President Lungu has held what State House described as a very successful meeting with Representatives of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) led by its President Archibishop Telesphore George Mpundu, with a clarion call to Government and the Church to have constant dialogue and collaboration on matters affecting the nation.
According to a statement released to the media by State House Press Aide Amos Chanda, President Lungu underscored the need for constant dialogue and collaboration between Government and the Church on issues pertaining to the welfare of the nation and pledged commitment to closely work with the Church to uplift the welfare of the Zambian people.
The President also acknowledged the need for clear separation between Government and the Church.
At the meeting held at State House yesterday, the President also expressed concern at the manifestation of tribalism in society and emphasised the need for Government and the Church to work together to address the challenge.
The President has also directed that the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs must work together with the Ministry of General Education on how best the issue of tribalism can be incorporated in the education system.
“Tribalism has become a huge challenge. There is need for the Church to work together with Government to address this issue.’’
The President has also hailed the efforts that the Catholic Church has continued to make in promoting education and health in the country and pledged that the appeal by the Church towards the development of the Catholic University in Kalulushi district on the Copperbelt Province will be looked into.
The President has also assured the Bishops that the Minister of Health will be tasked to look into the longstanding issue of remuneration for Classified Employees working in Catholic Hospitals because Government was committed to ensuring that those in employment were fairly remunerated.
President Lungu also assured the Bishops that he was committed to forging the country’s socio economic development forward hence he was doing everything possible that this was achieved.
The President was accompanied to the meeting by Presidential Affairs Minister Hon. Freedom Sikazwe and Hon. Rev. Godfridah Sumaili, Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs.
And the ZCCB President the Most Rev. Telesphore George Mpundu who is also the Archbishop of Lusaka congratulated the President for his electoral victory in the August 11, 2016 general elections and wished him and the Cabinet God’s blessings as they serve the nation.
Archbishop Mpundu echoed President Lungu’s sentiments on the need for the Church and Government to work closely.
On tribalism, Archibishop Mpundu equally expressed concern saying tribalism was a reality which must not be ignored, and encouraged the President not to relent in his efforts to denounce and fight the vice in order to promote coexistence and national building.
On education, Archbishop Mpundu pledged that the Catholic Church will continue to supplement the efforts of Government in the education sector because of its commitment to Zambia’s future.
The ZCCB also expressed appreciation to the President in the manner that he is forging national development.
Other Bishops who attended the meeting include ZCCB Vice-President and Bishop of Ndola Rt. Rev. Dr. Alick Banda, , Rt Rev. Bishop George Lungu of Chipata, Rt Rev. Bishop Charles Kasonde of Solwezi, Rt Rev. Bishop Justin Mulenga of Mpika and Rt Rev, Bishop Valentine Kalumba of Livingstone.
Good point about tribalism in the country and the Catholic Church. All these priests are northerners and easterners. And they are about to repeat their mistakes of supporting PF as they did in 2011. Can Catholics point to any improvements in the living standards of Zambians despite the church’s backing? How come Zambia is the third hungriest country in the world?
A hungry nation feeding Zim,Zaire and Malawi…how can tongas want Sda polygamous elders eg hh to become Catholic bishops ..
Kapaso wa mpezeni, who gives a f xxc about that bunch of wankers.
Why didn’t this bunch of wankers just do their fornication in privacy.
Else if this was a serious gathering they should have (separately or jointly) issued a comprehensive statement of why they met instead of sending Amos to make a choreo’ed statement.
The govt is not telling us the reason why the Bishops went to see the illegitimate President Lungu. We hope the Bishops told illegitimate Lungu that the Petition against his re-election must be heard without fail. Zambians want to know who truly won the 2016 Election and who is their Legitimate President. Until this Petition is heard,determined and the Winner declared by the Court there wont be Peace, Reconciliation and National Healing in Zambia. Now that Jammeh is gone in Gambia and the Will of the Gambians has been respected and upheld ,Zambians want the same thing to happen in Zambia. SADC should emulate Ecowas and deliver Democracy in Zambia.The Petition must be heard. Period.
.. The Head of the Catholic Church in Zambia congratulated Ecl on his win. ..Iwe ka fake Chanda na Chi back menu.. get it in your thick skulls and move on… Or wait for hh to be declared president by whatever court u wish..local court or Icc..
@Kapaso wa mpezeni, Congratulating someone who lost an election can never make that person a winner and get that right. If anything it shows it just shows the high levels of hypocrisy among the clergy. Are they really men of God. What I know is that men of God stand for the truth. How about you @ kapaso, do you stand for the truth?
Chanda. Satanism from the UP & Down followers. Let your little brain know that the issue is the 2016 elections is done and closed and a Winning President was sworn in. Nothing will happen even hallow thinking and hallucinating.
you are still talking about petition. This is 2017 my dear just forget and forge ahead with your plans that God has given as we all have little days to stay on earth. Let us work hard to archieve something in life and leave the politician alone. There are just wasting your time
Is yayah lungu jammeh your uncle? You want us to Gambianize you?
how come lusaka times has not reported on what has happened in Gambia?
We hope that ugly rat Lungu is watching what is happening in Gambia because the same will happen here should he choose to hold onto power through standing again. He is good at hiding behind bishops to show that he is humble and yer these bishops are womanisers and pedophiles who touch little boys dinga lings
They carry on doing deals with the govt behind your backs…your docile people; anywhere am not surprised with the Catholic Church they were once upon a time in bed with Hitler.
Only a black man who does not know history would want to be a Christian.
Wake up!!
Christ himself was not a Christian!
The true picture today is that the catholic is pf unlike catholic of unip and mmd days. At that time some high and middle positions were held by foreigners especially whites. Today priominent priests in this church come from regions where pf shud be sustained at all costs. The catholic clergy of those days would not go to bed with the atrocities, impunities, illigalities etc going on in this govt. Conclusion: pf is catholic; catholic is pf! Dont expect anything better.
Where were these bishops when Mapezi was short, when Kabwili, Mumbi and other PF thugs were championing tribalism? Brown envelops at play and one of them is walking like he has prostate
Lusaka times is for PF. They can’t report about Jemah in Gambia ngensoni shaku supporter ba PF only.
Kwena bu donkey nabu bashupa ba UPNDonkey. Still dreaming about your dead petition? Everybody knows the winner and that winner is in State House, and he has been congratulated by the WHOLE WORLD, and so there is no comparison with Jammeh of Gambia here. Or are you telling me that the ECOWAS army is on our borders demanding that HH be inaugurated? Ati petition, petition yakwisa, ku chuundu ukokwine bamiishiba. No wonder you are donkeys, ala bulwele ubukali sana.
Meanwhile chuundu HH has started receiving his legal bills from the lawyers. We hear that he is shell shocked but after hyping his donkey brained supporters about the petition he does not know how to end it and cut his losses. Right now he is trying to develop a line to blame someone for failure of the petition so that he can avoid bad publicity for another failure. Please UPNDonkeys help your chuundu leader by stopping the donkey hype about a petition, what petition? Dont you have a heart to feel for HHs and his family’s money?