BALLY ‘FIX’ OUR MINDSET BEFORE ECONOMY OTHERWISE KAYA!
By Mabvuto Phiri
During the past weekend, while waiting for the dead rubber fixture between Manchester City and Chelsea, someone presented to me his phone to see the number of people watching a sermon of a Zimbabwean clergy; you should have seen my immediate reaction to the numbers. To cut the story short, the numbers were impressive.
But this was not surprising to me that people access these online platforms more than attending the traditional church.
Ironically, the traditional churches have sunk themselves through political compromises, vindictiveness, treachery, backbiting, manipulation, and lack of foresight.
The recent sentiments in a video attributed to a Catholic priest, which dominated public opinion over the weekend, is unfortunate.
As much as l appreciate the role of the church in social teachings, l honestly, without doubt, feel the sentiments were nothing but an act of aggrandizement aimed at impressing the former head of state in an attempt to openly ridicule President Hakainde Hichilema’s policy illustration during a recent press conference.
Evidently, Catholic Priests are very educated people who understand that economics, being what it is as a science, is largely evidence based.
Therefore, what President Hichilema delivered was data representation of what his administration is doing in improving the lives of the citizenry coupled with where we are going, as a country.
It is for this reason that, as a proponent of fixing the economy, as propagated by the UPND while in the opposition, it will not be enough to only fix the economy but also the mindset.
In case the ‘Man of God’ has forgotten, a church is sacrosanct or the pulpit is a holy place that deserves the respect required.
However, some people, including some churches, are still under the hangover from what had engulfed everyone in the oast regime; the tatameni spirit.
In light of this, some clergyman presented themselves as prophets in which they openly advocated that it was better to rig elections than HH becoming President.
Clergymen are not supposed to exploit the ignorance of the congregation but educate them on issues affecting them.
It is also unfair to demean the thinking capacity of the people of Msisi, Jack or Chawama compound that they are dull, illiterate and backwards such that they cannot comprehend or interpret the graphs presented by the President in explaining Zambia’s economic status.
Ironically, one of these compounds produced a humble President; implying that Chawama or Jack compounds might even have more educated people than more of the exotic locations.
The narrative, as shared by the Catholic Priest that the people of ‘Kwa’ is an insult. His main responsibility is preach hope and salvation rather than demeaning the Head of State on the pulpit, riding on tue perceived ignorance of his congregants.
The graph is made for people to align themselves with government’s vision so that we find opportunities in affording us a chance to appreciate the interpretation of their economy.
The example of us ba ‘Kwa’ was in bad faith because the man you were preaching to comes from there, and rose to the pinnacle of leadership in this country. Simply put, you were literally insulting him.
Finally, how did members of the UPND, who were part of the audience, feel?
Churches are supposed, and should be neutral places at all times as we seek salvation, guidance and wisdom and this polarization in church where men of God preach according to the status of who is attending is wrong and misplaced.
The author is an inhabitant of Kwa Mandevu, a baptized catholic and fully understands the graphs illustrations.