Thursday, March 28, 2024

Release HH, demands Church Mother Bodies

Share

 Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu
Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu at a media briefing

Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) and the Evangelical Fellowship in Zambia (EFZ) have demanded the release of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema today.

And three church mother bodies in Zambia say the country now eminently qualifies to be branded a dictatorship under the leadership of President Edgar Lungu.

Speaking at a joint press briefing today, Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu said State House has denied the church mother bodies access to the President, hence the resolve to issue a public statement and declare the country a dictatorship.

“It is in that spirit that we have for several weeks engaged State House officials and sought an appointment to meet the President Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Our aim was to bring to his attention, some of issues that are of great concern to the Church. Now that we have not been allowed to succeed along that path, we have decided to issue this statement to let the powers that be and the people of Zambia know our position on what is happening in the nation,” Archbishop Mpundu said.

“Actions by the government of President Lungu in imprisoning the opposition leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema are viewed with growing amazement and alarm… The view that President Edgar Lungu is creating a new dictatorship is fast gaining ground. With the current state of affairs, it is difficult to see how the UPND can easily recognise the legitimacy of Lungu’s re-election in August 2016.”

“Hichilema has been in custody since he was arrested in a late night raid on his home by heavily armed Police Service personnel who used unprecedented force and brutality in apprehending just one unarmed citizen. The State Police brought dogs of the German Shepherd breed that defecated in the vehicle meant to carry Hakainde. Under whose instructions were the police behaving in that way? The Inspector General or his Commander in Chief?” asked Archbishop Mpundu.

“It was unthinkable that a Zambian government would sink so low as to unleash dogs on its people, as the British colonial administration used dogs on us Africans.”

UPND leadership at the press briefing

Below is the full press statement

A STATEMENT BY THE THREE CHURCH MOTHER BODIES ON THE STATE OF THE NATION

“The Truth will Set You Free” (John 8:32)

1. We the leaders of the three Church Mother Bodies namely: the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) and the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) are saddened at the continued state of political tension in the country and the blatant lack of political will by our leaders to address the root causes of what is obtaining. As Church leaders who have a God-given mandate of exercising the prophetic mission in our nation and in our time, we cannot afford to simply stand aside and look. Our country today stands at the crossroads and we are in a crisis. We face many challenges related to governance; the muzzling of people’s freedoms and human rights violations. As Zambians, we all need to examine our conscience, seek the truth and work towards bringing back hope to our people.
2. We are also mindful of the timely message of Prophet Micah: “What is good has been explained to you, man; this is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We strongly believe that more than ever before, our political leaders need to pay heed to this message and put it into practice.

3. As the three Church Mother Bodies, we have always said that our prophetic voice on national issues is only motivated by our wish to see the Government do better and succeed. It is in that spirit that we have for several weeks engaged State House officials and sought an appointment to meet the President, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Our aim was to bring to his attention, some national issues that are of great concern to the Church. Now that we have not been allowed to succeed along that path, we have decided to issue this statement to let the powers-that- be and the people of Zambia know our position on what is happening in the nation.

Zambia Motorcade Treason and Plot!

4. Actions by the government of President Edgar Lungu in imprisoning the opposition leader Mr. Hakainde Hichilema are viewed with growing amazement and alarm. Hakainde Hichilema’s arrest for treason was at first dismissed as an
intimidatory gimmick by President Lungu after the so-called “clash of the motorcades”. Hichilema was arrested on 10th April 2017; and days behind bars for Hichilema have turned into weeks and now months (2) for the leader of the opposition UPND. In addition, the view that President Lungu is creating a new dictatorship is fast gaining ground as was expressed in the statement issued by ZCCB on 23rd April 2017 that, “The country is in all, except in designation a dictatorship and if it is not yet, then we are not far from it.” With the current state of affairs, it is difficult to see how the UPND can easily recognize the legitimacy of Lungu’s re-election in August
2016.

5. Hichilema has been in custody since he was arrested in a late night raid on his home by heavily armed Police Service personnel who used unprecedented force and brutality in apprehending just one unarmed citizen. The State Police brought along dogs of the German shepherd breed that defecated in the vehicle meant to carry Hakainde Hichilema. Under whose instructions were the police behaving in that way? The Inspector General or his Commander in Chief?

6. In this country, only senior citizens well over 60 years can remember the British Colonial Administration using dogs on us Africans. It was unthinkable that a Zambian Government would sink so low as to unleash dogs on its own people. The
British have been gone for 53 years now but we are still using the same tactics to intimidate our own people. It is true then that oppressed people just take on the behavior and style of their oppressors. Are we liberated as a nation or are we still mentally chained in the ways of our former rulers that include the One-Party dictatorship of 1973-1991?

7. Outrage over Hichilema’s arrest and incarceration is growing within and outside our country: The USA, European Union, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa (where two opposition leaders of the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance have voiced their outrage). Even Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change has sharply criticized Lungu’s actions because it sees the similarities with their own political leaders across the Zambezi.

8. The present PF Administration is avoiding to address the root causes of the present political crisis and tension in this country. Leadership, particularly at national level, requires integrity, truthfulness, honesty and sincerity. We believe that the political leadership has failed on this score. “The Truth will set you free,” so says our Lord Jesus Christ (John 8:32). There is no substitute for the Truth. There cannot be national reconciliation and healing through manipulation of truth. The kind of leadership we have now is the one that allows law
breaking as long as it benefits the powers that-be. If this is not dictatorship, then what is it?

9. The political leadership must admit that the situation in the country is characterized by tension; the country is polarized. The politicians of the Administration must not ignore what is obtaining in Zambia today; it is a contest between good and evil. The Church through its leaders is determined to stand on the side of good. We are fully aware that more often than not, the fight for Justice is not a path filled with many pilgrims, but is a lonely journey by courageous leaders and a small number of followers. It is often repeated that all evils needs to thrive is silence from good people. It does not matter that only the Church raises the voice or just one leader in the Church raises his voice. The fact remains that the state of the nation today is exactly what the Church says it is, namely, a dictatorship in which force and violence are used to intimidate the population and subdue opposition of any kind by means of institutions such as the Police, ZRA, the Judiciary and the Legislature, among others. Those holding public office are now used to violate human rights of individuals and groups of people, especially those perceived to be opposed to the political establishment.

10. Institutional violence is a fundamental measure of a dictatorship. This is why the ZCCB stated that “the political
environment in Zambia today is characterized by manipulation, patronage and intimidation of perceived government opponents. We urge the government to stop using state security institutions to intimidate its own nationals. The Police Service in particular must be professional and impartial in carrying out their duties of maintain law and order” (Cf. Pastoral Statement of the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), Issued on Thursday, 23rd January 2015, #5.1).

11. Yes, we in the Church Leadership are not repentant; Zambia eminently qualifies to be branded a dictatorship. The fact of the matter is that only leadership that does not have the will of the people on its side or thinks it does not have the will of the people on its side uses state institutions to suppress that same will of the people.

12. It is short sighted to proclaim that the closure of the Post Newspaper does not constitute lack of press freedom. Yet it is an indicator to the disposition of the powers-that-be. We Church leaders maintain that the presence of 80 radio stations, online newspapers and independent television stations in Zambia does not mean press and media freedom. Media and press freedom is about journalists and media institutions doing their work without fear, intimidation and threats; it is about news editors publishing and airing what they judge as newsworthy for public good, especially in
holding public officers to account. It is about upholding democratic governance that gives public and civil society institutions the chance to play their rightful role of providing checks and balances to the political establishment without looking over their shoulders for fear of closure, arrest or attack. Media freedom borders on the UNDHR Article 19 which says among other things that “every person has a right to make his or her mind, to think what they like, to say what they think and to share their ideas with people in any way they feel befitting.” What happened to MUVI TV? It was closed after the August 2016 elections and there was such a massive presence of the police immediately following the Mongu Presidential Motorcades Saga that MUVI TV was not allowed to report on that incident. What happened to the Post? It was fixed as the President had promised! What happened to Komboni Radio and Itezhi-tezhi Radio? What happened to Post Newspaper Journalist Peter Sukwa and his counterpart Kelvin Phiri from Feel Free Radio in Chipata at the hands of PF sponsored thugs in Eastern Province? If these are not signs of dictatorship, what are they signs of? Certainly not of a democratic dispensation!

