PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SIMUUWE SLAMS SUMAILI’S ‘LUCIFER’ CLAIM, SAYS MOVING NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER IS ABOUT INSTITUTIONALISING FAITH, NOT ABANDONING GOD
Lusaka, Zambia, October 11, 2026 – UPND Media Director Mark Simuuwe has criticised former Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs, Reverend Godfridah Sumaili, for describing the Government’s decision to consolidate the National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation with the commemoration of Zambia’s declaration as a Christian Nation as a betrayal of God.
Mr Simuuwe said Rev. Sumaili’s claim that Zambia had been handed over to Lucifer because of the decision to move the national observance from October 18 to December 29 was extreme, misleading, unjustified and unsupported by the Bible.
Where a national observance is established through a legal instrument and declaration is made by the Head of State, the date can be amended in accordance with the law and move to another date.
He said the decision should be understood in the context of President Hakainde Hichilema’s call during the October 2025 commemoration to institutionalise the National Day of Prayer, with the Church taking the lead to ensure that the observance remains inclusive and non-partisan.
He noted that the decision to bring together the National Day of Prayer and the commemoration of Zambia’s declaration as a Christian Nation under the new title, National Day of Prayer and Christian Heritage, followed consultations involving Government and the Church Mother Bodies.
Mr Simuuwe said it was misleading to portray the consolidation as an attack on Christianity when the stated objective was to bring the two national observances together under a unified framework.
“Moving a national commemoration to another date does not mean moving God out of Zambia. Prayer is not the exclusive preserve of a public holiday. Christians remain free to pray for the nation in their churches, homes and communities every day.
“The Bible reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to ‘pray without ceasing’. This is a clear reminder that prayer is a continuous expression of faith, not an activity confined to a particular date on the national calendar. God is not available only on public holidays, and our commitment to prayer should not be reduced to one annual event.
“We should not limit God to calendar days as prayer is daily thing and God is not only available on public holiday. We should not abandon our faith by misleading people for political expedience. A person of her caliber should have reached out to government than going public and we have responded to her using public platform,” Mr Simuuwe
He further said that, given Rev. Sumaili’s experience as a former minister responsible for religious affairs, she should engage constructively with Government and the Church Mother Bodies to seek clarification before making sweeping political public pronouncements.
Mr Simuuwe reaffirmed that the UPND respects the role of the Church in providing spiritual guidance, promoting national unity, and advancing peace, reconciliation and moral responsibility. He also acknowledged the significance of Zambia’s declaration as a Christian nation and the importance of preserving the values associated with that declaration.
“Zambia does not stop being a praying nation because a national event moves from October to December. The true measure of our faith is not merely the date on which we gather, but our daily commitment to justice, peace, compassion, integrity, hard work and the wellbeing of our fellow citizens,” Mr Simuuwe said.
ISSUED BY:
OFFICE OF THE MEDIA DIRECTOR
UNITED PARTY FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (UPND)