CATHOLIC CHURCH WORRIED ABOUT DICTATORSHIP UNDER UPND
Lusaka, 7 July, 2024
The Catholic Church Bishops have issued a stern condemnation of the recent expulsion of nine opposition members of parliament (MPs) from the Patriotic Front (PF) party by the Second Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Moyo.
This decision, decried as a blatant act of legal lawlessness, has raised serious concerns about Zambia’s democratic trajectory and the principle of separation of powers.
The Caritas Integral Human Development (IHD) Commission, has criticized the expulsions as a clear abuse of authority and a direct challenge to democratic norms.
The Commission highlighted that the rapidity with which the expulsions were executed allegedly under direct orders from the executive branch points to a troubling collusion between the executive, legislature, and judiciary.
“The actions of the Second Deputy Speaker are a travesty on the country’s democratic trajectory,” stated the IHD Commission.
“This act of duress on the legislature by the executive will reverse the democratic gains that the country was steadily making.”
The Commission emphasized that the expulsions constituted a “brazen violation of procedural standing orders of the house” and described them as an abuse of authority facilitated by remote instruction to the Second Deputy Speaker.
They noted that never before in the country’s history had Parliament intervened in the internal affairs of a political party to this extent.
Adding to the controversy is the economic burden these expulsions could impose on the country.
With Zambia already grappling with significant fiscal challenges, the prospect of nine or more by-elections is seen as an unnecessary and costly endeavor driven by political motives rather than public interest.
“This culture of impunity and utter disregard for the laws of the land must be held in check,” urged the IHD Commission.
They called on all institutions responsible for ensuring justice and fairness to operate with integrity and resist political pressures.
This is contained in the Commission’s statement, signed by Most Rev. Dr. Alick Banda, Chairperson of the IHD Commission, invoked moral and scriptural guidance: “As scripture tells us, ‘Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak’ (Mt. 26:41-42).”
The IHD Commission emphasized the need for the Human Rights Commission to defend human rights robustly, while, the Anti-Corruption Commission and Drug Enforcement Commission should dismantle corruption fearlessly,
The IHD has also urged the judiciary to act with compassion and justice.
They also called for a Police Service committed to fairness and justice, rejecting the selective application of the law.
As Zambia navigates this contentious period, the actions taken in response to these expulsions will likely shape the country’s democratic future.
The call for justice, integrity, and adherence to the rule of law resonates strongly across civil society and the broader public, who are eager to see a resolution that upholds Zambia’s democratic values.
This PF cadre bishop satana should stop dragging the Catholic church into his pfools stupidity. They create there own confusion and wants to talk shrinking democratic space, what rubbish stupid pfidiot!
Deal with fornication going on in your institution by your priests and let the politicians deal with the expulsion of members of parliament.
But who the hell do these catholic priests think they are any way. specialists at writing letters.
Only Zambian bishops are embroidered in politics. Could this be the lack of brown envelopes? These bishops never talk about Jesus Christ why? Leave HH out of this pfool stupidity. I wonder what you expected parliament to do? If an mp’s sponsoring party expels the mp what follows is that mp seat will be declared vacant and bye elections would take place. This is not new it has happened many times and that is what the law says. Today we have chiefs and bishops who were benefiting from brown envelopes shouting the most in defence of the expelled mps. Nobody is blaming Miles Sampa the causer of the problem. Why is this so?
“embroidered” kabili ba praise-singer? Mutunga nyula? It is “embroiled”. Mwashitako na dictionary ba UPND cadre not ukupepa fye ibange muletukana amasele.
Forgive them. Praise singer Kali sukulu tell Sana. That’s why the worship one person!
Muna Kaliba fuseki English is not your mother’s language PF idiot iwe. Just pick sense PF Mambala iwe. In any case, you are also a Praise Singer for the Political Choir Master of your choice except that you have lost insight to know this fact around you PF idiot iwe.
These are clowns. Ignore them.
In the bible very is 10 commandments which we need to follow unless you bishops you don’t follow them, and as country we also have the constitution which we need to follow babishop please.
Leave politics to the politicians, and learn to address the source of the problem and not the symptoms.
Alick Banda…this name comes up consistently. Rather ironic….
Need to take a closer look at this man. Over the years, take a close look at his actions and position on issues.
This from Caritas not Bishops. Why misleading the nation?
