President Edgar Lungu has given the Lusaka Pastors Fellowship 750 thousand kwacha, egg incubators and oil expelling machines under the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF) programme.
PEIF National Coordinator, Clement Tembo disclosed this during the signing of the MOU between PEIF and the Lusaka Pastors Fellowship that the funds will be divided among 156 churches in seven constituencies in Lusaka.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Tembo said President Lungu is desirous to see to it that the vulnerable but viable church members in various denominations are empowered.
He explained that President Lungu decided to extend the fund initiative programme to the Church as they are custodians of the vulnerable.
Mr. Tembo noted that the clergy are better placed in identifying the needy as they are in touch with the community.
He said President Lungu has demonstrated that he is ready to share his resources with the masses through the launch of the PEIF.
Mr. Tembo assured the clergy of President Lungu’s commitment to work with the church in empowering the vulnerable across the country.
Meanwhile PEIF has appealed to the church in the country to be united.
Mr. Tembo implored the Christian community to emulate other religions like the Muslim Community which is united.
He observed that there is too much division among some Christian churches.
And Chairman for the Pastors Fellowship, Ephraim Kambanja assured the PEIF Coordinator that the funds and empowerment equipment will be put to good use by the church.
Rev Kambanja said the church will exhibit high levels of accountability as they disburse the funds and equipment to the target people.
The beginning of dishing out slash funds. Wina azalira! Campaigning all the time ECL!!
This is so wrong! Those pastors/churches need to be scrutinized as majority of them have no programs for vulnerable members of society, let alone their own poor members. In most of these churches, there are only programs for pastors and their families. Very few churches, if any at all, extend assistance to needy people. For most churches, all the money that is collected from tithes and offering goes to take care of the men of “gold”, most of whom have a chain girlfriends and concubines. A lot of of them are sexual predators who have destroyed marriages of their own church members.
History repeating itself this is what Kaunda did to women after which he asked why didn’t our women vote!
Then came chiluba who dished out money to churches and just about anybody but it never took him anywhere with his 3rd term nonsense.
Like Sata used to say when they give you money don’t refuse afterall its your money they are using.
Austerity measures under PF is mere rhetoric. The church has its own fund-raising scheme. No church worth its salt can accept such wastage and plunder of public funds. Its so sad that when the nation expects the President to act in manner that demonstrates leadership on austerity, he does the right opposite.
Anyway, time will tell.
Now they have received $30 million bribe from China ….they will start spreading their filth!!
The biblical 30 pieces of silver.
This is just so wrong…where are these vermin taking the country to?
ECL started this program in 2015 with support from well wishers and 10% of his salary. He promised to continue with the program as long as he is in state house.
Many bitter people said it will stop after elections in 2015 it didnt, they said the same after 2016 election but it continued to go on strong.
Too bad for the bitter people and congrats Mr president for continuing assisting the vulnerable in our communities. May the good Lord continue to bless you.
Pastors stop getting tax payers money. Just work hard as the bible says. Churches are poor. That money should be given to Hospitals buy food the sick. We shall hear that some of you have even fought over that money. Be content with what God has given you now.
I strongly feel the church should devise its own way of raising funds to help its members. The moment the government gives money to the church, the church becomes mandated to pay homage or loyalty to the government. Let the church fund and run its own programs and the government its own also.
Thats why this country can not develop.You are just promoting Laziness.
This is laundered monies being distributed by ecl’s initiative and countering work that should be undertaken by government through sectoral ministries. What Lungu is doing is usurping the work of the ministry to make his initiative relevant and spruce his image. The initiative has become an institution rivalling established arms of government. This man must be stopped from pulling wool over our eyes.
The church is being bribed in advance so that their many brainwashed congregations can vote for the bribery! These churches are now becoming accomplices in our subjugation. No wonder they said religion is the opium of the masses.