THROWING OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER – THE CASE OF THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL GUIDANCE AND RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS
28th July 2023
Parliament debated a motion brought to the floor to request Government to re-introduce the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs.
This motion was defeated 49:79 votes.
Of course Government had indicated that the Ministry was scrapped due to the fact that it did not serve any specific role requiring a Ministry.
Listening to the debate in Parliament yesterday was rather concerning.
The main reason for voting against the motion was that the Ministry was run by a Minister that did not do the right thing, a Minister that did not speak when ills were being perpetrated etc. by the last Government.
This is a very defective thinking not founded on any principle. Decisions always ought to be made based on principle.
If a previous President does not do a good job while in office, do you then scrap position of President? Making emotional decisions will not help us to get to where we ought to be.
The decision must be made solely on the basis that the position is necessary, or not, to our corporate vision as a country.
Having said that, we give the following as the New Heritage Party position on this matter. Bear with us and read to the end.
Every society needs a moral/spiritual compass.
This is a set of commonly held or shared values against which an individual or group within that society can be held accountable to, in terms of conduct.
It is also a standard or a guide by which rules and regulations are set for the governance of that society, so that any new law passed by Parliament that does not conform or is contrary to the standard/guide already set, can be rejected out rightly.
Every Nation needs to be governed on this shared philosophical or ideological base or framework within which the various competing ideas, or struggle for power, are to be harmoniously carried out.
With the diversity of beliefs that exist, there is need for rules and regulation that of necessity, point the citizenry to operating in that agreed upon philosophical or ideological framework, if not, the society will begin to disintegrate.
We currently have, in our Constitution, a requirement for the President to report on the National Values to Parliament.
Which Institution is responsible for these ‘Values’ to be actualised? Which Institution even ‘monitors’ the progress in this regard?
There then, of necessity, needs to be a Ministry in charge to provide that function of providing guidance to the nation. A national guidance that checks and ensures that we are aligning to our accepted national values. A Ministry of National Guidance is crucial to help shape public opinion, inform as regards culture, to educate the citizenry (e.g., do not litter), and in helping direct the nation with regard to the moral compass so that the moral sensibilities of society at large are safeguarded.
We could consider assigning this function to the Ministry of Information and call it ‘The Ministry of Information and National Guidance’.
National Guidance is not something new to Zambia. We had a Ministry of Information and National Guidance that was responsible for ensuring that media content – anything that was subject to mass communication – was or was not acceptable as weighed against the national standards set. . This was for harmonious co-existence within society.
With regard to the above therefore, the New Heritage Party is of the view that a Ministry of National Guidance is necessary for good governance and a harmonious society.
Zambia has need of well-defined values such as patriotism, integrity, truth, honesty, abiding to the rule of law etc. which can be inculcated into the citizenry, especially the younger generation, and ought to be overseen by such a Ministry.
It is important for national leaders to be giving guidance to the nation lest we have a situation of ‘there was no king in those days and each man did as he pleased’. What is the institution through which the Government currently gives the nation guidance?
With regard to the Religious Affairs, the New Heritage Party is of the view that the Church (Ecclessia) that was built by our Lord Jesus Christ ought to be in charge of spiritual matters. The Body of Christ needs to therefore take up its mandate. It is the role of the Church to disciple nations.
CHISHALA KATEKA
President – New Heritage Party