13. It is a fallacy to postulate that the arrest of one man cannot make this country into a dictatorship. We in the Church leadership think otherwise. It is not the numbers of the afflicted victims that count. It is the principle. Theft is theft
whether one is dealing with One Kwacha or a Billion Kwacha. It is how state institutions and agents apply the law when dealing with “one of the least of the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 25:31-46). The dictum that God knows how to count only up to one when it comes to his children is the truth that makes us realize just how each one of us is important in God’s eyes because we are all children. That we should treat one another no less than God himself treats us is the evergreen litmus test which defines how civilized society is!

14. The indictment of the Police Service as being unprofessional was not invented by the three Church Mother Bodies; it is found written in black and white in the judgment of Magistrate Greenwell Malumani which tells us that the conduct of the Police in this case was not in line with the law and Police Professional ethics! Quoting the learned Judge, the Episode “exposed the Police’s incompetence, unprofessionalism and criminal behavior in the manner they handled the arrest of Hakainde Hichilema.”

15. After he was arrested, Hakainde Hichilema was subjected to inhuman treatment. He refused to go into the police vehicle littered with dog faecal matter which the Police wanted to use to transport him and his co-accused; at Lilayi Police Compound, he was illegally and allegedly tortured without access to beddings even though the law says one is innocent until proved guilty by courts of law. Weeks before the Mongu Presidential “Motorcade Saga,” a State Agent Kampyongo and a PF Agent Mumbi Phiri clearly told the nation at different occasions that HH would be charged with treason and treated like a rat in the process. True to their words, HH was arrested on a treason charge in a manner that cannot be said to be human because it violated both his constitutional and human rights. Now Hakainde Hichilema has been transferred to the Maximum Security Prison even though he has not been pronounced guilty after the due process of the law. He was tied like a dog because he refused to go. HH is not an ordinary criminal but a political prisoner who should be treated with respect. We therefore call for the release of HH from prison. If he is charged with Treason, an un-bailable offence, let him be under house arrest as the trial goes on instead of treating him as if he has already been found guilty. Our thoughts and prayers also go to other political prisoners who are innocently suffering in several Correctional Centres. History has an uncanny knack of repeating itself. The first Republican President with some of his famous/fellow freedom fighters were imprisoned and restricted to remote areas by the colonial administrators. In fact, the option of house arrest and restriction to defined areas was pursued by the Kaunda and Chiluba regimes and could have been considered by the present regime. That notwithstanding, the late President

Chiluba was imprisoned by President Kenneth Kaunda. President Chiluba later threw President Kaunda into maximum security prison and he had to be rescued by late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere! Late President Micheal Sata was thrown into Chimbokaila Prison by President Mwanawasa. Mwanawasa did not live long enough to be thrown into prison by Michael Sata. However, the historical reconciliation between President Mwanawasa and Michael Sata still ring fresh in our memories. Today, we have HH thrown into maximum prison by President Lungu; we leave it to you to guess what the future is likely to be!

16. The crux of the matter is that the UPND challenged the Presidential Election Result as provided for in the Zambian Constitution but the petition was not heard due to a technicality. On the other hand, the PF are demanding that the UPND must accept the presidency which they challenged in the first place. Since the matter was not heard in court and is now out of court, this impasse can only be resolved by using an open, sincere and respectful dialogue, with both parties open to discussion and compromise where necessary, for the sake of this country and the future of our children. Intimidation, threats, arbitrary arrests, even the State of Emergency promised us by the President cannot succeed in diffusing the political tension we have put ourselves in, thanks to the
intransigence of our political leaders! We appeal to both the Party in the government and the Opposition to put the interest of our great country above their own.

17. Indeed, what has happened to us as a nation? Where are our values as human beings and as Christians? Is this what it means to be a “Christian Nation”? How can we celebrate the incarceration of one of our own flesh and blood being taken to a maximum prison even before he is found guilty and keep quiet? We in the Church leadership feel for HH, for his young children, for his wife, relatives and friends. The pain they feel is ours and it is also the pain of the entire nation, whether we like to admit or not. Not only that, we are greatly concerned that the inhumane treatment of some of our nationals is likely to poison the next generation.

18. All the three Church Mother Bodies (CCZ, EFZ and ZCCB) have prison ministries whereby we visit prisons and attend to the spiritual needs of the convicts. We do it not because we condone their actions or their wrong doing. We do it because they are our fellow human beings; they are our sisters and brothers. We do it because it is a biblical requirement on our part as our Lord Jesus reminds us: “I was in prison and you came to see me” (Matthews 25:35-37;
42-43). Everyone, convicts included, deserves our love,

compassion and support, not condemnation, for the only one
who has the power to condemn, God, does not condemn but redeems us and loves us into life. As Christians, one fundamental value we should cherish and keep nourishing is compassion for those going through hard times regardless of our relationship with them. Hatred is the exact opposite of Christianity.

19. In this nation, where has compassion and solidarity with the suffering gone? What does it mean to be a Christian Nation? Why do we take pleasure in the misfortune of others? We harbor hatred and resentment against each other and waste a lot of time and energy in a sickening destruction of each other instead of building one another. Let us use this negative energy in acknowledging, appreciating our rich diversity of tribes and cultures, and building each other to the stature of a great One Zambia – One Nation. Tribalism is a cancer that can kill a nation if not constantly kept at bay. The political leadership has a sacred mandate to keep this nation united and must desist from statements that go to polarize people into ethnic groups that thrive on ethnic bigotry. We have only one country; let us cherish and support one another for the greater glory of God.

20. In conclusion, we demand that efforts be made to have an all inclusive National Indaba which should address the many challenges we are facing. We also demand that
government takes the lead in organizing and effecting the proposed National Indaba. As we have stated before, the Church stands ready to mediate but is also open to other eminent and neutral persons mediating. Further, we expect H.E. Mr. Edgar C. Lungu, to act as Republican President whose aim is not only to protect the good of the members of his party (the PF), but also and more importantly, be the guardian of ALL ZAMBIANS, regardless of their political affiliation. We firmly believe that this nation can overcome all our current political differences through genuine dialogue aimed at true reconciliation and national building.

Signed:

Archbishop T-G Mpundu Bishop Alfred Kalembo Bishop Paul Mususu
(ZCCB PRESIDENT) (CCZ PRESIDENT) (BOARD CHAIRPERSON – EFZ)

Issued to the Press on Friday, 16th June 2017

184 COMMENTS

    • As holy as they may look, what they are saying is utter nonsense – total rubbish from the bin.

      You see, we have a lot of people who may be behind bars unfairly or even sentenced unfairly. Surely if the church is expected to be neutral, why should they single out one case? What precedence are they setting, that you can break the law and the church will take out right? Is that what democracy means, is that what being impartial means?
      HH MUST be treated like any other individual regardless of social status, isnt this what church fight for – human rights and NOT RICH humans right?
      Let the state prove to these hypocrites that LAW is LAW, even EL once he leave state house, if he is founf wanting let the law take its course.

    • As holy as they may look, what they are saying is utter nonsense – total rubbish from the bin.

      You see, we have a lot of people who may be behind bars unfairly or even sentenced unfairly. Surely if the church is expected to be neutral, why should they single out one case? What precedence are they setting, that you can break the law and the church will take out right? Is that what democracy means, is that what being impartial means?
      HH MUST be treated like any other individual regardless of social status, isnt this what church fight for – human rights and NOT RICH humans right?
      Let the state prove to these hypocrites that LAW is LAW, even EL once he leave state house, if he is found wanting let the law take its course.

    • What a disappointment by these church mother bodies. The bible says obey and pray for your leaders. HH has refused to obey and pray for leadership but he has decided to break the law and you mother bodies are saying release him. What kind of leaders are you? About those who have being arrested for other offences? Please let apply the law equally. As church leaders your row is to encourange people which include HH to obey and pray for the leaders but what you’re saying is encouraging lawlessness in Upnd and general populous. Come on guys this is not right. If he’s innocent he will be released but if not he must be punished. Allow the law to take it’s course. If HH is released he will become big headed that no one will handle him.

