President Edgar Lungu has called on the church to get involved and take the lead in the implementation of the Plant a Million Trees Initiative and Keep Zambia Clean, Green and Healthy campaign.
The Head of State said the Catholic Church is well positioned to encourage other churches and citizens to implement the two programmes because of its resolve to care for the environment as espoused in the 2018 theme for Lusaka Archdiocese.
ZANIS reports that President Lungu was speaking when he attended mass at St. Mary Assumption Parish in Chilanga district.
The Head of State said both government and the church believe in the same principles and values of saving the environment hence the need to partner in order to achieve the goal of safeguarding the environment and keeping communities clean and healthy.
“Why can’t the Roman Catholic Church take over my call to keep Zambia clean, that’s what you are talking about there” said President Lungu as he referred to the Church’s 2018 theme of Care for the environment.
He regretted that the heavy political saturation in the country drowns even the best intentions and practices from government leaders as they are labelled political even when they are supposed to benefit the Church and citizens.
President Lungu assured that the church will always remain an ally of government to bring about sustained improvement in the welfare of citizens.
The President urged the Church to continue praying for politicians to drive away seeds of discord and any prevailing misunderstandings so that ordinary Zambians do not suffer at the expense of selfish politicians.
President Lungu also called on the Church to take its position and provide guidance in the national dialogue process.
He said political parties and stakeholders stalling the dialogue process and preventing the church’s participation should be left alone so that those interested can sit and talk about building and promoting peace in the country.
The President stressed that he had not come to St. May Assumption Parish in Chilanga to campaign but fulfil a long standing appointment with the parish and pray with the parishioners.
He said he will go back to Chilanga to campaign for PF Candidate Maria Langa at an appropriate time
And Parish Priest Godfrey Mashilipa paid tribute to President Lungu for calling for a violence free campaign in the forth coming Chilanga by election.
Fr. Mashilipa said he was impressed by President Lungu directing his ministers to ensure that the PF abstains from violence and prevail on other political players to desist from fighting.
The Catholic Priest said President Lungu’s call for violence free campaigns demonstrates a desire to promote peace and unity in the country.
Fr. Mashilipa appealed to politicians to be good role models to youths and desist from using them to fan violence in the country especially during political campaigns.
He urged political leaders aspiring to higher office to respect those in power and desist from insulting and ridiculing the office of Presidency.
Fr. Mashilipa counseled President Lungu not to get distracted by people criticizing him and his leadership but instead focus on governing the country in order to improve the welfare of Zambians.
He further called on Zambians to exercise self-disciplin by not engaging in corrupt practices and abuse of public resources if the country is to develop.
Everything is now thrown at us; the church. Cleaning, dialogues, and so on. The church is more powerful that any man made organization. Let us not relent as this is a signal
With all this corruption dented on Mr Lungu, it is like attending a church and you know that the pastor sleeps around with other women and smokes heroin.
I see Mr Lungu standing in front of the church and I am thinking, “this man has stolen and is corrupt.”
Tree growing exercise is very good and I encourage it but we need an urgent solution to our use of trees for charcoal. We need to find alternative solutions like use of machines that convert saw dust or maize stocks to charcoal.
I QUESTION PEOPLE STILL IN SUPPORT OF PF IF THEY ARE WELL UP IN THEIR MINDS. SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG SOMEWHERE! WITH RAMPANT STEALING IN THE DAY, UNSTABLE FUEL HIKINGS, VIOLENCE, STINKING CORRUPTION LEVELS ETC. HOW CAN ONE STILL SAY PF IS HEADING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? REALLY?
Does anyone remember Sméagol from Lord of the Rings ?
This guy Lungu is trying to dodge responsibility for keeping the country clean. This is sheer laziness. The Government should lead the way, and not the church. Implement an effective sanitation system in the country.
Set up laws against littering and post them everywhere throughout the country, and use law enforcement officers to fine and arrest litters. The church cannot do that. The efforts and participation of churches and all Zambians should be seen as a supplement to the government effort, and shouldn’t be a substitute for what the government is supposed to be doing. Are you trying to use free labor? Lungu and his cabinet are indeed lazy fellows, who don’t seem to know what they’re doing.
Nonsense Bwana Lungu ,the church have neither law enforcement mechanisms nor fines or court systems.You’ve thrown in the towel amounting to failed leadership.
Very misguided call Mutaware “Lungu” .Does the church have the finances ,the environmental knowhow ,the sanitation equipment and health department capacities for all this?
The church draws its mandate from God not political figures, tree planting is not the church role. Telling politicians to stop stealing, deal fairly with one another and repent is the job of the church. The president should only be praised for fighting evils like violence not just for words of asking his Pf not to engage in violence. We have heard this before, and Pf continues to be violent why. It’s just talk to impress the priest and congregants.
Mr Lungu is very misguided on this .He’s basically trying to fit the big wheels,big engine and gigantic fuel tank of an 18 tyre freight truck on a Toyota Hiace van.
He attends church everywhere and anywhere. Have you ever seen a person who does this? Wether its Moslems he attends, Pentecostal he attends, Catholics he attends etc. What exactly is his religion? What does he believe in? You can not take your children to different churches every Sunday. It simply means that he is a lost soul and needs to repent. Now the church must take over, really? This is inept leadership of the worst kind.
Comment:clean you environment does not need money or enforcement but it only needs mind set change.so the church is the best vehicle for noble call.Keep it up your excellency
@greatest…you don’t know what you’re talking about. You sound like a huge ignoramus. Even developed countries like America have anti littering laws, and signs against littering posted everywhere. They read something like this: “S250 fine for throwing trash on the Highway.” And “$250 fine for littering.” If an American cop sees you littering he’ll give you a ticket. If you resist you get arrested. Yes there should be a change in mindset, but there’ll always be people who don’t care– and will still litter, even if they know it’s wrong. These are the people who need law enforcement.
Mr lungu say something on the allegations of stealing that have been labeled on you…….your silence is so loud , now everyone is beginning to think you are that corrupt theif CK mentioned.
I have been saying , from day one that who ever advised you to keep silent on allegations of stealing has irripairably dented you.
Now you just look like a guilty theif….and what ever you do looks like a cover up..
Why the church the president should direct his cadres to take up hoes and plant trees, exchange the pangas for hoes it is not too late for him to turn around the bad for good.
We pay taxes and then we are asked again to do something which our tax is supposed to address? Why are we subjected to Council Rates and Ministry of Lands Rates? Where does that money go? This garbage idea should not even be entertained by all progressive churches! We give to Caesaer what is Caesar’s! If Caesar is failing to perform, let him step aside! How did we end up with such clueless chaps in such sensitive positions?
He should have urged the church to take over his duties as president coz this dull man is clueless.
To be brief, the administration start acting like they’re not politicians.
In 2021 let politicians take over.
We can do this! I asked the church where I used to go to plant trees and it has worked well!