Friday, March 29, 2024

President Lungu saddened by the rising wave of moral degradation that has engulfed young people in Zambia

Share

President Edgar Lungu says he is saddened by the rising wave of moral degradation that has engulfed young people, especially across the country.

And newly installed Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zambia (PAOG) Bishop Joshua Banda says there is a need for genuine reconciliation in the country by all political players and stakeholders before elections can be held on August 12, 2020.

President Lungu says he is greatly saddened by rising levels of moral degradation in young people manifesting in immorality, juvenile delinquency and wanton abuse of the internet.

He pointed out that moral values among youths have collapsed and been overtaken by a culture of delinquency and abuse of recreational drugs.

ZANIS reports that the Head of State has since appealed to the Church to take a leading role and help arrest the rising moral degradation among youths in the country.

“I also wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the church to work with parents and teachers across the nation, to arrest the moral degradation that has engulfed our young people.

“ Of particular concern is the rising display of immorality and juvenile delinquency and the wanton abuse of the internet. We are witnessing significant abuse of recreational drugs by young people,” said President Lungu.

The Head of State was speaking when he graced the installation of Bishop Joshua Banda as Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zambia (PAOG) Zambia and unveiling and presentation of the Council of Bishops in Lusaka.

The rife moral degradation has brought about serious social challenges such as the rise in teen pregnancies, child marriages, and early school drop-outs, he observed.

President Lungu acknowledged that as young people are the country’s future, there is need for concerted investment in their moral, educational and material life.

“We have always said that the youth are the future of our nation, but, they have to be molded in a Christian way of life and learn to respect God and the entire humanity”, said President Lungu.

The President has also urged the Church to raise its voice against rising vices that threaten the unity, peace and security of the country.

He added that this is possible by continuing to play an instrumental role in promoting peace and unity in the country and help to continue anchoring the principles and values of the nation Zambia is.

President Lungu said he has observed that political tension could easily be on the rise ahead of the 2021 general elections adding that the church should ensure that the country does not slide into conflict.

“I, further, wish to call upon the church to promote an environment that will foster a peaceful and democratic electoral environment, devoid of violence and other electoral malpractices that could threaten the peace and security of our nation.

“ We should not allow elections to divide us, we should remain “one Zambia one nation” according to our motto”, said President Lungu.

On the installation of Bishop Banda, President Lungu congratulated the clergyman on his election and installation as Presiding Bishop of PAOG Zambia adding that his administration will continue to operate an open door policy of engaging the church on national affairs.

The PAOG have made significant contributions to the country’s social and economic development through its presence and support in the education and health sectors, he said.

The Republican President urged the Church to continue building on the works and foundation of President Frederick Chiluba’s declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation which is commemorated every December 29th , as well as Dr David Livingstone’s pursuit of pre-independence Zambia being converted to Christianity.

Pentecostal Assemblies of God(PAOG), Bishop Dr.David Banda receives a bible from immediate -past Presiding Bishop ,Robertson Nonde during the installation of presiding Bishop and unveiling presentation of full council of bishops in Lusaka.
Pentecostal Assemblies of God(PAOG), Bishop Dr.David Banda receives a bible from immediate -past Presiding Bishop ,Robertson Nonde during the installation of presiding Bishop and unveiling presentation of full council of bishops in Lusaka.

And newly installed Presiding Bishop Banda said the PAOG Zambia says there is a need for genuine reconciliation in the country by all political players and stakeholders before elections can be held on August 12, 2020.

“Forgiveness is essential for starting afresh. Blame game should not so that we can build a better Zambia for all,” said Bishop Banda.

He said will embark on a national evangelization programme to cement and nurture Christianity through its established over 1,800 Congregations across the country.

Bishop Banda said the Church will for this reason invest heavily in erection of church infrastructure and digitization to cope with outreach in contemporary technological times.

