The Southern African Center for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) has accused the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) of discriminating against the Seventh Adventist Day SDA worshipers.
The ECZ has recently come under fire after announcing that the Chilanga and Mpulungu by elections will be held on the 30th October, a Saturday.
SACCORD Executive director, Lee Habasonda has challenged ECZ not to disregard calls by the SDA headquarters and reschedule the Chilanga by-election date.
Mr Habasonda said that it is prudent that the ECZ respect the religious right of the SDA’s and not disfranchise them on the basis that they might be a minority group of voters.
Mr Habasonda said that it will be tramping on the religious rights of the Saturday worshipers if the commission does not considers making changes to the poll date and a lot of people will be disfranchised.
He noted that it is important that serious and due attention is given to the matter to ensure that everyone’s view is put into consideration.
He has ,however,challenged all Saturday worshipers to take time to petition the commission on the mater and to ensure that their right to vote is not violated.
Lusaka lawyer Kelvin Hang’andu and the All Peoples Congress (APC) leader Ken Ngondo are amongst some of those that have expressed displeasure at the ECZ decision on the by-election date.
[ QFM ]
Yes plz revert.
SACCORD, please, help people live in ‘reality’. Live up to your name. Do not confuse the general public!
Since Saturday considered a ‘Holy day’ then SDA members need to remember that voting is a sacred act. This being the case, SDAs and those who are committed on Saturday should vote early and go and pray. If not let DSAs flex prayer time to afternoon to give opportunity to faithful to vote.
In all honest, which day of the week is not sacred to one person or a group of people?
Friday -Muslims
Saturday -SDA
Sunday – believers in the risen Christ
Monday – Friday – all working people earning their living
If Saturday becomes an issue now what will happen when we have SDAs ascending to public offices that work to give life to its Nationals on Saturday?
SACCORD, be fair…
SACCORD’s Lee Habasonde should stop making unneccesary noise.
This is yet again a man NGO, likke Ngandi Mwanajiti …
I am a regular visitor to this site but I am commenting for the first time.
No 2 and 3 let us not be personal on this issue. The Zambian constitution provides for freedom of worship and expression to the nationals, ECZ is offside on this one. Who are we to start ordering other citizens to shut up for expressing a variant opinion? In matters where one’s understanding of issues is a bit limited, silence is golden. Please do not insinuate that only Sunday worshipers believe in the risen Savior. A careful study of the scriptures will help shed more light on the issue. Avoid ostracizing others, remember matters of religion are quite sensitive, hence utmost caution needs to be exercised when making statements.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God wicked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent. God says remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy Six days shalt thou labour ( Sunday to Friday)and do all thy work but the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant,nor thy t,nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. Reason given: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the Seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and halloed it. Exdos 20:8-11. Many people think SDAs
are legalistic and yet they just follow what the bible teaches. It requires the patience of the saints Rev 14:12
The Sabbath is a day to re-visit the beginnings, swing in into the very presence of Yahwe, and refuel, collecting gems of wisdom in preparation for the challenges of the coming week. This is a health command that take away all stress and anxiety by being at the feet of Jesus on His holy day set part from the creation story.
Hi, Thus says the Lord Jehovah , Yahwe. AMEN.
Friends time is coming when the beast will enforce people to worship on Sunday which is SUN day by making law ( National Sunday Law) in Europe this law is already working. When this time comes they will be two groups of Christians those who obey God’s commandments and those will receive the Mark of the beast. Read Rev 13 and 14 you will see what we are saying it is not SDAs but what the bible says.
let them just convert to catholicsm where even sexualism is normal.
On “SACCORD Executive director, Lee Habasonda has challenged ECZ not to disregard calls by the SDA headquarters and reschedule the Chilanga by-election date” how about the Mpulungu by-election where the SDA Univion office says there are about 8,000 registered Adventists who may be voters? Does this mean that Lee Habasonda is a UPND cadre since only UPND is a serious opposition participating in Chilanga by-elections.
On “He has ,however,challenged all Saturday worshipers to take time to petition the commission on the mater and to ensure that their right to vote is not violated” I will put up a petition to ECZ and even President RB Banda if ECZ does nothing sensible in a certain time frame.
Be blest and keep well all.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of…
However, the ECZ will allows voting to be normally done from 6hr to 18 hr on a polling day can still reschedule this voting-time pattern to allow only Adventists to vote from 16:00 hr on that saturday to 24 hrs of that same day since they will be less congestion since non-Adventist or those that dont yet believe in God the real creator of the universe will have voted during Sabbath day hours which fall from sunset on Friday (about 18 hr in Zambia) to sunset on saturday (about 18 hr in Zambia).
This way, “Mr Habasonda said that it will be tramping on the religious rights of the Saturday worshipers if the commission does not considers making changes to the poll date and a lot of people will be disfranchised” will be considered nicely without affecting the Sabbath.
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Matt 6:33
#4 Kalombamano and #5 Village concept: Do not build mountains out of anthills. Put down your shields and look at what the Good Book also says:
‘Sabbath was made for man and not man for Sabbath’. God gives birth even on our man-made Saturday.
My argument with SACCORD still remains: each day of the week is ‘Holy’ to one person or another. Voting is not only a right but a noble responsibility for all citizens to honour.
#11 Maestro. Thanks for your progressive thought.
WELL DONE ECZ FOR COMING WITH SATURDAY AS A POLLING DAD INFACT IN FUTURE LETS BE VOTING ON SATURDAY BECAUSE IT IS LESS DISTURBING FOR BUSINESSES AS PEOPLE HAVE TO TAKE TIME OOF TO GO AND VOTE.HOW MANY SDAs ARE IN CHILANGA AND MPULUNGU?THESE NGOs must speak with facts .CAN THIS SACCORD TELL US HOW MANY SDA MEMBERS ARE REGISTERED AS VOTERS FOR THAT MATTER.WE KNOW YOU GET MONEY FROM DONORS TO MAKE NOISE BUT SOME OF THIS NOISE YOU ARE MAKING IS PURE RUBBISH!
#13 CORRECTION’…AS POLLING DAY.’
Yaya what sort of reasoning is that? It like u r celebratin. Indeed u were happy 2 c fellow africans fail to vote in South Africa. Alas…for ur fellow SDA in Zambia u r more than happy. 2 u business is more important than God. Whether u dont believe their modes of worship respect their rights.
It is very unfortunate for ECZ to disregard one law of zambia. All zambians have the freedom of worship. Zambia being a Christian nation should respect every citizen especially in matters of faith. Just to tell the ECZ the truth, “You’re not only discriminating God’s children, but yourself from recieving GOD’s blessing. If you are going to allow this to happen on the Sabbath-Day, this will be the end of you and your government because you are not fighting with God’s people but with God himself because He is the owner of the Sabbath-day.If you have got ears hear”.If not you will remember me. Ebwafya twakwata bupofu. Blindness in every sector of government. God, please give us Leaders who can see.
12 Shikulupipo greetings and you are welcome.
Have a blessed day and take careful care always.
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Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.
# Shikulupipo says ” My argument with SACCORD still remains: each day of the week is ‘Holy’ to one person or another.” My friend the only day made holy is Saturday according to the Scriptures other days are man made “holy days” quoting wrong scriptures does not make Sabbath unholy yes Jesus said Sabbath was made for man to have communion with his Creator not otherwise.
#4 Kalombamano:
#5 Village Concept:
The writings of one Ellen Gould White states very clearly on the duty SDA’s as regards to voting.Am unable to quote the correct book but look it up in Spirit of Prophecy software by simply doing a search on voting.
She writes that we are to pray for the government of the day, and that we are not to engage in voting.Any wrong decision taken by the people we put in power through our votes will be accredited to us who voted them into office.
#19 continued…
It is therefore suprising that the SDA leadership is even pettitioning ECZ over this matter.This I guess is how far SDA church has gone away from the bible and spirit of prophesy.
What I have stated above is foolishness to many bloggers,but I am sure some of them like villlage concept will understand.
Shikapwasha said as a pastor or reverend, he totally disagreed with holding elections on Saturday or Sunday.
“This is my opinion and I can tell anybody that this must be changed,” he said. “It’s my view that the decision should be reviewed. If people are going to church on Sunday or Saturday to worship, God is their number one over elections and they must be allowed to fulfil their feelings and religious aspects.”
I wish we wud follow the bible and the instructions thereof…rather following man!
God bless you all!!
#17 Maestro. Good day to you mwana wa Mulena
#18 Village Concept: Shall we move a step further…You surely must be aware that there are two Creation Stories in the book of Gen: 1 and 2. In the second story I see no mention of the 7th day. Be mindful of when and for who the Good Book was written.
Being in communion with God is accepting to be a co-creator everyday, every hour and voting is one of the many ‘holy acts’ in which one communes with the Creator. Voice your choice through the ballot.
Back to SACCORD and now to Shikapwasha too…do not feed people with lopsided information, lest those who feel defranchised believe in the folly of being targeted.
#13, your views are shocking. Since when did it become the role of NGOs to determine how many members of a particular faith are there in a given constituency? I am surprised you think the ECZ has done well by infringing on the right of Adventists to worship. What the ECZ has done is misconduct. Since Zambia reverted to multiparty democcracy in 1991, no ward, parliamentary or presidential election has ever been held on a weekend. For your information, according to statistics released by the SDA, there are around 15, 000 members of the church in Chilanga constittuency. These in turn contribute to a significant number of voters. Mpulungu has about 8, 000 Adventists. Should these people be denied an opportunity to take part in the democratic process?