CHURCH MOTHER BODIES LAUNCH PEACE INITIATIVE, EXPRESS CONCERN OVER POLITICAL INTOLERANCE
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), and the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) have launched a Peace Building Initiative for Peaceful and Credible 2026 General Elections, calling on all stakeholders to uphold peace, reconciliation and national unity ahead of next year’s polls.
Speaking during the launch held at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka today, the three Church Mother Bodies expressed concern over rising political intolerance, inflammatory rhetoric, misinformation, hate speech, intimidation and politically motivated violence.
The Church leaders said recent incidents of political violence, which have resulted in the loss of innocent lives, stressing that no political office or election is worth the shedding of human blood.
They have urged political leaders to exercise restraint over their supporters and ensure that campaigns are conducted peacefully, responsibly and with respect for human dignity, warning that political competition should never fuel hatred, tribalism or regional divisions.
The Church Mother Bodies also called for national reconciliation, noting that political competition has at times divided families, churches, communities and institutions.
Meanwhile, the Church leaders rejected tribalism and hate speech, describing Zambia’s diversity as a gift that should unite rather than divide the nation encouraging voters to elect leaders based on integrity, competence, vision and commitment to national development instead of tribal or regional identity.
The three Church Mother Bodies also appealed to political parties to stop using young people as instruments of violence, saying the energy and potential of the youth should be directed towards national development.
On the use of social media, the Church leaders urged citizens to verify information before sharing it and avoid hate speech from circulating manipulated videos or fabricated statements that could incite violence.
The Church Mother Bodies reaffirmed their support for free, fair and credible elections founded on constitutionalism, transparency, accountability and respect for human rights.
They called for issue-based campaigns focused on development and service delivery rather than personal attacks and inflammatory language.
As part of their commitment, CCZ, EFZ and ZCCB pledged to continue praying for peace and national unity, promote dialogue and reconciliation, conduct civic and voter education, deploy church observers and peace monitors where appropriate, and continue speaking impartially on issues affecting the nation.
The Church Mother Bodies further called on political parties to conduct peaceful, issue-based campaigns, and further urged government to safeguard citizens’ constitutional rights and freedoms, and appealed to the media to report accurately, responsibly and ethically while promoting peace and national cohesion.
RCV