across different faiths and cultures,” the President said.
Tomorrow, July 6, the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims are marking the beginning of Eid. The celebrations involve a range of traditions, generally including a gathering of family and friends to eat and pray together.
The president is correct to extend his well wishes to our muslim brothers and fellow citizens. Keeping the peace between various faiths is cardinal to stem the growing trend in extremism and recruitment of our youth in radical movements. May the peace of God prevail in our country during this provocative August elections.
No Zambian President has ever kept tabs on muslim festivals. This just confirms that Chakolwa is a Muslim. He should just come out in the open about his faith instead of masquerading as a Christian.
Dear Mr President, please keep the PF cadres in check and this is within your powers stop pushing that responsibility to anyone, and especially not to the religious leaders. For now what are you doing about the cost of living? We can ‘sonta’ that you found inflation at 8% and now it is standing at 21%. This represents a 300% increase, a sure way of making the kwacha useless.
This bum is an idi*t last week he was there making contradictory statements about Zambia being a Christian country…today he is talking about promoting peace and inter-religious dialogue…really laughable. This is the **** who has just come from Uganda where he was kissing Israeli President’s feet.
MR. President sir, you are the one empowered to make peace in our country but instead you allow your cadres to savagely deal with the opposition, YOU oppress the opposition and unleash frustrated youths armed onto your people that have opposing views to you.You are selfish and will do all in your power to stay as head of state , I beseech you, your excellency to make peace in our country and admit that you have failed the Zambian people and step down with peace and dignity. I thank you Sir.
ECL has just confirmed that he is a Muslim. I heard Kelvin Fube’s explanation on why the President took a break from campaigns. He explained that ECL thought it was time a good time to seek Gods presence etc. Is it a coincidence that he chose that particular time when the Muslims were observing Ramadan? He has played on the minds of Zambians because he knows the majority are Christians, he has an understanding with his Muslim brothers no wonder that Suzyo Zimba is always praising him. Since when has the Muslim society been so vocal then at this time that ECL is leading? to cap it all we have a Muslim Insurance, a Muslim hospital is scheduled to be built. The first lady is comfortable to wear the Muslim attire and visit Muslim countries. Zambians wake up and smell the coffee…
The Zambia i left behind has seized to exist!!!The country is now foreign to me. Muslims are multiplying like soldier ants before you know it sharia law will be in the ORDER OF THE DAY. And yet in Muslim countries no church is tolerated.
WEKA PU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Zambia i left behind has seized to exist!!!The country is now foreign to me. Muslims are multiplying like soldier ants before you know it sharia law will be ORDER OF THE DAY. And yet in Muslim countries, no church is tolerated.
WEKA PU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!