    • I stand consistent without regrets having condemned the unothodox politics of Hichilema and Government approach to the Mongu debacle of using a sledge hammer approach to the arrest when better options stands available. But in no way do i support the reckless call and name calling of Telesphore Mpundu. Such matching orders on institutions of justice and Democratic rule are dangerously reckless. They are clear and dangerous danger to national peace and unity. He has taken sides and lost any moral voice in conflict management. Now he is no different from crocked Joshua Banda with a history of shifting camps to every ruling party for personal gain. Where was he when KK was arrested on Christmas eve, Mungoma was dying in jail? Is this a Switch’N Play?

    • The Church needs to stick to its duties i.e. taking care of the poor not becoming useless mouth pieces for politics. Amen!

    • @1.1 “Surely if the church is expected to be neutral, why should they single out one case?”
      BUT THAT’S HOW USELESS CHUURCHES HAVE BECOME. THEY ARE JUST CENTRES FOR CONNING THE POOREST OF THE POOR.

    • I see signs of Alzheimer in Mpundu’s ranting. There is no Government worth its salt that would take this call serious. Then what becomes of him and his orders as HH remains in detention not only to the end of Friday, but whole weekend and still counting? You cannot be making matching orders of customized solutions on institutions of Justice and Governance like this. You are doing it for how many people in detention and jail? What is so special about HH that we should mutilate institutions when we have thousands in detentions on different Ground?

    • Don’t blame the church, they have clearly stated, they requested for an audience with ECL but denied that opportunity. This is the second time within this week, we have heard ECL refusing to meet some people who wanted to confer their opinion directly to ECL instead of using LT.
      You called Chipimo all sorts of names, and you are doing the same with the Churches. Why don’t you ask ECL to start listening to other people? He doest talk to Zambians, he refuses to meet anyone with a different opinion, only gives directives when he is about to travel, etc
      A leader doesn’t behave that way.

    • The ministry of religious folly will now issue warnings of deregistering them. Anyway PF empty tins fear the churches as its a useful tool for them to dupe the masses.

    • A defenceless and unarmed Mapenzi was shot and killed in cold blood by the state and is lying dead silent in her grave with no justice at all and a person who was not even scratched in Mongu in a simple road misunderstanding is putting others behind bars and calling it treason. No guys, lets be serious for once

    • I think the Archbishop Mpundu should leave the Catholic Church and officially join politics.

      HH if he is innocent the court would set him free. The Church should simply pray that the will of God be done.

      The Church should speak for the poor not the rich who break the law internally. Bishop Mpundu be careful. Rome is watching.

    • Archbishop Mpundu is becoming a dictator within the Zambian Council of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB). He is using his position of Archbishop of Lusaka and President of ZCCB to bulldoze his way and issue statements on behalf of the entire Catholic Church. Bishop Mpundu should not forget that the results of the PVT conducted by the Church Mother Bodies during the 2016 elections very much reflected the ECZ results. He should also not forget that HH told us before that election that he was not going to accept the results of the election if he lost. Hence his failure to recognise President Lungu stems from there. So when Bishop Mpundu talks about the TRUTH with respect to the cause of the current political crisis, he cannot conveniently run away from this fact unless he has something up his sleeve…

    • This article is written by one person on behalf of other members of the church body purported to have been written collectively – it sounds too author-individualized. And Ba Mpundu has always had an issued with the late Michael Sata. This is a carry over personal crusade. People should not use the church to fight their personal battles.

    • This article is written by one person on behalf of other members of the church body purported to have been written collectively – it sounds too author-individualized. And Ba Mpundu has always had an issue with the late Michael Sata. This is a carry over personal crusade. People should not use the church to fight their personal battles.

    • Being impartial doesn’t mean standing in the middle as an observer. It means defending the right cause. The church is right to take this stance. HH is being persecuted and they are simply calling a spade a spade. Most of you are saying HH deserves to be locked up for the crime he committed. But when asked what that crime is, everyone becomes mute while others will start saying because of the motorcade issue, a case in which HH wasn’t found wanting. So if we all don’t know what charge HH is in jail for, what is wrong in demanding for his release?

    • Edgar Lungu at his wits end. Clearly, Zambia is not Zimbabwe, nor is it Uganda. Dictatorship simply can’t thrive here. It has never been. It can never be. Lungu now seems headed for the doldrums.

    • If indeed Ba Mpundu was honest on his concern the President at State House what he could have published in the newspapers or mentioned at the press conference is “their” failure to get an appointment at Plot 1. And not to pour out to the public what they had wanted to discuss with the President. And generally, the other problem we are facing in Zambia is lack of respect for the presidency – I don’t understand! Someone breaks the law and instead of condemning the perpetrator the church, LAZ, etc are condemning the State and praising people like Maimane….

    • I have discovered with dismay something very interesting on this platform. On some comments If you click/vote plus (+) it also increase the negative (-) vote. This is how social media can manipulate people’s perception. I tried at least four clicks and got same result. I have always thought there was something wrong with the votes on this platform. This is a shame! Stop it! and stop it now!

    • Is it not interesting and revealing that while the Presidents of CCZ, ZCCB and the board chairperson of EFZ are speaking out over the incaceration of HH, the SDA Church in which HH is said to be an elder, at least according to one Bishop Akombwa, is silent?
      Secondly,is it not interesting to note that whilst my Bishop and former teacher Telesphore Mpundu with his friends is ready to call the PF government dictatorial, he is using his position of Archbishop of Lusaka and President of ZCCB to impose his position and speak on behalf of other Catholic Bishops and the entire Catholic Church when his view is not shared by all Catholic Bishops and the entire Catholic Faithful?

      Thirdly, is it also not interesting to note that whilst Bishop Mpundu is ready to tell us that the UPND election…

    • Thirdly, is it also not interesting to note that whilst Bishop Mpundu is ready to tell us that the UPND election petition was not heard, the results of the PVT of the Church Mother bodies conducted during the 2016 elections showed they were not at variance with the results announced by ECZ?

      Further, whilst Bishop Mpundu and his friends talk about THE TRUTH about the cause of the current political crisis in Zambia, he conveniently neglects addressing the issue of how HH told us before the 2016 elections he was not going to accept the results of those elections and recognize Edgar Lungu as President?

      One just wonders what constitutes the TRUTH for Bishop Mpundu and his friends. Even Pontius Pilate conveniently ignored to address the question, WHAT IS THE TRUTH ? when Jesus Christ was…

    • One just wonders what constitutes the TRUTH for Bishop Mpundu and his friends. Even Pontius Pilate conveniently ignored to address the question, WHAT IS THE TRUTH ? when Jesus Christ was brought before him about what should be done to him and decided to wash his hands off Christ’s case!!!

    • There can only be one president. ECL’s election was massively acknowledged. If one on the other hand chooses not to recognize that and instead become disrespectful to the point of breaking the law by trying to compete with an elected president they should know the constituencies of such an action. How many of us would dare resist giving way to a presidential motorcade? Sometimes we invite trouble on ourselves. Like the UK envoy observed that what happened in Mongu was very provocative, it’s just that. The least the Church mother bodies and all those calling for the man’s release can is to beg for his release and not command for his release. if anything the man must be apologetic to add weight to those calling for his release. We should also be conscious of what sort of precedent we are…

    • We should also be conscious of what sort of precedent we are setting, one can willful break the law and get away with it because they are famous/popular. I think the church has lost it on this one.

    • Lungu is yet to know who Zambians are. He is not likely to escape scrutiny. We have come a long way. We are battle-tested. Our democracy belongs to us. It is ours. Take your dictatorship to Uganda. That’s where it belongs.

    • What is going on in Zambia kanshi, Its like the country has come to a stand still coz everyone is on about HH, Just shows how big this guy HH is, People have forgotten about there poverty, Their unemployment, IN a way EL is smart because he has created all this HH thing to destruct the poor Zambians from his non performing government.

    • We thank you our clergy for a well thought-out, detailed and written statement.

      Lungu is a very, very troubled guy who is filled with so much hate. I pray that God grants HH sufficient grace to forgive this troubled guy Lungu.

