THE Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has reacted angrily to allegations by suspended Anglican Church priest and former Rainbow Party official Richard Luonde that their church is compromised.
Secretary-general Cleophas Lungu said in an interview yesterday that contrary to Fr Luonde’s allegations, the Catholic Church in Zambia has a vital role to play in the country’s governance and is free to offer spiritual guidance to the leaders in power.
“These allegations against the church by Fr Luonde are baseless and must be dismissed and condemned,” he said.
Fr Lungu said the Catholic bishops met President Lungu at State House to discuss the challenges the people of Zambia are going through.
He said the bishops also offered spiritual guidance to President Lungu in some decisions he has made so far.
“As Catholic Church, we are not aware of the machinations alleged by Fr Luonde,” he said.
Fr Lungu said the meeting between President Lungu and the Catholic bishops was normal.
He said it had nothing to do with favours or anything like that and that the nation should be assured that the bishops only went to State House for guidance Fr Luonde is former Rainbow Party member who was suspended by party secretary-general Wynter Kabimba for gross misconduct, shortly after the August 2016 general election.
He told the media recently that the Church was compromised as its leaders are frequenting State House to seek favours.
He was speaking a day after the Catholic bishops visited President Lungu at State House.
HI FATHERS. HAVE YOU MANAGED TO FIND CHITULIKA CONSTITUENCY? IF YOU CAN NOT FIND IT THEN YOU ARE COMPROMISED BY VISITING STATE HOUSE
I tend to agree with Luonde. Catholics, especially Mpundu, were pivotal in ushering PF into power in 2011. They should take partial ownership of the mess that Zambia is in. There are no two ways about it.
This angry retort & Kampyongo’s outburst goes to cement the fact that Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu is a disgrace to my church. The only reason he went to statehouse is to ask Edward to prevail on ZEMA to allow him build his mall.
These are silly people who are having CLOSED DOOR meetings at State House. Anyway a black person who is a catholic definitely does not know its history.
RESPECT PEOPLE’S CHURCHES
But why visit state house all the time? This is why people are suspicious, why not visit prisons and hospitals? Its because there is nothing they will get from there, but that is were your spiritual and moral support is needed most. We know that once you get in state house you will not come out empty handed but with envelops. Please do not embarrass us.
Ba Luonde bapubafye nabo. He needs to shut his cake hole
Father Luonde for those who don’t know him be advised the he’s been suspended for embezzlement of church money, sleeping with other people ‘s wives in his congregation and many other vices. But for Upnd these don’t count as long as the guy is against government. Our Bishops have always engaged government (including the colonial government : Major Pastoral Letters 1953-2001. by Fr Joe Komakoma) on matters of governance. The late Bishop Elias Mutale died on the way after a meeting with KK. It was assumed that OP killed him after an altercation with KK over that way the latter was running the country. Sometimes it’s better to analyse a topic before jumping to conclusion.
The Holy Catholic Church teaches separation of Church and State de facto and de juri. What that means is that is a Church Minister is not allowed to indulge in active politics. Active politics includes election campaigns, standing for elections, holding appointed political offices and supporting one political leader as an institution. In this regard, the visit to State House, the substitution of Advisory Office by Ministry of Religious Affairs, the constitutionalization of the Christian Nation Clause and the instrumentalization of religion can be viewed with suspicion. It is healthy for Church leaders to question possible manipulation and distortion of religious doctrine.
Can please simplify your last points? Are for that meeting or against?
“…Catholic Church in Zambia has a vital role to play in the country’s governance…”
They came kept quiet when Lungu stole the election, they kept quiet when it was clear Lungu promoted violence and muzzled the independent press. They are absolutely irrelevant and useless, besides Christians must never get be involved in politics. It’s so painfully obvious that they meet with the hypocritical president for what he can dish out to them. They are not different from the common PF thug that’s in it for the money.
Our Church only acts on proven reports not reports which are tinted with bias, suspicion, hatred, ill motive and manipulation.
Do you want the Church to engage in a shouting match with the government when there’s no need to? When God decides, the opposition will win an election whether the sitting government likes it not, not this speculative “win ” by one HH. Luonde expected rewards from PF for whatever part he played. But the guy is immoral even if you’re a desperate for membership, this one is a rotten mango which will melt in your hand.
I am a catholic and I believe my church has been compromised in Zambia.I was proud of my church when the late bishop Dejong stood firm with the poor of Makenzie township in Ndola. That’s what I want to see my bishops doing.
The bible helps all of us from being too emotional….church leaders should be the most sober minded people when it comes to guiding the nation….the nation needs help..im sure our leaders do not need our help…they have government machinery….
Leave Luonde alone he is mentally unbalanced. Church suspends him as well as Winter Kabimba please leave alone and spare yourselves energy. One hour to go ka Mosi atishani……
Unfortunately, the cadres are carrion birds, they swop on any garbage as scavengers.
Leaders who can’t study for the truth. Lungu rigged an election and they are busy propping him up just because he is their tribemate. I think its a shame. The church should be seen to build the nation not this open tribalism which is just eating the country at the seems. Next when you find that the country has collapsed, these are the things.
Am a catholic and I believe in catholicism. Bishops be honest and speak out the evils that are going on in zambia. The prophets of the old never feared any king at as they bravely rebuked those kings who were illtreating the people of God. Be brave enough to discuss the unresolved 2016 presidential election petition thats when zambians and us catholics will continue having faith in you. Tell the nation what you went to discuss with a self-imposed president because there is a hanging petition. Bishops come out open on the disputed election if you are brave men who fear God.
Please Your Graces defend our catholic church by being honest with yourselves. Dont bring our church into ridicule because you seem to have been compromised. and the way that Priest responded to Luonde is abit immature as he seemed to have been attacking luonde just prove to the nation that you are not compromised and not to start insulting luonde by telling us what has been happening to him. just be polite in your defence and defend by your good actions not by saying things as if you are politicians. ba secretary general speak like a catholic priest and not a cader.
Instead of fighting his third term, you visit him to offer support and prayers. How else can you not be compromised, you men of little faith?