A clergyman in Kasama has commended President Edgar Lungu for extending his financial empowerment programme to churches.
Northern Province Bread of life Church Overseer Reverend Elius Mponela told ZANIS in an interview today that the initiative is a step in the right direction.
Reverend Mponela said the extension of the programme to the church is proof enough that it is beyond politics and means well for the people of Zambia.
He said this has also cleared people’s notions that the church is only considered by Government when the country is facing problems.
The clergyman said the church is a very important institution as it deals directly with people of different social and economic status.
Rev. Mponela said the funds will also help the church improve its provision of social services to the needy in society.
Recently, President Edgar Lungu released K100, 000 through the financial empowerment programme to go towards church women groups in different parts of the country.
Presidential empowerment funds national patron, Chanda Kabwe, announced this when he gave out funds to United Church of Zambia in Kabwe yesterday under the same programme.
Meanwhile, Government has so far empowered more than 2,000 Street Vendors from Lusaka, Kabwe, Ndola and Kitwe with loans ranging from K1,500 to K8,000 through the Street Vendors Empowerment Scheme.
The program which was established in 2016 is been implemented by the Ministry Of Sports, Youth And Child Development in partnership with ZAMPOST and the united street vendors foundation cooperation limited.
ZANIS reports that ZAMPOST Managing Director for Micro Finance Amos Mumba said this during the handover of funds to beneficiaries in Ndola.
Mr. Mumba said Ndola district alone has had 506 Street vendors who have benefited from the scheme adding that 519 have so far benefited from Kitwe.
He stated that more than 2,000 street vendors have benefited from the four provinces with the aim of empowering street vendors across the country.
“What you are witnessing today is the disbursement of funds to the beneficiaries who paid back the loans they got some time back. When they fully pay back they are entitled to get additional funding depending on the needs within their businesses. Mr. Mumba said”
Speaking at the same function, one of the beneficiaries Benard Mailos thanked government for the initiative adding that the funds have helped him move out of the streets.
Mr. Mailos stated that before he started receiving the funds he used to wash cars and sell talk time on the street adding that now he will have an office of his own as he will be a talk time agent.
I hope this comes with accountability on the tithes and offerings to see how they benefit their members
What a waste african disease of buying votes
The only churches that would deserve this fund..if push came to shove would be Catholics, UCZ, SDA and the other “old or conventional churches” as they do real work in helping the poorest of the poor. We all know that for Pentes, the bigger the church membership gets, the more “blessed” the man of gold becomes while his congregants languish in sqaulor.
Sorry I do not support this. We saw this in the Chiluba era and it has come back the way corruption has come back into our country. The church is supposed to supplement government efforts and not vice versa. You see, there are a lot of similarities between Chiluba and Edgar:
1 Chiluba used to bribe churches and the clergy- This is exactly what Edgar is doing,
2 Chiluba wanted 3rd term- Edgar goes further to say 5 years is too short. He also wants 3rd term
3 Chiluba was very humble when he ascended to the highest office of the land. Some even called him Moses of Zambia. we all know how humble looking Edgar was until recently. We though he was a genuien christian. I wonder how many of us still hold that view,
4 Chiluba never fired any corrupt officer.He used to say ” Bring…
History keeps on repeating itself, is there something wrong with us?
Remember; Lima Party president Ben Kapita once charged that the Presidential slush fund “is being used very effectively by President Chiluba to buy popularity and silence people critical of his six years of corrupt government”.
In a statement from Ndola he said it is frightening that even the church, which is supposed to be the mirror of society and the salt of the earth has been polluted by accepting money from President Frederick Chiluba’s slush fund.
Fellow Zambia’s lets STOP going in circles, life is to precious to be left to warped individuals.
Yes this is all about campaigning for the third term, surely if God needed Government financial support, the Romans would have been requested by Jesus to so, but Jesus said give what belongs to Caesar (Taxes or Money) to Caesar and what belongs to God (Worship) to God. These malnourished false clergymen are always in the forefront singing praises for someone without checking scriptural facts. These are the ones who will be used to campaign in their churches but will fail because Zambians know what a spade is, you cannot fool them. They will call a spade a spade.
He used to say bring me the evidence. This is exactly what Edgar is doing (Fire Tenders- Ask Kansime who has reduced them to 41 after one was involved in a road accident
The govt needs the church…. The church doesn’t need govt money but vice versa thus the reason why there is too much compromise within the church now….
He wants 2021. Kulibe nchito
Stupidity of the highest level by Lazy…empowerment you say? Aint they empowered enough without paying tax…this is dumb Lazy trying to bribe them!!
Nafwa eeee churches start dancing to the tune of pieces of silver . Noushalimo akabamo . Noa’s time is no very far from now . for the money sold Jesus ,it shall never be clean if some corrupt organisations like pastors for lungu . Why should lungu start corrupting people when Zambia needs Fertilisers , water , electricity , education etc , it is recently when orphaned university students were crying for help and no one came to there Aid . African corrupt Govt
Extend the empowerment funds to the unemployed graduates too!
Where is local government?
The worst idea ever. Who pays for this ?Tax payers of course. This Government is behaving as if money is just coming from thin air.
Churches have already been cushioned by bring tax exempt.
How will the church account for this money?
Churches are supposed to suppliment Government efforts and should remain uncompromised by Government corruption. I expect the Catholics will not accept this.
Mr Clergyman from Kasama, the Bible says give Caesar what belongs to Caesar.Do not get from Caesar and give to God.
Churches do great works looking people in the communities , do funerals and alot of charity works the church is more closer to people, we all know that church is about people and there welfare and lives .
The support from govt is welcome and must be free from strings .
Why specifically Northen province and surrounding areas?
Buying small churches and turning pastors into cadres will not only promote hypocrisy but small churches and pastors to be turned into political vuvuzilas with irritating endorsements during election time. I do not see the Catholic Church accepting that ill intended bribes in the name of empowerment. Why can’t the said empowerment be extended to young people in the streets than corrupting pastors.
Pipo whenever you see articles like this just think of how mugabe extended is presidency.
You talk of chiluba, but pipo voted for dununa reverse, they told the truth.
We have got what we voted for
Desperate politicians use small churches to win votes.
FTJ formula -is it in the archives at state house?
How interesting a country divided by church and government, why don’t you ask yourselves the question; what would Jesus do?
Chanda Kabwe has gone to his home village chilubula to campaign for Lungu.ask him, why starting with chilubula not Dundumwezi.