    • Some Roman Catholic Bishops threatening GRZ? That’s interesting especially that there is a case about the matter going on in court now. If the Holy Spirit is not part of this there could only be 2 outcomes – a major embarrassment for the Bishops or the actual creation of a dictator by the Bishops. In the eyes of the LORD I serve, no human being is more equal than others & the humble & meek always win. Be careful Bishops you may be fighting God’s will & God never loses. God Bless Zambia

    • These church leaders are very interesting.

      At what time did God allow them to support those who refuse to submit to authority?

      When HH does all the wrongs he does against authority, where is there counsel?

      These church leaders seem to represent not the church but their own political interests while taking advantage of their position in the church.

      These religious leaders believe that it is ok to tolerate law breaking, but wrong for the law to take it course.

    • IGNORE THESE CHURCH BODIES. THEY ARE FAILING TO INTERPRET THE BIBLE AND THEY HAVE FOUND POLITICS EASY TO DO AND MAKE MONEY. IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT ASK NEVERS MUMBA. CHURCHES IN ZAMBIA JUST YAP AT ANYTHING. CAN’T THEY LATE THE GOVERNMENT DO IT’S WORK AND NOT INTERRUPT. CHURCHES HAVE LOST MEANING.

    • “https://zambiareports.com/2017/06/16/pf-aligned-journalist-narrates-experience-church-bodies-presser/”

      I HAVE JUST BEEN READING ON THE ABOVE LINK AND THE QUESTION I AM LEFT WITH IS: BA TELESPHOR MPUNDU, IS HE NORMAL? I DOUBT IF THE CHAP IS NORMAL. THE WORDS, “DICTATORSHI…, ETC” ARE THEY COMING FROM HIS MOUTH OR SOMEWHERE ELSE? HOW DOES THE WHOLE HEEP OF A PRIEST TELL LIES OF LACK OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION WHEN IN FACT HE IS EXPRESSING HIMSELF WITH LIES, FREELY. UYU MUPATILI AMPAPUSHA, SANA NOBUFI BWAKWE.

    • CALM DOWN AND ALLOW THE DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW TO PREVAIL
      ============================
      History has a way of repeating itself.
      Men of God, your very existence in this world is based upon some form of LAWS. Unless you see otherwise, I would have loved a situation where you took a serious role in identifying the root cause of all this. Where I stand, you sat idle as you watched HH go to dangerous levels. The political landscape and understanding of this world which is different from the Church’s point of view led to the betraying and eventual killing of one Jesus. You cannot just call for the release of HH. At whose call? There is both political and legal implication to this at the setting of a historical precedence. Let HH be tried. The Church in Zambia in its current form seem to be…

    • Cont’d
      … short sighted and divisive, I beg your pardon. Else the country yearns and begs for serious reforms.
      YES WHERE WERE YOU?
      Where were you when HH and UPND where calling for Armageddon prior to the August 11 polls. Folks, the plans by UPND to cause trouble with impunity was premeditated. The pockets of violence and disruption of ECZ electoral process in the lead up to election was unprecedented and orchestrated by UPND. The delay to inaugurate the incumbent was malicious and inspired by envy and jealous. Don’t be short sighted therefore brethren. This is sheer tag of war, the jostle of political poor that defies and misleads the upright.

    • Cont’d
      This is sheer tag of war, the jostle of political power that defies and misleads the upright. My Question to you men of God is, what is the eventual outcome to this release HH call be? After all is said and done. What status will the so called RULE OF LAW assume? Supposing HH is miraculously out of Mukobeko or Lusaka Prisons somehow, what then will be your position? Yes, HH has some support, so is ECL. But the historyof politics, democratic or otherwise, does not satisfy every individual. The more the Church pushes its somewhat noble agenda, it must not be blind to the real issues. Issues that almost plunged our land into darkness. If HH believes that he won, and the votes were stolen, why then does he not behave like SATA and wait to beat ECL in 2021 clean.

    • very shamefull ba church mother bodies, after enjoying the corruption proceeds of Jameson Chakolwa Chagwa Kadansa Lungu and his pf m.o.r.o.n.s now mwamuchinjila amano zoona.I know the Chief Justice,the constitution court judges and the entire ECZ they are also regretting for supporting chakolwa dictator ….

    • I thank the Church for its courage, leadership and their prophetic voice. Those who say HH has committed an offence forget that he is only alleged to have committed an offence. His treatment has been extreme and disproportionate. I am no supporter of HH. All I want is a free country where institutions can exercise their independence and perform their function without fear of state sanction. Edgar Lungu obtained 2.8m votes and Hichilema received 2.7m votes. In any country where there is common sense Hichilema would be treated with respect. Our country’s culture is cowardice and “sebana wikute” and that is why there are so many who can not see that our country is being poisoned by hatred. It is clear that all these state manoeuvres, arrests and propaganda by paid vuvuzelas is about…

    • I AM HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS OF GBM MISSING ON THE SCENE. HE WAS ORGANISING THE CHURCHES FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. HE JUST CAME BACK ON THE SCENE AND HERE IS THESE HOPELESS CHURCHES MOTHER FIMO FIMO HAVING A PRESS CONFERENCE. WHAT IS MPUNDU SAYING? THAT ECL AND PF GOVERNMENT ARE DICTATORS? IF THERE WERE DICTATORSHIP IN THE COUNTRY CAN MPUNDU EVEN HAVE A PLATFORM WHERE TO BARK FROM?

    • @Peter and Team Edgar Oh such big words from such small people, bet you feel so macho and clever writing and posting that nonsense – are you really sure you are smart ?

    • @4 Wantanshi, I think the ONLY FIGHT ZAMBIANS HAVE IS TO ENSURE EQUITY BEFORE THE LAW, NOT this nonsense of PERSONAL INTERESTS IN THE NAME OF FIGHTING FOR ZAMBIANS. The Church was expected to bring DIALOGUE LONG BEFORE things got to where they are now!Are these chaps telling us that it ok to insult a President even if one does not recognize him?? HH’s case is A MATTER OF THE COURTS so there is NO SHORT CUT! After all,HH and the UPDN have continously said they are innocent, so why not WAIT FOR THE JUDICIAL PROCESS TO FREE HIM so that he will NOT BE SEEN TO HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE MERCY OF A “DICTATOR”?!

    • It looks like the bishops are broke, they need some from corrupt Chagwa Chakolwa Lungu.Chakolwa Chagwa Lungu aza ba gwila pakamwa…lol

  1. Under what basis should HH be set free Bwana Arch Bishop. Am Catholic but on this one, I tend to disagree with you my Lord.
    The Church must be ashamed for letting UPND loose and misbehave. HH should have been told to position himself where he belongs. Its nonsense for the Church mother bodies to start fighting consequences when they should have fought the symptoms.
    My Lord, please stop making noise. You should have played your role of taming the character.
    I have seen fat Albert in the audience. please guide him properly before he gets caught up with the Laws of the Land that ECL swore to protect and defend.
    Otherwise, my Lord just display your UPND party card!!!

    • Under what basis is HH even arrested? Have you ever asked yourself what crime HH is in jail for? It’s not the Bishop displaying the UPND card. It is called morality.

    • Sosa, the Bishps’ statement is not to quash his case but marely let him go home while trial in the courts continue. House arrest is a lot more ideal for political leaders. They have a large following and it costs burn of public facilities, loss of life, blood shade, e.t.c

      Its not really like you are dealing with a hard core criminal who is a danger to general public. I would not want to see vengeance get back at President Lungu in future.

    • @5.1 and 5.2, Mr.Tembo and Abene ba.. That is for the COURTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER HE HAS A CASE or NOT or IF HE IS HARD CRIMINAL or not. The LAW SAYS NO BAIL so how can he go home when the law does allow TREASON ACCUSED TO BE ON BAIL? WHY are you NOT FIGHTING FOR MUKATA as murder accused to go home or INDEED ALL THE DETAINS WHO ARE AWAITING COURT APPEARANCE TO GO HOME and go to Courts as the time allows?

    • @Bwafyaa, use your head naiwe. Do you even know what a hard criminal is? In Mukata’s case, we have a murder charge and a murder victim. In HH’s case, all we are told is that he committed treason. But what act did HH commit that they are calling treason? This is like arresting someone for aggravated robbery but you don’t know who he robbed.

