Ex-minister fumes at church for denying late son funeral service at UCZ
FORMER Chingola Central Member of Parliament Mathew Nkhuwa has expressed displeasure that the United Church of Zambia did not allow his late son’s funeral to take place in the church.
Nkhuwa complained that the Reverend at the congregation his son belonged to, announced that the service would not take place in the church because the deceased took his own life.
Speaking yesterday during burial, Nkhuwa said that the church judged his son instead of leaving it for God because no one knows exactly what happened on that particular day.
Nkhuwa described the situation as unfortunate and unfair to his family, a family that used their personal resources to build the same churches.
The deceased was a member of the Men’s Christian Fellowship (MCF) and a Boys Brigade Officer in the church.
” I have lost my son, but my church has closed the doors for me. The churches we build with our own money as members.”
” It is immoral to say that my son’s body was not fit to pass through church because he [took his life]. The Reverend does not know what really happened and without asking me he went ahead and made that decision,” he said.
Nkhuwa said times of keeping quiet on such rules and regulations or constitutions of the church should be over because there are many reasons people behave in such a manner.
He said that some may have been going through medical conditions, among other issues, advising people should not be rushing to conclusions.
Nkhuwa, who is also former Minister of Energy has since called on all christians not to remain silent, but speak out on the matter.
“My family is not happy that we have lost a son and we look upto the church to come and console us, but now the church has closed the doors for us. Awe nangu tapasoswa,” he said.
Nkhuwa further challenged the church to to take interest in finding out why people take their own lives and offer help and counseling were possible.
According to the Police, Nkhuwa’s 44 year old son, Maposa Nkhuwa allegedly shoting himself in the head at his residence in Chingola last week.
By Sanfrossa Mberi
Kalemba March 4, 2026
Adulterers and Adulteresses are daily honoured in Churches.
The UCZ Reverend was wrong. There are issues which drive people to such extremes.. Some times even powers of darkness may be at play.
Or there maybe underlying mental health issues.
Such Primitive Reverends with an archaic understanding of Religion or Christianity shouldn’t be allowed any where near the pulpit.
He should have used the occasion to even counsel other People, especially youths who may feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges.
Hopeless Reverend.
“Nkhuwa described the situation as unfortunate and unfair to his family, a family that used their personal resources to build the same churches”.
This is why I strongly object to churches accepting donations from politicians or wealthy individuals. The church must be run on tithes and offerings from church members. Someone once said, “God’s work done in God’s way will not lack resources”. The quote above attributed to Mr. Nkhuwa speaks to a sense of entitlement born out of sacrifice. It reveals a contempt for the house of God.
I donot think the reverend made that decision alone. If it is a matter of church policy or regulation, he did the right thing and until those policies or regulations are changed, they have to be adhered to and applied equally regardless of the station in life of the deceased and his family. If it was a poor man who took his life, this would have not made the news. In the body of Christ, there is equity. There is neither jew nor gentile. The rules must be applied equally.
I must hasten to say that the church also has a responsibility to look out for those brethren who are facing challenges in whatever form and offer them comfort and hope. We are called to bear one another’s burden. In John 13:34,35, the Lord Jesus said, “A new command I give you, love one another; as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples; if you love one another”. A suicide of a church member may indicate failure to express this love for one another that the Lord Jesus called us to.