The Clergyman said the Church will ensure that it works to preserve the continued peace the country has enjoyed since its founding, ahead of the 2021 elections.

“Peace must be preserved at all costs… Elections are not bigger than Zambia,” said Bishop Banda.

Pentecostal Assemblies of God(PAOG), Bishop Dr.David Banda being decorated by Immediate-past Presiding Bishop,Robertson Nonde during the installation of presiding Bishop and unveiling presentation of full council of bishops in Lusaka.
Pentecostal Assemblies of God(PAOG), Bishop Dr.David Banda being decorated by Immediate-past Presiding Bishop,Robertson Nonde during the installation of presiding Bishop and unveiling presentation of full council of bishops in Lusaka.

During his installation, Bishop Joshua Banda, received a bible, robe and staff as symbols of his authority of office.

And visiting Pentecostal Assemblies of Africa President Pastor David Oginde has challenged the leadership in all spheres of society to cease from being passive bystanders and be active transformers and effect positive change in people’s lives and that of society.

The installation ceremony was attended by various church leaders from Africa and local Pentecostal church worshippers in a colourful event held at the Lusaka show grounds.

Also installed were thirteen Bishops forming the Council of Bishops of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAOG) Zambia Church, which is the single largest Pentecostal denomination in the country.

President Lungu was accompanied by Minister of Presidential Affairs Freedom Sikazwe, State House Aides, and senior government and party officials, and newlywed Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa, among others.

Pentecostal Assemblies of God(PAOG), Bishop Dr.David Banda receives a from immediate -past Presiding Bishop ,Robertson Nonde during the installation of presiding Bishop and unveiling presentation of full council of bishops in Lusaka.
Pentecostal Assemblies of God(PAOG), Bishop Dr.David Banda receives a from immediate -past Presiding Bishop ,Robertson Nonde during the installation of presiding Bishop and unveiling presentation of full council of bishops in Lusaka.

48 COMMENTS

  1. My president I totally agree. That is why I have been recommending for some time now for us to introduce a new body charged with managing social media use. We couldn’t have a body within zicta that looks at social media use and take those to task who are found breaching moral standards. We can also implement a new tax for using internet and social media for certain age groups

    3
    20
    • It is so true this rising wave of moral degradation that has engulfed young people in Zambia. We are all wondering who is teaching these youngsters who are the future of Zambia such immoral activities. A young lady whose family should be setting a good example of morality used her father’s priviledges to fence of gazetted Forest Number 70. Lands minister Jean Kapata and her permanent secretary Ndashe Yumba connived in the offence because the father of the young lady passed instructions to them. This world’s adults sure mwebantu!! The young lady’s name is Tasila Lungu and the ACC are so corrupt there’s nothing they can do about such an easy case.

  2. This Bishop Banda is not one of Lungu’s bootlickers the so called Christians for Lungu morons….look at La7y there are cadres in charge of everything, the economy is down, police brutality is the order of the day, commodity prices are sky high, corruption is now ingrained in society and the topic he chooses to talk about is moral degradation in young people…this man is truly detached

    21
    1
  3. Look at the UK based impostor/ internet troll talking about social media etiquette …talk about irony ..really laughable!!

    18
    1
  4. Moral degradation comes with many things, but most of all arise from many things.

    They say an idle mind is the devils play ground.

    What is it you are doing for the youth to see to it that they are busy? Other than blaming the outcome why not servicing their foundation?

    5
    1
  5. We old people should never behave as though we never did what young people are doing. The same man who is admonishing young people has children from different mothers. The same man who is admonishing young people collapsed due to alcohol withdrawal and if it had not been for the good healthcare he gets as President, he would have no liver to talk about today. Let us stoop being hypocritical. The heart of man (young or old) is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. All (young and old) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, no not one. So stop this hypocrisy and pray for one another to escape the wrath that is to come.