  2. These were my words to President Lungu, last week. I begged him to release HH, indicating that the man had suffered enough, in spite of whatever he may have been accused of.It looks like none of the President’s aides even bother to read what the people say on Social Media, and in columns, such as this one in “Lusaka Times” . If they do, they don’t advise the President accordingly. Now, the President is in imminent danger of being completely ostracized, because even the church has now joined the chorus…..

    • If hh was arrested by ecl he should be been imprisoned at state house. Why involve ecl over a matter that is criminal and been dealt by legal institutions. Let them sing that release chorus to the courts and see if they will do it against their ethics.

  3. Myopia is thinking the Church should only focus on “spiritual matters” and not play a role in promoting justice!

  4. Folks thank you church mother bodies for stepping up to the front line. Zambia is under siege and judging by most comments on this forum, we are doomed to live under this suffocating dictatorship for a while. We pray for divine intervention. The consolation though is that Buchizya, Samuel Doe, Charles Taylor and one Sese Seko Kukungbendu wa Zabanga et al., thought they were gonna be in power forever until cataclysmic events culminated into onslaughts that led to the annihilation of the ideas and dictatorships that they promulgated. PF cadres and all those who support the sleaze better know that posterity and time will judge them in similar manner.

  5. Fellow Zambians, please lets open our eyes. Right is right even when people are against it, and wrong is wrong even when people are for it. We all know the truth. We all watched the video on what transpired in Mongu. Please lets be fare. Was seriously HH and his UPND members in order to do what they did in Mongu?. Certainly not! To the best of my knowledge, that has never happened anywhere and the whole world is shocked that we have opposition leaders that can behave in such a manner. The action of HH that day bordered on serious national security and the life of the President. Had anything happened to the President that day, i don’t know by now if the mother Church bodies could have had time to write such statements and call Zambia a dictatorship. As a Catholic and a Zambian, i want to…

    • JP, note that according to the current charge of treason, that incidence has been excluded by the prosecution, so in that case do you think he should still be in prison?

    • @bululu, check your facts. It was duplicated, otherwise it has NOT gone away. Where do you think the treason charge hh is facing of “ENDANGERING THE LIFE OF THE PRESIDENT” is coming from??

    • @ JP

      Lungu endangered his life by not getting his henchmen organised and cleared that pot-holed road for him to pass.

  6. very good development let the government listen , Thank God the three mother bodies have agreed on one common thing to free HH. let us promote peace and unity in this country, One Zambia and Nation, God bless Zambia!

  7. This is the beginning of the end of PF, why PF can’t just reform and re adjust itself begs the question!!. PF is still a party of the people , but the way they are breaking the law of the land is really frightening a lot of us. Be TRUE to yourselves PF and you will be FREE , but antagonizing fellow citizens just will bring you DOWN faster than you anticipated. THE PEOPLE POWER IS ALWAYS PARAMOUNT and no president nor General can stop it. PF don’t bury your heads in the sand, we are watching.

  8. very good development let the government listen , Thank God the three mother bodies have agreed on one common thing to free HH. let us promote peace and unity in this country, One Zambia and Nation, God bless Zambia!

  9. Just a few observations and questions for the church mother bodies:
    1. By demanding that HH is released before the judicial process is over, are they suggesting that the President should interfere in the judicial process?
    2. Isn’t such an interference in the judicial process itself an encouragement of the very dictatorship they detest so much and attribute to ECL?
    3. Or they insinuating that it is in order to forget about the separation of powers when it comes to HH?
    4. In their statement, no mention is made of HH’s refusal to recognize ECL as a legitimately elected president of Zambia, are they suggesting that the illegitimate president has power to release HH?
    5. Is there any reason why they can’t ask HH to recognize ECL before any dialogue can take place?

    • He has intervened in ZCCM-IH matter, why do we like playing double standards…only when it suits us? The problem are probably the people around ECL…Naleka, this Ziko!!!!

    • @Facts,
      LOL – Read Point No.16 again, and then read your comment again. Then you will agree with me that you, my friend, have difficulties with comprehension.

  10. Where do PF leaders get their wisdom, could all these church leaders be against ECL, WHY? Let us for once learn to listen, think through and give heed even when we may not agree with them…this is how God speaks and let us mind how we respond to our spiritual leaders. It is also unfortunate that our President avoids everyone perceived to have a different view from him, no wander his presidency is in such trouble…Remember Solomon’s son in the bible?

  11. By the way EFZ was represented by Bishop Paul Mususu and NOT Rev Pukuta Mwanza. A missed opportunity for Rev Mwanza to stand up and avert the rumours out there from certain quarters that he is Pro-PF. Had he signed this joint statement, he could have shamed his critics.

  12. I am a staunch Roman Catholic christian and believe in its values to the core. However, let me beg to differ with his Lordship on this one. It is in fact the bible which teaches us to obey and respect the leadership because it comes from our Lord God Himself. May our Bishop Mpundu tell me that i am lying on this one. If it is true then why is he sowing a bad seed in the minds of the people? In Rwanda the church was in the forefront to fuel tension and we are seeing the same now in Zambia. Are you working for the Lord God or please humans.
    Secondly, the church has disappointed me because when HH was busy insulting the head of state, they kept quiet; why? When HH was insulting the judges, the police and the speaker to name a few, the church was quiet; why? Please help us understand your…

  13. And I quote ‘NO RECONCILIATION THROUGH MANIPULATION OF TRUTH” i Like that!!!!!!.. Please release HH and call for fresh elections.

    I can assure you that You will be the best president ever Zambia would ever had. But WOULD Mumbi Phiri and others allow that????

  14. I dont see a way of mediating reconciliation when you are have already chosen a side.
    The sad thing is that people are personalizing the country into one HH. I refuse to be defined by one man. To make it worse our church mother bodies have started to misquote the bible for the good of one man whose “Christianity” is in question. That the real needs of the church and the people of this nation at large are being eclipsed by the state of one man is very sickening.
    The Church and all so called civil rights movements that claim to care about the rights and state of lives of the 16 million people they pretend to represent should help our President in maximizing the potential of our people to take our country to greater heights.
    Please Note: Should this country fall into chaos – God forbid…

  15. Dear Readers,
    Who can give us the breakdown of people that are in the correctional centres by percentages
    1. falsely accused
    2. suspects
    3. tried and convicted
    4. on waiting list
    5. released after some people protests
    6. etc

  16. You can see from the comments that these PF F0ols will never hear anything from anyone, I don’t like UPND but I can never stand these PF thugs. It’s like the brains are firmly in their toes and not in their heads.

    • I told these PF empty tins that arresting this man was pointless they should have just let him bark from a distance BUT now even their church is starting to wake up and what happened to the IMF loan which was to be credited end of last month…really laughable.

  17. 1. These people using the bible to support HH openly should not think we are dull. The three cannot be mediators because they have demonstrated that they are UPND supporters.
    If dialogue is to be held, the three should never be allowed to be part of the mediaters.
    2. To release HH now. Using which law? Pls do not set a bad precedence.
    3. Is this not contemptuous? HH has just sued Amos for commenting on this case.
    4. I doubt if any person will listen to these biased men of gold.

    • What is the bible to you as an African? The selfsame book that doesnt even recognise you or your greatness.
      Wake up from your stupidity!!

    • @John Kalulu. By your comment, you have just proved that you are! May all the real dull people please stand up!

    • @John Kalulu! how were the Chinese released minus appearing before any court! What precedence do you want when it has already been set.

  18. Arch Bishop T. Mpundu has never been an example of a good Catholic priest from the time he became Arch Bishop of Mbala. He left a lot of scandles in Northern province to an extent that he was even accused by other priests of using witchcraft to ascend to the position of Arch Bishop. The problem in Catholic is that they hide the misdeeds of their Leaders and instead they transfer them to where they are not known. What happened to Father Chanda of Luanshya Roan Catholic Church in the 80’s?. The man destroyed another man’s marriage and became the Father of twins(girls) in Luanshya. Father Mia Mike Delevensky, Father Angelo Palumbo,Father Dominic Lanese, Father Disiano Bragagino and Denis Dijong where on the Copperbelt and they knew what was happening and they ended up transfering Father…

  19. Amen! About time the men and women of valour stood up to this coward dictator called Lungu. Just when I was beginning to completely lose hope in the future of this country, it’s refreshing to know there are still few gallant men and women who refuse to give in to dictatorship. I choose to be on the side of ‘good’ in this fight of ‘evil vs good’.

