AN APPEAL TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH….REFUSE TO BE PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT INSTEAD PROVIDE COUNSEL AND DIRECTION ON THE HOLDING OF THE MICHAEL SATA MEMORIAL SERVICE
The Catholic Church will be sending a wrong message to this country by going ahead with the Michael Sata memorial service when they are fully aware that the state is doing the same via the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
The showdown over the event is obvious, the State via Mr Thabo Kawana informed the nation of the programme regarding the Michael Sata memorial. Sadly, the Patriotic Front through Mr Raphael Nakachinda and Given Lubinda held a press briefing to announce the holding of another memorial service on the same date at another location under the Catholic Church. For reasons known to the PF, they have decided to wrestle with the State over the holding of the memorial service, an action that certainly will deepen the ongoing tension and disunity in the country at a time when there are increasing calls for reconciliation.
It is disturbing and worrying to note that the Catholic Church has decided to provide an alternative platform for the memorial service when they are alive to the fact that the State has taken a position on the matter.
The country was expecting the Catholic Church, in the spirit of love and reconciliation, to provide counsel to the PF and the Family of the late Michael Sata for an outcome that is devoid of tension. Going ahead with the event will undoubtedly be misunderstood as taking a side with the ongoing conflict. The Catholic church should arise above partisan politics and intervene by providing the necessary counsel to ensure that only one memorial service is held overseen by the state.
The church has a duty to promote unity and peace and the action by the Catholic church to provide a platform for another memorial service when they are fully aware that the state has taken a position and informed the country of a programme with regards to the memorial service of the Late Michael Sata makes sad reading. No matter how one may want to justify this, the truth is that it’s clearly a case of undermining state efforts and taking sides on a partisan and senseless endeavor.
This is not only right but divisive and unhealthy given the mounting tension in the country amidst calls for reconciliation. The Catholic Church can choose to be part of the problem or be part to laying a firm foundation for reconciliation and political stability. The ball is in their court. Given the influence that the Church wields in this country, they can make this happen, they can choose to rise above partisan politics and intervene and provide the necessary counsel and direction.
We are watching….
Kelvin Bwalya
(Picture from file)