The Conference of the Catholic Bishops in Zambia (ZCCB) has disassociated the Catholic Church from the planned national prayers for incarcerated UPND President Hakainde Hichilema.
ZCCB Secretary General, Fr. Cleophas Lungu in a statement to QTV News says the Catholic Bishops have not organized any form of national prayers for the arrested United Party for National Development President Hakainde Hichilema to have him released or whatever.
Below is the full statement
CATHOLIC CHURCH DISASSOCIATES ITSELF FROM THE SO CALLED ‘CALL TO NATIONAL PRAYERS FOR HICHILEMA’S HEALTH AND FREEDOM PRESS RELEASE’
LUSAKA, (SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017) —— On behalf of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops in Zambia (ZCCB) and the Secretary General, Rev. Fr. Cleophas Lungu, I want to state clearly that ZCCB has not organized any form of national prayers for the arrested United Party for National Development President Hakainde Hichilema to have him released or whatever. We are not aware of such prayer arrangements either at the Conference level or even within the Archdiocese of Lusaka.
We are however perturbed by the message which is being circulated especially on social media which reads ‘Catholics call for national prayer for Hichilema’s health and freedom.’ This story must have been manufactured by agents of ‘fake news’.
The Catholic Church has a well-organized and structured method through which it officially communicates its message to the public. If there were a move to organize such, it would have been sanctioned by the Conference of Catholics Bishops (ZCCB) or by its President, His Grace Archbishop Telesphore G. Mpundu or by/through the Secretary General – Fr. Cleophas Lungu.
If in any case there are prayers organized for such be informed officially that there are not being organized by Catholic Church in Zambia.
The Church continues to pray for those who request her for prayers and we always do this during mass every Sunday and our prayer intentions are that the will of God be done and not according to our will.
Issued by:
Rev. Fr. Winfield Kunda
ZCCB Communications Director
Comment:
Fake news; quite a bad trait for/by all concerned.
Takes one nowhere.
SDA church Elder HH was found with a case for insulting policemen. Wooo. What? Elder kabili insele. Meanwhile the church has not take any step to discipline ba elder.
Men in dresses have spoken.
Freemason can pray if they want, and the prayer should be HH should not be sodomized while serving prison sentence.
If anyone is praying for HH,well and good. Pray for him to calm down and respect the people’s choice. We all know that people voted for him but not enough to take him to state house. That is the reality that our brother HH should understand rather than hating and fighting an innocent person ECL . No one stole his vote, we voted for ECL.Even HH knows that he lost the elections the only reason he is fighting is to save his soul from outsiders who have been funding his campaigns and also some millions that he has lost from the he joined politics.
Useless. No one needs prayers in this world. We just need fairness equal rights and justice.
@ NEZ ,you need prayers my sister oh!sorry badala
Fake Pentecostal bishops who is friends of Lungu fake Nigerian prohets. Campaigning for Lungu. No fake prayers for HH. Let them using their fake prayers for Lungu as they are Christians for Lungu.
I thought as much. First of all, why should Catholics organise a prayer meeting at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross when they have their own Cathedral of the Child Jesus? Secondly, the statement was never attributed to any authority in the church. Clearly this fake news was authored by PF to mock HH.
Fake Bishop we know you,you are one of stupid people who was in that group of *****s called Christian for,,,,,,,,,,,,,? during campaign in the just ended election,God will pansh you
We don’t need prayers for our HH from any one as long as he has name lungu don’t even mention HH in your comment just go and dance ? with your small god in state house.
The Bible tells us to respect those in leadership under whatsoever. And bible respects law so, prayer or no prayer the law must takes its course. Praying for health its cardinal. Let be strong and face the law like the late President Mr. Sata. He is paying the consequences of being disrespectful.
YOU DONT NEED TO INSULT THE PRIEST. HE HAS TOLD US THE TRUTH. THE TRUTH ALWAYS COMES OUT. NEXT, WE NEED THE TRUTH ABOUT THE “FIVE ZAMBIANS” ON SOCIAL MEDIA HOLDING POSTERS ALLEGEDLY IN LONDON ABOUT HH. AND ITS SAID TO BE “MASS” PROTESTS. WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE OVER 400 ZAMBIANS LIVING IN LONDON ALONE.