    People stand up and be counted! This isn’t about ‘Bantu-bo-tatwe’, rather it’s about Zambia, the country!

  20. I am PF but I will be very bold to say road rage can never be treason on any given day. Stop the jokes and release the man. Ala..

    • Iwe Kamalon@26 Is road rage against the presidential motorcade ordinary? Stop trivialising the issue.

    • The man they are persecuting was not anywhere near the drivers seat. And the Dunder heads don’t even know that for treason to hold there must be overt acts, what is the overt act just driving on a road. These alarming levels of dullness are not helping anyone

    • A simple road rage issue, an ‘endangered’ president even had his window comfortably open whilst driving against the motorcade of HH. And the way things are exaggerated in Africa, Presidents are not and can never be Gods please. Treason, What treason? Atase..

  21. Only sensible part about this emotional Press Statement is the CONCLUSION. So message to release HH is directed at who? The Court or the Government?

  22. Now I see it does not belong to man, even to direct his steps . Incompetent , no wisdom. He contrives the law only to be caught up in it himself. You are all masters of confusion , you are not assessing issues according to the strict principal of validity.

  23. I trust these Church mother bodies not tu bena Joshua Banda tu Kandile…ECL will succumb watch the space. Bola yakosa

  24. Bane, there is no need to harden our hearts against our fellow Zambians and ultimately against GOD. Let us be careful.

  25. Well done Church. How can any normal Zambia not feel the pain being inflicted on HH and on our country by Edgar Lungu and his PF? As the Church has well summed it up: “Today, we have HH thrown into maximum prison by President Lungu; we leave it to you to guess what the future is likely to be!” Any fool can ignore such warnings, obviously to their own peril. History has an uncanny way of repeating itself! Indeed, today its HH in prison, tomorrow it will be Lungu. Let those who have ears hear what the Church is saying. Let the folly continue on their path of self-destruction.

  26. I gave the father a benefit of doubt until he brought in the Post Newspaper issue then I understand that its just hatred he has towards ECL. In the first place even if HH does not accept the election results, the father and his team will do well to counsel him to accept that ECZ declared a winner of the elections in the name of ECL. HH and his party must stop insulting the president its unchristian ba father twapapata. The mongu video is full of insults and disrespect towards the president. Why do you people hate ECL. What has the man done to you? If you really know the meaning of the word truth, why have you failed to advise HH in truth but instead you support everything HH and UPND say about ECL. Not one day have you held press conference to advise HH.

  27. As a PF member, am really ashamed with what’s going on with regards to the inhumane treatment of HH. This really is not good for our party which is clearly losing support at a fast rate. The PF needs to understand the power of the sympathy vote, which at the moment is building rapidly for HH. The President needs to urgently reorganize Cabinet and his advisory team to regain integrity which has been lost starting with the failed bad alliance with MMD Ministers such as Mutati. Its now almost a year since the President was sworn in but still no solid economic programme just waiting for IMF. At the rate things are going Zambia will be a failed state!!! Please ba President we love you and dont want you to fail but please hear the Churches not those failed Ministers.

  28. H.H. should be released because he does not deserve to be in prison. Treason charges slapped on him are inappropriate. The President does not have wise advisers who can give him proper advise regarding the matter. Am happy that the church is able to see this. The church is not there to endorse everything the government does but to advise accordingly. When King David sinned, a prophet by the name of Nathan rebuked him and David repented. That’s the true sign of humbleness and God called David a man after his own heart. Our President has just been using the church to win votes for himself and his friends. Kindly release H. H as the mother church bodies have demanded.

  29. The fact that NO BODY is able to point to or come up with any admissible evidence to support the Treason case speaks for itself.

  30. Total rubbish, there is nothing new here, hasn’t ECL told them already that he does not want to interfere in this case? Now they know who to ask, before they thought they can intimidate him by underrating him. Mr. President we are with you, the people who voted for you are all with you. Let them first talk to HH before coming to you that is our wish. We need total repentance from HH for dividing us.

  31. Thanks to the Catholic bishops for always standing on the side of the truth. Of course we have a few scavengers in the Catholic church like Frank but most of the rest try mwandi. Just driving pa same road na president, a president who is just a simple person like me and you ati treason. The whites were correct to call this chi place called Africa, a dark continent.

  32. The Church tried to see the cork toothed ECL but they were not allowed hence their action. Can somebody please explain in a traffic offence can amount to treason. HH is innocent and if he can be treated like this it really shows how desperate PF is to remain in power. Davis Chama shot a man at point blank range and he is free. The cop who shot Mapenzi is free and drawing a salary from government today. Kambwili has not been locked up for his hate speech. What has HH done to deserve being in prison when murderers are freely walking our streets and abusing public media houses. Every dog has its day…………..

  33. This address is long overdue.Congrats mother bodies,why do they insist to keep hh behind bars without trial for so long.They kno they have no evidence to present before the courts. hh z innocent.God BLESS HIM TO SHAME HIS ENEMIES FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES AND MAY THEIR SUFFERINGS BE DOUBLED.

  34. On comments about the presidential petition the father and his team will do well to advise HH and UPND to publish evidence of rigging in both the print and electronic media, to help people understand that the delays until 14 days elapsed were not as a result of lack of evidence. My simple advise to UPND is that life on earth is time bound. We are not in eternity. Sell the party manifesto to Zambians. Go to Northern , Luapula and Muchinga and teach them livestock farming. Am told they even eat pregnant animals thats why theres little or no livestock in these provinces. In the process you are winning their hearts. With Southern, Northwestern and western already in your bag, you just need 50% of the remaining provinces.

  35. What hakainde did in mongu was criminal and someone needs to be punished for that. If Telesphore Mpundu and his friends want hakainde to be released, one of them should take up his place. I don’t care who gets punished but someone has to be punished. Forget about releasing hakainde without anyone taking up his place in mukobeko

    • Sometimes it is best to just read what others are writing. Ignorance is not an asset you expose to everyone.

  36. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW, MR MPUNDU EVEN OTHER BISHOPS ARE NOT BEHIND YOU. VERY SOON YOU WILL SPLIT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. WHY HH AND NOT OTHERS THE BIBLE DOESN’T TAKE SIDES, BUT ONLY HYPOCRITES LIKE PHARISEES DUE TO MONEY ISSUES
    ELC IT’S THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR YOU NOT CHURCH MOTHER BODY, THEREFORE LET THE LAW TAKE ITS COURSE.

  37. There is no case of treason here… Learn ECL and HH repent before GOD… All have made mistakes and have sinned against GOD.
    ECL is pretending and HH is adamant…. ECL must show magnanimity as the Head of State. He wont anything if he orders state agents to release HH. WE know how the state operates…
    Do you think Inspector General could carried such operation of invading HH ‘ house without the President knowing?
    Come on gentlemen and ladies, we are not young….

  38. Not all people of men are righteous, even in the Bible we read about Jesus accusing them of false pretense. Father Telesphore Mpundu should have blamed HH for blocking the presidential motorcade rather than supporting him now, supposing one of the presidential motorcade had hit into the pothole what would have happened to our able president escorts and the President?
    No one is above the law, let justice prevail regardless of who is involved, many souls are in jail and no Christian mother body is talking on their behalf. Go around the prisons you will find that some people deserve your voice more than HH wants it. Let the High court rule accordingly rather than interfering in its matters, if HH is not guilty he will be released like any other living soul who is behind bars.

    • What grade are you in? Why are you bringing suppositions of ‘the pothole’ here. Which pothole?! Yes. No one is above the law, but at least have the decency to tell HH which law he broke.

  39. HH is duly appearing before courts of law. Isn’t that what a functional state supposed to uphold? Let’s not promote double standards here. Or then we have to release all suspects in remand/prisons and close all prisons as that amounts to dictatorship and we’re a Christian nation! This is a joke!

  40. These useless priests. they don’t read the bible were it says respect leaders. The chap they are defending called the president hyena and immoral priest are not even saying anything about that. Let them go to chimbokaila and protest so they are arrested as well instead of hiding in hotel rooms. Mpundu you have been molesting you girls and boys and tell us if that is right.

  41. A defenceless and unarmed Mapenzi was shot and killed in cold blood by the state and is lying dead silent in her grave with no justice at all and a person who was not even scratched in Mongu in a simple road misunderstanding is putting others behind bars and calling it treason. No guys, lets be serious for once

  42. Well done good bishops and not the bishops of Lungu in the names of Pukuta and company. It is sin for Christians to condone injustice and not to stand for the oppressed for the sake of money as Pukuta and company have done. Time to say no to Lungu’s thugary is now. Time to say no to hired PF cadres on this blog glorify Lungu’s thugary and dictatorship is overdue.

  43. These people innocently ignorant about Hikainde Hichilema. Hikainde is the source of violence and hatred in this country. They need to be briefed properly. Don’t insult them, they don’t know.

  44. These Bishops and their cohorts are a disgrace to this country. Their morality is highly questionable, as they are expressly and implicitly promoting anarchy in this country. They want this country to be George Orwells “Animal Farm”, where “all people are equal, but some people are more equal than others”. What a shame! Clearly, they are a branch of the UPND. They have sold their souls for a few pieces of silver. These are men and women who used to “chew” a lot of tax-payers’ money during the late President Sata’s reign, but are now not receiving that money. So, they have become very bitter. They should not speak for all of us, because most of us are enjoying our fundamental freedoms and rights, without being hindered by anyone. If you deliberately violate the law, you should be…

    • If you call people calling for the release of an innocent man a disgrace, what do we call you. It is best just to be quiet at times.

  45. Little education is extremely dangerous. What else can Zambians expect from a Catholic Prostitute called Archibishop Mpundu? The Bishop turns a blind eye to legal court procedures just to be seen to be relevant. Many Catholics are well-informed noble people. But if Bishop Mpundu has found his best calling in politics to align himself with Mmusi Maimane, Irvin Jim, NFP’s Ahmed Shaik Eman to pour scorn on President EC Lungu, then the mud-slinging can be nasty, as the dark mud will splash on his pastoral robes. This Bishop should just seriously consider to reconcile with Nkomeshya for the sake of his biological children’s welfare in Chongwe.

  46. Already, Edgar Lungu’s own kitten has, for weeks now, been meowing: “RELEASE HH, RELEASE HIM NOW.” The noise from the cat is taking its toll on him. He can hardly catch a moment of sleep at night: MEOW, MEOW, MEOW….”

  47. Only the dogs are the ones not barking. I wonder what it is he is feeding them with. I doubt it is just the crams falling from his table?

  48. And here now the breaking news from CNN: The chickens at State House are contemplating on calling for a sit-in strike, in protest against HH’s detention. During the strike, the chickens will not allow any of them to be cooked by any of President Lungu’s Chefs.

  49. In conclusion, they demand that efforts be made to have an all-inclusive National Indaba which should address the many challenges we are facing. They also demand that government takes the lead in organizing and effecting the proposed National Indaba. Which Government? HH’s or ECL’s? They expect H.E. Mr. Edgar C. Lungu, to ACT as REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT whose aim is not only to protect the good of the members of his party (the PF), but also and more importantly, be the guardian of ALL ZAMBIANS, regardless of their political affiliation. Why should a duly elected Republican President be acting? ECL is called the president because not only PF members voted for him but by ¾ of Zambians. The Bishop is acting like he is not a bemba there is a saying which says ukupokolole chinsenda kunkonko…

  50. The Bishop is acting like he is not a bemba there is a saying which says ukupokolole chinsenda kunkonko kunakilila, you don’t first insult someone than you ask for something from that person. You first belittle the President and now you want to mediate with him is this what it should be ba Bishop?

    • That’s the problem with African thinking that the bishop should be kneeling down and asking, no, the bishop is on firm ground. He does not in any way need to be apologetic. I am a die hard PF myself, do you think the way HH was picked from his home smacks of any civilisation. The bishops are right and must put it as plain as it is. Even the magistrate, when he dismissed the other charges mentioned in no uncertain terms that the charge of treason did not even appear to have been investigated. The bishops wanted to see the man who is called President and the man is hiding from people

  51. Foolish Statement! This Mpundu or whatever you call him is irrelevant and a total joker. You first insult someone then you start calling for dialogue. What an embarrassment to the catholic faith!

  52. When you get to a point where you start refusing to meet people, then know its bad. I hope he realises this. From this point, we will next see people start pelting him with tomatoes. Remember KK.

  53. The Father Bodies say HH is legitimately held and he is a danger to Zambian peace so everyone, please ignore the “Church” Women Bodies!

  54. While I do not agree with everything that the Bishops have lamented, I do think that the President ‘s advisers allow the Bishops to meet the Republican President of Zambia Mr Edgar Chagwa Lungu and strike a balance and may be put the Supreme Leader HH of the UPND under house arrest…These are the consequences of Zambia been a Christian nation because it just means that you should love your enemies…The Catholic Bishops had expressed their reservations of declaring a nation as a Christian country without following the deeds of Christianity in the Bible…The President has got nothing to lose as he’s already recognised as head of State even by those pretending not to do so…

  55. The men of God have spoken on behalf of the Silent Majority. Lungu should listen. The Bishops are spot on ,Zambia under Lungu is now a Dictatorship. The magistrate has ordered that HH and his workers be in Court next Monday on 19th June and we want to see what Dictator and Sadist Lungu will do?. Will Lungu transport HH from Mukobeko Prison to Chikombaila Remand Prison in Lusaka or not? As the 3 Bishops have observed there is no evidence what so ever to show that HH and his workers used arms of war and soldiers to overthrow GRZ. The Treason Charges are laughable and Trumped Up to percecute HH. Lungu must release HH and his co-accused from Jail unconditionally. The writing is on the Wall!

  56. Only a biting economy can wake Zambians up. Lungu’s failure will become clearer towards December onwards when the full bite of the electricity tariff hike will take full effect. ZRA is now meddling in people’s accounts and soon people will stop putting their moneys in banks. The Press conference was spot-on. Lungu is now a full-blown dictator. He hates to be challenged. He can’t debate and that is why he shunned presidential debates fearing to be exposed. There is a saying that one who brings an issue pa Insaka does not spoil. Iron sharpens iron. A good leader is one who chooses his advisors wisely and listens when admonished and changes course.

  57. Lungu and his Advisers have said that HH has been Jailed becoz he has refused to recognize Lungu as President and not becoz he has Committed Treason. Failure or refusal to recognize Lungu as a President is Not Treasonable and neither is it a Crime in Zambia. HH and his Workers are innocent and should be released from prison unconditionally. The Motorcade Rage Incident triggered the Treason Charge but the State has since dropped the Charge thru a Nolle Prosqui. Lungu knows that HH did not commit Treason but is using Prison as a Ransom to get HH to withdraw the Petition and recognize Lungu as President.This is very Wrong,illegal and unconstitutional.HH and UPND will Never recognize illegality. Period.

  58. All the Tongas see things differently! Always! Just imagine if U5 Clinic Card were in office and he puts these bloggers here in power! That could be the end of civilization in Zambia! You doubt it? Just scroll up and read three postings!

  59. For peace to prevail, this noble human being’s advice is that heed to the Church mother bodies advice. Its Jehovah God’s advice take it.All *****s speaking against the church mother bodies when his excellence himself ascented to it himself. Bonse imwe Bakolwe naba kakapanga ngatamumfwile ukusoka kwaba Shimapepo muka kandwa umupwilapo. Efyasosa Jehovah wamilalo!

  60. HH is where he is because he asked for it period. He is old enough and he can choose. When he chose that EL is not president this group of so-called men of God was quiet. Now he has chosen to be incarcerated and they say NO release him. Who are they to decide for HH. What a shame for these men of gold.

  61. President Edgar Lungu must ignore those few sponsored men of gold.Telesphord Mpundu is a known upnd cadre.my church belongs to CCZ but my church elders do not support this nonsense.so those are personal views of Mr Mpundu.
    PLEASE PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU IGNORE THOSE FEW CROOKS AND LET THE LAW TAKE ITS COURSE IN HH’S CASE.if these were true men of God,they could have been speaking for thousands of poor Zambians who are in jail today minus being heard.HH COMMITTED A CRIME,SO OUR COURTS MUST CLEAR OR CONVICT HIM-PERIOD!!

