Saturday, April 20, 2024

Zambia called upon to observe the day of National Prayers

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President Edgar Lungu Praying at the National day of Prayers at Nkana in Kitwe

Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska has once again called upon the nation to observe the National Day of Prayer.

President Edgar Lungu declared 18th October of every year as a public holiday to be observed as a Day of National Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation.

The President made the declaration in Exercise of the powers contained in section 3 of the Public Holidays Act.

The 2018 National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation will therefore be observed as a public holiday this week on Thursday 18th October under the theme “facing the future as a Reconciled, United and Prosperous Nation under God’s Guidance”.

The theme scriptures are 2nd Corinthians Chapter 5 verses 19-21 and John Chapter 3 verse 2.

The Nation will observe this important Day on the calendar by participating in the various inter-denominational Prayers organized by the Church at large at Provincial and District levels from 06:00 hours to 18:00 hours to seek the face of God for the Nation.

At the National level, President Lungu will officiate at this year’s commemoration in Kabwe at the Railways Stadium from 09:00 hours to 18:00 hours.

In view of the Public Holiday on 18th October, government is urging all public and private institutions that offer essential services to ensure that measures are put in place to avoid any disruption in the operations.

Furthermore, all activities of entertainment nature should be postponed while bars and food outlets should remain closed between 06:00hours and 18:00hours in order to observe the National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation.

And A Clergyman in Kalulushi has urged political parties in the district not to dress up in political regalia on the day of National Prayer to be held this Thursday.

Kalulushi Ministers Fellowship District Prayer Coordinator Clinton Longwani said this in a statement availed to ZANIS in Kalulushi.

Apostle Longwani said dressing in political regalia can misinterpret the value and importance of the event.

The Apostle, who is also Kingdom Family Ministries Overseer, said the National Day of Prayer is meant to reflect on unity, reconciliation and repentance, hence the need for every participant to be in plain clothes.

He emphasized that praying, fasting and reconciliation goes beyond political and religious boundaries.

The Apostle observed that the country can only achieve meaningful development
and peaceful leadership if its citizenry have strong Christian values.

He further, commended the Head of State for having declared this important day, that since the declaration, the church has witnessed unprecedented unity and reconciliation among politicians and the general public.

Meanwhile, Apostle Longwani has appealed to the general public to turn up in large numbers and attend this important day of national prayer, fasting, repentance and reconciliation.

The organizing committee has since made progress in organizing the event which falls on October 18.

District Commisssioner Ken Siachisumo urged the people in the district to turn out in large numbers to attend and participate in the national prayers.

Mr Siachisumo advised people going for prayers to remain peaceful.

And Nakonde District Commissioner (DC), Field Simwinga has called on people to turn up in large numbers ahead of the National Day of Prayer.

The DC made this call in an interview with ZANIS in Nakonde yesterday.

Mr Simwinga said the District Administration has intensified preparations in conjunction with the Pastors fellowship group.

He further, appealed to political parties not to politicize the day but to be united and pray for our nation.

The DC has called on all political parties not to come in political regalia as everyone should be united and worship as one.

Mr Simwinga has since reminded civil servants to turn up in large numbers and support the President on the day that he set to pray for the nation.

The Republican President has set October 18, as a day of national prayer.

37 COMMENTS

    • Malabish! stop mocking God. this prayer thing is nothing more than a political scum costing tax payers money including a creation of a Ministry of Religion that has zero value to say the least. Lungu you are a loser

    • JUST STOP STEALING AND DENYING CITIZENS THEIR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS TO ASSEMBLE … SIMPLE.
      PRAY SHOULD BE YOUR PRIVATE MATTER, IT’S NOT INCLUDED YO JOB DESCRIPTION.

    • If you planning to gulp on the bitter sweet, better stock up today and drink from home, watering holes will closed till 18 hours. Some people are going to be holier than thou during day time tomorrow.

    • @Musonda kateule, why are you worried about UPND? They are not your children, after the “PRAYER EVENT” you will throw pangas, rocks and beat them up. You can’t fool the same people all the time.

    • Go to the bible and read you will find that some of these prayers are to Satan. Nothing will change even after these prayers it is just a waste of money which is not even there in the first place. God closed his ears to such fake prayers. While pretending to be praying they are thinking of the deals they will cut with the Chinese. A joke of prayers

    • I’ll leave churches to do their job and substitute this dates’ activity for extended family bonding and reunions so that generations learn to keep track of family trees! I’ll even extend it to a week so extended family members can have time to visit their villages or get together!

    • This is the problem with Africa. Everybody knows that Lungu is corrupt and is pretending to be spiritual, but they welcome him anyway. If he was a God fearing leader, him and his gang wouldn’t be taking advantage of the poor people in the country, by taking away the meager resources donated to them. True repentance should be followed by restitution. So let Lungu and his gang give back to the Zambian people all that which they’ve looted from our national coffers. Only then shall we believe their call for repentance. Other than that, this whole thing is nothing but a religious political stunt designed to hoodwink the gullible. We aren’t buying it.

    • “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers,
      I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! 16 Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. 17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.[a] Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. 18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord.
      “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (NIV: ISAIAH 1:15-18)

  1. Fasting: yes they stay sober on that holiday.
    Repentance: NOWAYS, they are becoming worse and worse, so bad that they killed dogs in Lusaka, now they are slaughtering Hippos.
    Renconciliation: Not yet. who is going to mediate, the church Mother body or who?

    • Fasting….. people are fasting with hunger every day no food on their table at home and you want to mock them with PF00lish ideas. These chaps really think Zambian are stup!d.

  2. These decree’s
    Jona should just apologise to the people of kabwe about thr big lie of mulungushi textiles openning he lied though his gapped tooth.
    Zambians now know that he is does not reconcile with anyone ,he has messed up the future of the country and his corrupt and arrogance ways are not guided by God.

  3. So before they killed vespers why didn’t they refrain from attacking students and throwing tear gas and instead call for.national prayer for students and police? You have killed someone and you think prayer will bring them back. Only dogs will attend these sham prayers . Please do not take us for clowns. Eff off

  4. “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
    “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11: 25, 26 KJV.

  5. I will pray on Sunday that is my prayer day…..Thursday is just my holiday relax and do gardening .I am home on holiday

  6. Marubbish!!! Just keep on stealing and killing innocent students you satanists!!! Hiding behind prayers and doing the devils works can not add up.
    You are a disaster!!!!!

  7. This is what happens when you force people to follow religion they have no clue about. Like others have already observed, this is simply mocking God, Zambians must start facing reality and stop blinding themselves in this religious mess created simply to make them not be able to see the reality. We have a president and his inner circle who are corrupt, busy thieving and buying themselves luxury lifestyle while ignoring the plight of the majority sufferers, only to be called to pray for reconciliation and forgiveness. Wake up people this is all meant to calm you and remind you that you cannot fight for what is right for your country.

    • “Religion is the opium of the people” is one of the most frequently paraphrased statements of German philosopher and economist Karl Marx. It was translated from the German original, “Die Religion … ist das Opium des Volkes” and is often rendered as “religion… is the opiate of the masses.”
      Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
      No further comments!!!!

  8. I am observing End Poverty Day today. I am volunteering at a homeless kitchen for the day. Bakateka, what have you done to end poverty for your people? Ah yes, Prayer Day, October 18, 2018. Zambians, your prayers will be answered! No poverty from tomorrow! Hurray!

  9. “Mr Simwinga has since reminded civil servants to turn up in large numbers and support the President on the day that he set to pray for the nation”. Such kind of statements are the ones that make people to start doubting the main purpose of these prayers. People don’t attend church gatherings in order to support an individual but to glorify God. What it is that you are scared of if people don not turn up in large numbers? if people decides not to attend the prayers, it is not your duty to condemn and judge them but leave that to God because he is the only one who knows those who warship him in truth and the spirit. The bible says were two or three are gathered in my name their i am in their midst, so if only three people attends those prayers God doesn’t care provided they are…

  10. zambia should be the first one to be put under judgement by god for so many sins blasphemes iniquities of all kinds. corruption is sin, theft is sin ,false accusation is sin, failure to reconcile with your brother is sin and many many more not mentioned. prayeeeeeeeer for what.

  11. A people who think Nshima will drop from the skies by simply praying are just damn $tupid!
    God Commanded man to work! If you read Exodus 20:9 it says Six days you shall work! And he who doesn’t want to work must not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). What Zambians should expect after these prayers is a serious Fuel crisis followed by Total Economic meltdown. Hard and Smart work is the answer to all economic problems! A begging country will never see prosperity! NEVER! To the Chinese, work is Worship, no wonder they have prospered!

  12. These prayers would have made sense if the Dialogue process had taken place. If we failed to dialogue, how will we be sure that our prayers have been answered? Jesus said: if you are offering your gift at the alter and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
    These 18th October Prayers are nothing but blasphemous cover ups for their corruption! We saw it with Chiluba but Zambians are blessed with short memories! It’s good that the economy is also talking to our people. Maybe we may wake up now!

  13. “Religion is the opium of the people” is one of the most frequently paraphrased statements of German philosopher and economist Karl Marx. It was translated from the German original, “Die Religion … ist das Opium des Volkes” and is often rendered as “religion… is the opiate of the masses.”
    Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
    No further comments!!!!

  14. It not about who declared this day as national prayers day.its about you as a nation and God,remember in the old testement a lot of nations were punished by God not because of what the leaders were doing but because of the disodience of the people.so sometimes we as people we anger God,so the results are these circumstances.so dont blame it on this leaders,they have their own sins to repeat,worry about your own and take this day for yourself not anyone else.a sin of a nation is blamed On the deeds of the people not on a particular people.so dnt you know a true prayer from your heart can Truly bring christ done for zambia.stop a blame game for God does not like that,example is adam and eve,they were banished and cursed for that,so honest is good.look around you the thing that happen in…

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