The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishop says the controversial Bill 10 should be withdrawn immediately.
ZCCB President Rt Rev. George Zulu said while Bill 10 may contain some progressive clauses, it also contains some retrogressive and highly contentious clauses.
Rev. Zulu cited clauses such as the provision for Deputy Ministers, proposed changes in the electoral system regarding Mayors, Council Chairpersons, Members of Parliament and the President, and the proposed revision of the composition of Cabinet as some of the most contentious clauses.
“We hereby make our earnest appeal to the conscience of ALL Members of Parliament across the political divide to respect the will of the majority Zambians and immediately withdraw the said Bill 10 from the floor of the House,” he said.
Rev. Lungu who is also Bishop of Chipata Diocese said instead of bringing Zambians together for a common cause, Bill 10 has further polarized them.
“As we have said before, the making of a people-driven constitution that would stand the test of time calls for a spirit of dialogue with all stakeholders.”
Rev. Lungu said the Catholic Church firmly believes that any legitimate process of making, reviewing and amending the supreme law of the land ought to be premised on a process that is widely inclusive, transparent, accountable and anchored on consensus building rather than partisan interests.
“Unfortunately, what we have observed with regard to Bill 10 is that, the process that was undertaken lacked genuine consensus and has become a source of division in the country,” he said.
Rev. Lungu has since urged the people of Zambia not to lose hope.
“We genuinely believe the words of our Lord Jesus Christ that those who hunger and thirst for justice will in the end be satisfied! We further call on all well-meaning and God-fearing Zambians to pray that the Almighty God, not only blesses this nation but also … Zet justice flow like a river and integrity tike an unfailing stream” (Amos 5:24).”
Amen
Nice one Bishops, Bill 10 must fall
Am praud to be a Catholic
Edgar Lungu will not even attempt to do it especially if nothing is addressed to him. Hevwill say they wrote to the press. The Catholic church has learned from its mistakes during the 2nd world war. It never intervened to save the Jews as an organisation. Instead many Nazis escaped justice by going to Latin America on Vatican City passports.
Cowards. Just go preach the good news and leave politics to politicians
Cowardice. Leave politics to politicians. Concentrate on preaching God’s word
Did u just copy the statement by those boys from YALI and turned it negative? I think Bishops must focus on God’s word
Cowards will not enter the Kingdom of God. Let Bill be debated
Let Parliament perform it’s legislative role. No need to be scared at all. Focus on word of God yourself or helping those who engage in homosexuality to repent
I think you must begin to marry. Sometimes women help people think properly. U don’t have things better things to do
You bishops want to be Jack of all trades. I think let’s see how debate goes in Parliament. Constitution is for all
Church is causing acrimony over Constitution. U old folks are are opportunists and no direction.
Bill 10 is evil and we don’t want dictators. Edgar Lungu must go he has failed.
I’m in the revolution. PF must go!
The leter by the bishops has bn adresed to a wrong audience. The bishops shd hv gone to see his majesty the almighty supreme leader.the pf mps ar helples. Their leader doesn’t respect their conscience.they hv to work 4 him,nt the pipo.The oposition mps hv a very dificult time. The supreme leader wants to giv them alot of money to work 4 him.
I’m a catholic but I don’t agree with the catholic bishops.
Bill 10 is a political tool. Instead of calling for a complete withdrawal of bill 10, the best the bishops could have done is to call for a change regarding those clauses they feel are not in good line with their church.
U can’t throw bath water with a baby. What I can see in the bishops mind is that they want the opposition to win in 2026.
Who elects Catholic bishops?? Every Zambian from all corners of the country from every walk of life chooses our mps. So let them do their job and let the catholics represent the 25% Zambian Church goers.
That is insubordination from the Bishops of Catholic,say the truth what electrol system which is bad that it can not be adopted don’t just say electrol system could you please elaborate go further explain to the nation the points in details.Last time the same people confused us on the referendum and you want again to do the same.
Bill 10 must just pull through to shame the devil.
I respect people who present facts as they see them unlike those who simply regurgitate political rhetoric. Indeed, I don’t agree we should bring back deputy ministers ( for what?). I don’t agree we should leave it to members of parliament to change their numbers at will by simple majority (the ruling party will always win). I don’t agree with changing the way we elect mayors and council chairpersons. I don’t agree in bringing the military into parliament. I don’t agree this is the best way to change a country’s constitution; give me an example of a country that changed a constitution this way and has stood the test of time??. There are many bad things in this bill even if it has a few good ones. Why should we punish ourselves in future? Who knows tomorrow?
The issue of Deputy Ministers was repudiated and it is dead and buried. The remaining clauses need to be debated in parliament and not thrown out just to accommodate the interest of a few corrupted bishops and their bedfellows in the political arena. MPs are supposed to make and enact laws and the president can only accent and not to the bills presented to him or her period and not to be commandeered by a few charlatans.