What did you do as Catholic Bishops when Micheal Chilufya Sata expelled his 16 MPs who included madam Sinyangwe at that time, did you condemn President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa and democracy?
Is it right for you to see the right procedure as wrong and the wrong procedure as right just because you want by all means the blood PF party to still be shedding blood by use of pangas and ruthless violence by charity Katanga + Kapyongo + lungu Killing people in day light shootings and hacking and you saw that as good democracy?
Threats by Lungu, threatening constitutional court charges on or during his eligibility case? threatening HH that he will lock and arrest him immediately he wins and hands power to himself ?, when one of your Catholic priest said better to rig elections than to let HH win and rule this nation?
Come on?, sober up and be relevant in everything and respect the will of God and his people to reign otherwise you will be inviting curses on yourselves
This is from Bishop Lucifer Alick Banda alone. Such a foolish old man hiding in the name of others. This old arsewhore will leave the name of Catholics in tatters. Where is the nuncio to do something about this stupid old man?
Just look at all the insults from the zambezi dwellers above. Busy insulting the bishops.
All the diocese in Zambia are included in this letter, including Monze.
What they have complained about, is exactly what I complain about here every day.
We are the stupid ones for voting for him.
Vote wisely in 2026.
Do you know what Caritas is?
I only know load shedding and high cost of living Sir.
I also know a conman when I see one.
Vote wisely in 2026.
Indigo Tryol fuseki you are free to reclaim your one vote from Election House in Long Acres PF idiot iwe. Who forced you to cast a vote for someone you detest? Walitumpa sana PF loser iwe. Yes we shall vote wisely again for HH iwe PF Nkumba ya munthu just shut up!
Alice Banda is the only Bishop appearing in the letter by Caritas. So it is clear where the vernom is coming from.
You are anything but a sharp shooter.
I am still waiting for you to hit any target, but just like your uncle HH, you keep missing the target.
It is miss, after miss, after miss.
Vote wisely in 2026. It will improve your shooting.
These CROSSDRESSING MEN/WOMEN are a nuisance. The depend on monies from tax payers and claim MUTULO for Mr/Mrs. Jesus.
It is such a shame to ask for money day in day out from the congregants shamelessly
Ba Muna Kabila apa tepakusambilila ichisungu awe, a mispel or whatever does not matter as long us the message is driven home. You have chosen to be petty instead of getting the message. This is why Zambian opposition is a BID they have no message to the electorate. Naumfwa tapali Ichigayo apa. Its a different thing when you’re writing an academic piece of paper ba mwisho. Ifi fyapa social media. Concentrate on real issues, who cares if the spelling or construction is bad? We don’t condemn ourselves in the wrong spellings or bad construction of our 73 languages. It is because we are inferior and think English is the only language in the whole world. Bututu bo. Grow up iwee!
Do they want expelled MPs to continue sitting in parliament? Parliament waited for the Con court to pronounce itself on the issue. After Con court, the MPs remained expelled. PF expelled themselves. National assembly were told. The same PF reverse the decision, meanwhile, the one reversing is not the Secretary General whose should have that responsibility. Why should Parliament not act under the circumstance? It is not what the Bishops want. It is what the law says. We know it hurts Alick Banda the PF cadre of a Bishop. QUOTE the law that Parliament has abrogated not your imaginations. If you are not PF why are you bothered? You should have been advising them right from the start of the confusion caused by Lungu getting back to politics.
If there was anyone else apart from Alick Banda a well known PF cadre who authored this letter then they could have been taken seriously. As for now just take it as the voice of Banda but the one pulling the strings is Lungu.
It’s good to be objective and realistic. Being a praise singer will just kill your conscious. HH is killing Democratic principles. 2026 kaya mwandini?
No wonder a certain church was prominently mentioned in the Rwanda genocide.
The names listed in the document are not those of bishops but mere priests, hence the designation Fr.
The writer of the article is deliberately misleading the public into believing that the letter was authored by bishops when there is only one bishop mentioned, Archbishop Alick Banda, and we know where his loyalties lie.
The Catholic bishops are all devils in Zambia today, they are the product of lungu and PF.. they say they are men of god, then I’m the Pope.
Corruption stats in the church with these children of Judas Iscariot
Roy Musungu you are a man. You have nailed it all. These criminals think they own Zambia Atase tatulefyaya impupu ba shonongo pf nakabili. God forbid!