    8
    1
  6. Back to the Papacy. Protestant churches criticised the Roman Catholic Church for its pomp and Popes, but over the last 50 years, they have joined the same systems they condemned. Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Huss, John Knox, etc must be turning in their graves! They are asking, ‘Did we die in vain?’

    5
    1
  7. You ask La7y Lungu what his solution is he will say …we can do social cash transfer or empowerment conducted by Bowman…that’s the caliber of this dull man who still has no clue what being Head of State is. Even those bishops are crooks i mean where is the House Of Prayer these foooools were building 6 years ago?

  8. Ma rubbish yeka yeka, we are mourning two people who were killed by PF police officers and he is trying to turn a blind eye on this matter.

    What a wrong spanner in statehouse? He must prepare fuuck him!?

    PF must go!

    10
  9. CHRISTIANITY IN ZAMBIA IS BEING DESTABILIZED BY THOSE WHO IMPORT QUESTIONABLE SEERS SUCH AS SEER 2 AND HIS ILK. ASSOCIATING WITH THE CHURCH OPENLY IS A NAME CLEANSING EXERCISE. REMEMBER GOD CANNOT BE TRICKED BY SUCH STUNTS.

  10. Bishop Joshua Banda is hypocritical . This is the same person who was against this idea of having a national dialogue which was to be chaired by the church mother bodies. Instead him and other christians for Lungu didn’t buy this idea and instead went for National Dialogue forum ( NDF) which drafted the infamous bill 10 . Who does he want to hoodwink into believing him he is morally upright himself now that his paymaster Edgar Chagwa Lungu. has lost political ground due to his bad leadership style and economic mismanagement of the country..

  11. Is it not funny that the f00l tarino who is labelling people as imposters is actually the one using a fake name. It is actually people like tarino who make it necessary for us to overhaul the regulation of social media. Social media and internet has made it easy for f00ls like tarino to talk or blog carelessly because it provides them with some sort of false protection due to anonymity. I cannot take a coward seriously. I will only consider your points once you put your real picture here and real name. You cannot say the things you write here to my face and you know it

    1
    6
  12. Boss how did the youth get prominence at the coronation of the bishop? exercising their democratic rights is not equal to moral degradation!!!

    Youths may have moved into vices due to lack of employment, lack of recreation facilities or education facilities while government spends most of its money buying military weapons, luxury jets and wheelborrows!!!

  13. Has comments on this platform resulted in any changes? Please let me know before I invest time is something useless!

  14. The issue of drugs and delinquency among our youths is concerning. Youths are the most creative citizens in any nation. However, if youths take to drugs and other unproductive vices, they’ll have wasted a great portion of their life.

    To resolve this problem, we have to find employment for the youths, and engage their time and attention into fruitful activities like football, basketball, cycling, music, dance, and other skills. It means building infrastructure across the country. We may also scale up efforts to involve schools, churches and other groups in drug abuse sensitization programs. The government and NGOs may lead the way.

  15. The vices being cited for moral degradation are those associated with broken homes at family unit levels. Fingers are pointing backwards for everyone who now is a graduate into senior citizen category passed through the experiences that are now being detested in the youth! However for one thing “venomous gutter type language” as a normal practice currently was unheard of! Rather Zambia the home, is in a state of decay, it is a broken home for the parents (leaders, politicians) have maintained a juvenile mentality refusing to grow! I wonder how the reconciliation the Bishop is talking can hold dealing with juveniles. The youth learn from role models the parents!

  16. How I wish Bishop Joshua Banda could be transparent and honest to disclose how much was given to the church in that big fat oversized envelope given to him. It may just help in reconciliation and healing.

  17. How low the PAOG has sank. The love of brown envelopes is the root of all evil. Truly judgment will begin in the house of god. Some of those bishops are headed for hell. Only heaven will tell. Matthew 7:21-23 is very clear. No wonder they can’t give good advice to the president all because of the brown envelopes. How sad. Poverty is a curse. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of stew.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading