THE CLERGY CALLS ON PRESIDENT HICHILEMA TO COMPLETE THE NATIONAL HOUSE OF PRAYER.
By Ennie Kishiki Mutepuka.
President Hakainde Hichilema, says government will allocate sufficient resources in the national budget to ensure the National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation is celebrated properly across the country without financial constraints.
Speaking during the National Prayer for Unity engagement held in Kitwe with the clergy yesterday, Mr. Hichilema, reiterated that Zambia will remain a Christian nation while respecting freedom of worship for all citizens, further thanking the clergy for standing with him and praying for him.
Mr. Hichilema, commended church leaders for organizing the prayer gathering, saying national prayers for peace and stability were vital to Zambia’s continued progress, stating that it is important for the people on the Copperbelt to always thank God for the development that have happened in the province.
And Mr. Hichilema, urged Zambians to safeguard peace, security and stability ahead of the August 13 General Election, describing them as essential pillars for national development.
He said the country should not take its peaceful environment for granted, warning that violence and instability will undermine development and people’s livelihoods.
The head of state further appealed to political players and citizens to conduct peaceful campaigns, stressing that elections should be a contest of ideas and development plans rather than violence or hatred.
Meanwhile, Copperbelt Christian Ministries Consultative Forum, Chairperson, Bishop Raddy Lewila, called on President Hichilema to reinstate the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs and complete the National House of Prayer once he is re-elected into office.
#CopperbeltfeelGOODstation
The Ministry of Religious Affairs is the most useless government ministry ever. The ministry failed to have any positive impact on the lawlessness of the PF. Insults were hurled by PF cadres with abandon. Violence went unchallenged. People were undressed in public and the minister of Religious Affairs was ndwii. This ministry only served as a conduit to corrupt the clergy and render them ineffective in speaking truth to power. Many became defenders of the brutal regime and even advocated rigging the 2021 elections to frustrate people power.
As for the so called house of prayer, we don’t need politicians to construct a meeting place for Christians. Each denomination and congregation has its own place of worship. If the clergy feel a compelling need for one, then let Christians donate to that cause instead of wasting national resources on such frivolous projects.
Even this day of prayer, reconciliation, fasting and so on should be scrapped. It serves no purpose except as a pretext for people to laze around and get drunk.
Mr. Lungu who introduced this “sacred” holiday lamentably failed to reconcile with his nemesis, Mr. Hichilema. Even when he was dying all he could think of was keeping his avowed enemy from coming anywhere near his body. God cannot be mocked.
Isiah 29:13 says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”.
God is not interested in our empty words. He wants to see the fruit of the spirit in our lives. Galatians 5:22, “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control”.
Where is the kindness, gentleness, peace when you can keep feuding over a body for more than one year? The Lungu family was handed the body by the South African court more than a month ago. He remains unburied. What are they waiting for? To use the body as part of the victory parade for the Tonse alliance after the August elections? What happens when (not if) they lose?
Let us leave God out of our filthy politics. It grieves His spirit to see His name being abused for political ends.