UPND is an agent of fake news.this tonga party always want to manufature news in favour of HH is a way of deceiving Zambians so that HH can seem to be popular.forget guys because many Zambians have moved on with their daily lives.any politician must respect our laws because if found wanting,he may rot alone in jail like HH.
Am enjoying watching football home in peace because i respect our laws.
UPND MUST KNOW THAT FAKE NEWS WILL NEVER MAKE HH BE RELEASED FROM CHIMBOKAILA.ONLY THE COURTS WILL CLEAR OR CONVICT HIM!!
God shall always prevail. Leave him out of this mess. We shall pray for HH as a Zambian, not because political UPND clowns want us to.
UPND THOUGHT HH TREASON CASE CAN ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL DEBATE,BUT TO THEIR SURPRISE HE IS NOT A FACTOR OUTSIDE HENCE THESE MANUFACTURED FAKE NEWS ABOUT NATIONAL PRAYERS.A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED BY HH ,LET HIM FACE THE LAW EQUALLY MWALITETA IS FACING IT.
THOSE BLOGGERS WHO INSULT ON SOCIAL MEDIA ARE BRINGING THE CURSE ON THE THEM SELVES AND FAMILIES.IF YOU ARE BORN FROM THE CREATION OF GOD MAKE IT THE LAST TIME TO INSULT OR YOU ARE CURSED.
The Bishops have spoken and you are insulting them, For what???
The lawyers of HH have caused HH problems and they are the people who are going to have HH jailed. They think they are clever, but adding salt on a fresh wound
There are thousands of people in prison and what’s so special about HH. Some have been in remand prison for 8 yrs and no one is speaking on their behalf.
#Free#HH# and #lungumustfall#
The only important thing the International community knows about Zambia is the Victoria Falls and not an individual in the name of HH who stole from his own poor people he’s pretending to fight for. I mean hh for Upnd and not HH for PNU. MUKOSE BA Upnd.
these bishops are only after our money in their churches .they are cowards and unwanted helpers.they dont think of suffering people in prisons.they should have supported prayers for HH and all suffering masses in these filthy jails in Zambia.
the bishops are antichrist and fearing the PF …the bible say you shall see them these wolves in goats skin pretending to bless us when not .Will never EVER go to any of their churches ever again.
PLEASE ZAMBIAN LETS AVOID ENRICHING THESE THIEVES.
The Bishops just clarified what was seculating in some sections of the media that they are not part of so called prayers for HH to be released.
If you so called UPND sympathises are insulting the Bishops who are men of God just for clarification, then you have problems. . You can’t force yourselves on people. The arrogance you are exhibiting and the same insults you are insulting is what has brought HH problems
You were busy celebrating that UPND lawyers have grilled witness, and HH have been found with a case to answer on insulting language which is a smaller charge and the big charge has not started. .. UPND thinks are smart. .
Zambia is so big. It doesn’t mean that if you win Four provinces then you win national elections. ..
HH has cursed himself
HH is free to invite any of the clergy to visit him in prison and have private prayers together. Let’s not toy with prayers.
@3 NEZ, surely you heard the statement by your Chairperson Nalumango where she all but confirmed the call to prayers for HH release from correction. But now you are telling us that there is no need for prayers. Have you consulted your Chairperson? Or have you inadvertently confirmed what we have always said that bembas in UPND leadership are being used merely for window dressing? As you have demonstrated even nonentities or low level cadres like you can rubbish the “Chairperson” of UPND. This also explains why GBM is “hiding”. Clearly he is “hiding” from being embarrassed by the “real” party leaders and members that in fact he is not really vice president of UPND. How can a bemba monkey be a leader in UPND?
On the other hand, the Catholic bishops only have themselves to blame. They don’t seem to understand HH and his donkeys. By issuing that pastoral statement, the Catholic bishops only opened themselves to abuse by UPND. The statement was simply and deliberately misinterpreted to mean sympathy for HH, or worse still, to mean endorsement of HH, his petition and every nonsense that he spews.
And Hon Mutati put it correctly yesterday, the Catholic bishops must learn to issue well informed statements, and the authorities are ready to provide information which may not be in the public domain.
Then Catholic bishops can allow Telesphore to talk but not before, otherwise he will just embarrass them with his hidden agenda.