  62. A good father will stop a fight because fighting is bad,a good father will not wait to stop a fight because his son is down,where were they when hh vowed not to accept the election result if they did not go in his favour, where were they when all events concerning hh were taking place, a lot has happened, I think its time to let the courts these issue

    • My thoughts too. Where were they when HechHech was breaking the law. These bishops should just keep quiet instead of exposing themselves too much their dullness. Its a shame indeed!

  63. So many people in jail for breaking the law and Hungry Hyena is one of them. So these g.oons only want one law breaker out of thousands and they choose HyHy what a shame!

  64. The new compound precipitating in the political beaker is in the form another arm of the famous CARTEL. Some Church elders are getting their dividends for using the Church to execute dirty work for HH and his CARTEL. A Police Officer has already been corrupted to KILL Mrs. Mmembe’s case.

    Back to Bishop Mpundu. The World is a small village. It is strange that “Men of God” can shut their ears to the plight of the British people who have experienced two human tragedies: the killing of 7 people at the London Bridge; and a fire in which more than 17 people have died in Kensington area. Yet Bishop Mpundu fails to console the British but prefers to engage in politics of hatred on President Lungu for pieces of silver. God forbid

  65. pray for mother Zambia we never thought thing could be different so soon following democracy. dead where is your sting

  66. People we now have true data.the press briefing was not called by 3 church mother bodies.nobody from EFZ and CCZ attended or participated.the whole nonsense was organized by Telesphord Mpundu in presence of GBM,Garry Nkombo,Mutale Nalumango and other upnd leaders.so it was sponsored by upnd!!FROM TOMORROW,YOU WILL SEE EFZ AND CCZ DISTANCING ITSELF FROM MPUNDU’S NONSENSE!!
    THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH SHOULD FIRE THIS MPUNDU THING WHO IS EMBARRASSING THE CHURCH!!!HE IS 100% A UPND CADRE!!

  67. As long as Bishop Mpundu, father of Nkomesha’s well known daughter, remains associated with the Catholic Church, I will NEVER allow my children to enter a Catholic Church. Bishop Mpundu sounds like an escape from the planners of genocide project which his Church executed in Rwanda.

  68. It had to take the church to stand up against tyranny. A number of bloggers here and a lot of Zambians are cowards. Burying their heads in the sand and trying to convince fellow dunderheads that the law is taking its course. You don’t deprive a human beings liberty without reasonable cause or grounds – unless it is to merely persecute, ‘break’ someone’s spirit or instil fear in any kind of opposition. The PF clearly has an agenda to rule without challenge or account to anyone. The leader of the main opposition has been incarcerated like a convict. They are afraid of their own shadows while they loot. Bloggers like Nubian princes, HH oval head, Munone etc. are representative of what is wrong with civil society in Zambia. No objectivity, fear, ignorance and vying for crumbs from the…

  69. Instead of engaging in a witch-hunt about Mpundu’s motives or whether he was representative of other faith groups, people should objectively respond to the issue. Did any reasonable grounds exist for charging HH with treason? If not, which is clear to me, his continued detention is inhuman, atrocious and a clear sign of what this regime is all about.
    For those who ignorantly think the church is just about the pulpit, I have news for you. True religion is in its practice and being able to voice out against injustices – defending people against encroachments that devalue their humanity, dignity and freedoms to express themselves. Its about having the guts to challenge those in authority who think their lives are more important than those of whom they serve.

  70. Our beautiful country used to be united even under difficulty times. No tribalism propaganda and no cadrerism. All of a sudden one can only see injustice or tribalism propaganda if they are not hard core PF cadres. One wonders what has gone wrong to our Zambian society. As a country, United we will succeed but divided we will not succeed in anything. All of us have a duty to advise the Republican President if we feel something is wrong. It’s up to him to use his discernment to either accept advice or reject it. It’s not for the cadres to start demeaning or insulting those giving suggestions/ advice to the President.

  71. My views have been ably articulated by my able and courageous colleagues. As usual, I can only finish off by telling you all that “bishop” Telesphore Mpundu is a breed of catholic Donkey. Why do I say so? Many but did you notice his subtle insult to the Presidency? Telesphore says “….we expect H.E. Mr E.C. Lungu to act as Republican President……”. In other words Telesphore Mpundu tells us that he does not respect the President or he thinks there is none. Then in the same breath he goes to state that “….we firmly believe that this nation can overcome all its differences through genuine dialogue aimed at national reconciliation and unity..”. Telesphore thinks he is too smart for us to notice and yet he is just another Donkey of the Catholic breed. Telesphore, surely as a…

  72. Telesbore, surely as a Christian (Catholic) you harbour such insults to our President and you expect him to meet you at State House as a mediator? Well, bishop, you have exposed your true colours. There SHALL be NO dialogue, NO reconciliation NO release of U5 until you confess your sins before me Terrible and I defrock you for you are an evil man of the collar. What a shameless biahop, Catholics where are you? You remain docile while Telesbore insults you?

  73. These church leaders are very interesting.

    At what time did God allow them to support those who refuse to submit to authority?

    When HH does all the wrongs he does against authority, where is there counsel?

    These church leaders seem to represent not the church but their own political interests while taking advantage of their position in the church.

    These religious leaders believe that it is ok to tolerate law breaking, but wrong for the law to take it course.

  74. The Bishops have spoken and ECL Must Listen and Release HH unconditionally from Prison. Lungu must realise that as Head of State and Commander in Chief the back stops with him. Lungu must bear the full responsibility of HH’s persecution. When the State realised that it doesn’t have the evidence to sustain the Motorcade Treason Charge it dropped it thru a Nolle Prosqui. The State has No evidence to prove that HH and his workers committed Treason in Mongu. The State should drop the remaining fake charges and Release HH unconditionally. The Church Bishops have put Lungu on notice and Lungu can only ignore their Powerful message and warning at his own Peril.

  75. Church mother bodies should go flat out to sensitive Zambians about these evils of this government. There is urgent need to organize a meeting to meet the evil hearted and pray for them before the meeting.
    Amazed that guys have become drunk with power within short time!!! Behaving as if they are the first to be in the offices and as if they will never leave offices!! Shocking!!!

  76. It is interesting to note the reconciliatory language used by the same CCZ and the Catholics when they issued a statement as part of the Oasis Forum the other day, and the unchristian, confrontational, virulent and evil language when they were part of Telesphore’s statement yesterday.
    When I first read Telesphore’s statement, I could not differentiate it from the ones we have become accustomed to from the Islamic State terrorists or Boko Haram.
    Brethren and fellow citizens, Telesphore and Matale sound like elements from Rwanda genocide. Isn’t there a way of making them join others in Mukobeko for such clearly treasonous language? Do we have to wait for Rwanda to happen?

  77. Country men and women

    The voice of three mother bodies is the voice of God. If this voice speaks please listen. I understand some of you are direct beneficiary of the PF government, and some of you are local team supporters. I mean most if not all the easterners are for EL no matter the wrongs he is doing. It not ease for you to understand and accept the message because you are benefiting and we cannot blame you for such. On the other hand do not forget those who fight against God do not win. The mother bodies are not fighting for the rich man but for justice take not of that.Alright, Bishop Mpundu is bemba and being bemba is a tribal cousin to EL. Why should he be against the president now. I do not want to mention names of bishops who are not fighting for justice because they are…

    • @ZEEZAMBIAN

      Don’t say most Easterners or all of them are for Lungu. It’s all of them. 100%. Their DNA is structured that way. 1991 election exposed our cousins tiny, one track minded brains.

  78. The Women “church” Bodies do not speak for God! The Father Church Body says “No!” The Women “Church” bodies are wrong! We are now more peaceful with a pinhead out of the equation! His supporters show a lot of ignorance! And it is called a “Tribal Party!”

  79. Is Government the only institution that needs to be flogged? Church mother bodies are supposed to be neutral. Where were Mpundu and company when HH was calling Lungu unprintables? Surely they should have held a press conference to condemn HH? Or is Mpundu as usual just out there for show?

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading