STATEMENT BY THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS
PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD ZAMBIA
ON CONTINUED  ATTACKS AGAINST BISHOP  JOSHUA BANDA

STATEMENT BY THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS
PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD ZAMBIA
ON CONTINUED MISREPRESENTATION, INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC AND ATTACKS AGAINST THE PRESIDING BISHOP AND THE CHURCH

07 September, 2026 (For Immediate Release)

The Council of Bishops of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Zambia (PAOGZ), hereafter, The Council, has noted with increasing concern the continued politically aligned rhetoric, personal attacks, corrosive insults and inflammatory language directed at our Presiding Bishop, Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda, and, by extension, at the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Zambia, generally and Northmead Assembly of God, in particular.

The Council has exercised considerable restraint, consistent with our conviction that the Church must not be unnecessarily drawn into partisan political contestation. However, the continued circulation of misinformation and disinformation, together with attempts to misrepresent the Presiding Bishop’s participation in a recent collective assignment of the Church Mother Bodies, now requires that the facts be stated clearly.

We fully recognise and respect the right of every citizen to hold opinions, to disagree with Church leaders and institutions, and to subject public actions to legitimate scrutiny. That right, however, should not be confused with licence to deliberately misrepresent facts, propagate hate-filled rhetoric, or subject individuals and religious institutions to sustained insult and vilification.

THE FACTS REGARDING THE UNITED NATIONS THIRD-PARTY ASSIGNMENT:
The recent engagement involving two opposition political leaders at the United Nations premises was not an initiative undertaken independently by Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda, PAOGZ or Northmead Assembly.

It was a collective assignment undertaken by the Eight Church Mother Bodies, following engagement initiated by the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The United Nations clarified that its premises are inviolable and intended exclusively for United Nations purposes, and that the presence of the two political leaders there did not constitute refugee status or diplomatic asylum. Consequently, arrangements became necessary for their safe, orderly and dignified departure.
Consistent with the process outlined by the United Nations, a trusted national Third Party was required. The opposition leaders themselves were fully involved in that process and, among the available options, were comfortable with the Church Mother Bodies serving in that capacity. This choice was agreed to and supported by Government.

The role of the Church was therefore specific, limited and clearly understood: to facilitate a safe and dignified transition from the United Nations premises and onward handover of the two leaders to their legal representatives so that due process could take its course.

Importantly, the opposition leaders, who themselves proposed and settled for the Church as a neutral and trusted third party, were not handed over by the Church to the Police. They were formally handed over to their own legal representatives, ensuring access to legal counsel as the attendant processes commenced.

The engagement was conducted cordially, peacefully and with the dignity of all concerned being respected. The Eight Church Mother Bodies subsequently stated unequivocally:
“Our role here is not to determine innocence or guilt, nor to interfere with the work of lawful institutions. It is to help ensure that this transition takes place peacefully, responsibly and with respect for all parties.”

The Church Mother Bodies further received assurances that subsequent legal processes would be undertaken with respect for the law, due process, fairness and human dignity, and undertook to remain attentive to the implementation of those assurances. These are matters of record.

A COLLECTIVE CHURCH RESPONSIBILITY – NOT AN INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE:
It is therefore both inaccurate and misleading to particularise this collective assignment as though it were a personal political undertaking by Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda, or an undertaking by PAOGZ or Northmead Assembly.

Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda participated as a senior Church leader, being Vice Chair of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, within a collective ecumenical assignment undertaken by the Church Mother Bodies. His participation was therefore representative and consistent with the Church’s longstanding priestly, pastoral and prophetic responsibility to pursue peace, justice, reconciliation, human dignity and national stability.

The Council of Bishops fully stands behind the Presiding Bishop in the faithful execution of this responsibility as he has distinguished himself over the years, with an exemplary track record of mediation, proven skills in conflict resolution, peacemaking and a unifier in our nation respected by successive Zambian governments. 

Bishop Banda is also former co-chair for the African Union Inter-Faith Dialogue Forum (AU-IFDF) Southern Africa Regional Platform (2018-2023), a strategic avenue for ensuring a faith perspective on matters related to upholding peace, harmony, and security in Africa.

These efforts were recently recognized by international entities culminating into the bishop’s formal induction as a Humanitarian Civil Diplomat in a ceremony at the legislative Assembly of Sao, Paulo, Brazil in March 2026. This recognition falls under the Geneva conventions of 12th August 1949 and represents the conventions of 1864, 1906 and 1929, enlisting Humanitarian Civil Diplomats with legitimacy and legal authority established in more than 192 countries.

The Humanitarian Civil Diplomat accredited by international law can act on all continents, mediating conflicts and presenting proposals related to the interests of citizens in the relationship with the state government, security forces and private entities.

We are consequently specifically concerned by attempts by some politically aligned individuals, led largely by diaspora-based social media bloggers bent on isolating the bishop’s participation from that of the wider Church leadership and to draw PAOGZ and Northmead Assembly into political controversy through association. Such a portrayal is contrary to the documented facts of the assignment.

PAOGZ REMAINS NON-PARTISAN:
We reaffirm without qualification that the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Zambia and Northmead Assembly remain open, neutral and non-partisan Christian spaces.

Our calling transcends political seasons, personalities and partisan interests. PAOGZ has already stated that it will continue to proclaim the Gospel, serve communities, stand for truth and justice, speak for the voiceless, pursue peace and reconciliation, and provide prophetic and pastoral leadership whenever circumstances require it.
Our congregations embrace Zambians of different political opinions and affiliations. No citizen should be made to feel unwelcome in our churches because of his or her political persuasion. Our identity in Christ is greater and more enduring than political identity.

Neither the Presiding Bishop nor the Church will therefore be intimidated into abandoning legitimate national responsibilities simply because the faithful execution of those responsibilities may be inconvenient to one political constituency or another.
At the same time, we shall not allow provocation to draw the Church away from its mission. As Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda has already reminded the Church, “We will neither be intimidated into silence where we must speak, nor provoked into speaking where wisdom requires restraint.”

ON MISINFORMATION, INSULTS AND THE RULE OF LAW:
The Council distinguishes carefully between legitimate public criticism, which is part of a healthy democratic society, and communication that crosses into actionable threats, unlawful hate speech, harassment, defamation or other conduct prohibited by law.

We therefore take strong exception to the continuing dissemination of deliberate falsehoods, corrosive insults and inflammatory rhetoric directed at the person and office of Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda, PAOGZ and Northmead Assembly.

In view of the persistence and escalation of some of this conduct, the Council of Bishops has taken steps to document and review specific statements, publications and communications and, where appropriate, to pursue available remedies within the provisions of the law.

This is not intended to suppress legitimate criticism or political expression. It is an affirmation that freedom of expression carries responsibility, and that differences of political opinion should never become justification for threats, vilification, deliberate disinformation or unlawful attacks upon individuals and institutions.
Where the threshold of the law has been crossed, we shall allow the appropriate institutions, already engaged, and due processes of law to determine the matter.

OUR CONTINUING NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY:
The Council remains deeply conscious that Zambia is emerging from a highly contested political season and requires healing, truth, justice, restraint and reconciliation, rather than further polarisation.

The Church Mother Bodies continue to work, including through appropriate engagements away from the public spotlight, to encourage respect for due process and the assurances received concerning fairness, human dignity and the rule of law. They remain committed to strengthening Zambia’s national peace architecture and helping the country move from political contestation towards healing, reconciliation and renewed national cohesion.

Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda will therefore continue, without fear or favour, to discharge the responsibilities entrusted to him as Presiding Bishop of PAOGZ and in the various national and ecumenical responsibilities in which he is called upon to serve.
He does so with the full confidence and support of the Council of Bishops.

We call upon our members and the wider Christian community not to be drawn into retaliatory language, insults or political confrontation. Let us remain prayerful, peaceful, discerning and focused upon our mission.

SPIRITUAL ORDER AND VALUES THAT GOVERN US:
We are equally mindful of the spiritual order and values that govern our fellowship. Those who genuinely identify themselves as members of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Zambia understand that disagreements or concerns regarding their spiritual fathers and Church leadership are properly addressed through the established channels of the Church, with the honour, respect and Christian decorum expected within the household of faith, not through public disparagement, corrosive insults or attacks in the open space.

We therefore caution against attempts to portray such public attacks as representative of the voice or posture of faithful PAOGZ membership.

This does not remove the right of any member to raise legitimate concerns or respectfully disagree with Church leadership. Rather, it affirms that Christian disagreement must itself remain Christian in character, guided by truth, honour, accountability and the biblical responsibility we owe to one another. Political seasons will come and go, but the mission of Christ remains.

APPEAL TO POLITICAL ACTORS
We equally appeal to political actors, their supporters, media practitioners and all citizens to engage matters of public concern based on truth and verified facts, and to reject misinformation, disinformation, insults and inflammatory rhetoric.

COMMITMENT TO PRAYER
The Church will continue to pray for Zambia, pursue peace, stand for justice, encourage reconciliation and serve the nation without partisan distinction.
God bless the Church. God bless our beloved Republic of Zambia.

Bishop Dr. Lenson Bwalya
General Secretary
For and on behalf of the Council of Bishops
Pentecostal Assemblies of God Zambia