SHOULD ECZ AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CANCEL THE CANDLELIGHT PRAYER SERVICE BILLED FOR AUGUST 12, 2026 AS REQUESTED BY UPND?

By Kellys Kaunda

SHOULD ECZ AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CANCEL THE CANDLELIGHT PRAYER SERVICE BILLED FOR AUGUST 12, 2026 AS REQUESTED BY UPND?

IN Leviticus 24: 1-2, the Bible says, “The lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the people of Israel to bring pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn”.

In the Book of Revelation, chapter 1, verses 12 – 13, 20, you also read about Christ walking among seven golden lamp stands.

In modern Jewish traditions, candle light plays a significant religious symbol. For instance, on Friday evening, Jews light candles to symbolize the beginning of the Sabbath and another on Saturday sunset to symbolize the close of the Sabbath.

In the Old Testament, the oil represented the Holy Spirit while the light represented the Word of God. These symbols were powerful teaching aids and constant reminders of the ever-presence of God.

To this day, this symbolism is embraced in some religious settings. The Catholics are among them. It is an expression of their faith. And they have done this for centuries. They choose when to use them.

They have chosen to use them a day prior to elections as they invoke the presence of God ahead of one of the most important events on the country’s political calendar.

Incidentally, the candle light or the lamp happens also to be the symbol of the opposition party in this year’s elections! And the ruling UPND wants the prayer meeting canceled!

This is an intriguing request. Can religious freedom be bent to suit political will? Remember that the Zambian constitution protects religious freedom. This should mean protecting when and how I choose to express it.

Secondly, Zambia is a Christian nation and Christianity has symbols. Some of the symbols include the Holy Communion which consists of footwashing, eating bread and drinking wine.

There may emerge a candidate who may adopt a foot, bread or a bottle of wine as a symbol. Imagine ordering bakeries not to open a day before and during elections for fear of tipping the scale in favor of the candidate whose symbol is bread!

UPND, like all of us, never saw this coming. But ECZ must not cancel a prayer meeting or amend how the service is conducted to accommodate political sensitivities.

If we believe in a Superior God, dare not revise long-established religious symbols to accommodate the will of His creatures. UPND must rethink their request because it seems to suggest strongly that God must be worshipped only in ways that accommodates their political concerns.

When human preferences clash with God’s will or His people’s desire to worship Him in the way they have always done, our Father in Heaven must be prioritized.