LET,IT DIE. CHILUBA WANTED TO DO IT AND IT EAT HIM
That’s the only thing Lazy Lungu is clinging to…these Catholic priests are not those fragmented UCZ hungry pastors you bribe with a blank cheque for a fictitious extension building.
Why cant the Bishops concentrate on child abuse among their kind and child bearing when they are supposed to be celibate
What a todays church and bishops who are so ignorant and desparate of leadership insteaed of concentrating on the preaching of the word of God, but they are in front misreading the people of zambia.
Let the MPs decide in the parliament but not the catholic bishops.
Men of God you where called to preach not to politicies or to critises and for the bible tells us all to respect our leaders of our days cause leadership comes from God, carefull.
The Catholics have spoken,take this lightly at your won cost
can you imagine if these catholic bishops were in Jesus times?
(1) fornicating with other people’s wives to death.
(2)sex with small girls( Mary the virgin)
(3) financial scandals in DRC
(4) etc.
Mr P, this type of debate is called “ argumentum ad hominem “ in Latin. It’s the worst kind of reasoning. As if it is not enough, you are throwing the first stone as you perceive yourself righteous and without sin. Why blasphem? I guess we are on the same side against the bishops but you have failed to justify our position! The bishops may have been ill-advised.Parliament remains the only source of our laws and not the church.
These Bishops should focus on sorting out the mess in the church:
1.CHILD SEX ABUSE!!
2.Ukupela ama nun amafumo.
Ba Mambala hiding their sins in the gowns. We know what you do and we know where your Children are. Please spare us the nonsense.
Ask KK and Chiluba who educated Catholic bishops are and the influence they have. PF is a very weak party to fight the Catholic church. Mwanya next year the church will de-campaign you next year…mark my words
Pipo shd learn to come to terms with reality rather than talking and talking about the same bill 10 and yet the king wont change his stance.Do these catholic bishops know how it is when dealing with a king with a big ego. its all about himself and not the country. this appeal they have made wont go anywhere bcoz its not in the interest of the king. forget about anything of national interest. anyone who talks about interest of the country is wasting time. its all about interest of the king here zat matters.. Pliz focus on serving the masses for the king wont listen to you. wy even appeal to MPs, those pf MPs cant make a decision u know zat for sure. do u hv any mps with the courage to come under the king’s fangs.
Bill 10 is Edgar Lungu and the PF’s last lifeline.
Loosing Bill 10 is suicidal for them. Thats why Dora and Chilufya recovered from covid-19 just in time for its debate in parliament.
The stakes are high
Some of these comments remind me the story of Jesus on the cross. Be strong my Bishops, the same people you preach to have become your enemies because of something true coming out from your mouth. You have done your part, let them continue with what they think is right, receive those insults and I can’t fall into that. Am happy with (Monze Sec School 1st Alumnus) my brother is against bishops but he has respect for the men of God. Catholic church has been there for years when did you hear that we are changing the sign of the cross!!!, we have governed countries and by the way don’t think there is any church with bilateral relationships with other countries in the world apart from catholic church. if you see catholic bishops are wrong just commend ” bishops you are wrong’ not…
Bishop Lungu!!! Point of correction: he’s not Zulu
What’s inside that same bill
Stick to church matters. We are taught also that Preaching Peace among people is a blessed godly pursuit. Church should only encourage Political parties to work together, and to call for opposition to join in democratic duty to debate in Parliament rather than inciting discord in Zambia.
Opposition in Zambia are guilty of your allegations of causing a lack of inclusiveness, transparency, by not attending Parliament to debate so that consensus can be attained. They are the architects of partisan interests.
I agree with Bill 10 because Zambians have become so fractious that it is better to limit cumbersome laws that demand people participation in routine changes to MP seats. Let there be an automatic procedure to bypass bye elections…..of which there are many and each time battles with opposition as they fight for life for each seat. Deputy Ministers is a good money saving idea.
Its not a bad idea to remove some burdens from Citizens. Look yesterday’s bye elections where the voters decided to go to the fields to dig rather than vote first. Give govt more power and leave us citizens out of political fights. At least let’s debate than shoot it down. This is no lifeline for PF alone because once enacted it will apply to all future govts. All opposition need do to benefit is to…
. All opposition need do to benefit from Bill 10 in future is to ……er…..er……win an election!
It’s not for PF alone.
Zambia is for all Zambians .we must be protective to our land .coz there is force of gravity .
For bishops to come up with that stance it means they have read and understood
The contents of bill 10.unless someone is saying our bishops are uneducated .politics of the belly .are a danger to our democracy .
I thought Zambia is a democracy what are the people in parliament doing if this bill is not good why can’t they just vote it down or correct what is not necessary, bishops are not the elected people to do that job.