UPND SG IMENDA IS PRIMITIVE, DULL- ARCHBISHOP MPUNDU
…says the UPND secretary general abused Archbishop Dr Alick Banda and Fr Salangeta on behalf of his boss, accuses President Hichilema of habouring a grudge against the Catholic Church
EMERITUS Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu has described Batuke Imenda the UPND secretary general as a primitive and dull fellow who does not know that the ruling party will never manage to fight, silence and contain the Catholic Church.
And Archbishop Mpundu is accusing President Hakainde Hichilema of having a vendetta against the Catholic Church and is using his UPND functionaries to attack and cast aspersions of the Priests for speaking for peo- ple in communities.
“As a matter of fact, Mr Imenda was merely a mouth piece of Mr Hichilema. Mr Imenda spoke on behalf of President Hichilema. Mr Imenda could only speak on behalf of his boss who is President Hichilema. Who would stand against the Catholic Church apart from the President himself? Who would have such kind of courage?” Archbishop Mpundu said.
Archbishop Mpundu said Mr Imenda’s sadistic attacks against the Catholic Church and its Priests could have been sanctioned by President Hichilema who had openly lampooned Fr Anthony Salangeta for criticising the graphical illustration of the performance of the country’s economy from 1973.
Archbishop Mpundu says Mr Imenda and the UPND were on a warpath of spreading intolerance and hatred against Zambians with divergent views including Catholic Priests whose call was to pro- mote social justice by speak- ing for the voiceless poor.
The retired prelate has come to the defence of the Archdiocese of Lusaka, Bishop Alick Banfda and Fr Salangeta of Chawama, stating that Mr Imenda and the UPND were being dangerously ignorant by claiming that the two Catholic Priests were Patriot- ic Front (PF) cadres who were campaigning for the return of former President Edgar Lungu.
He stated that the accusations by Mr Imenda that Archbishop Banda and Fr Salangeta were stooges of the PF were not only baseless but exposed the UPND chief executive as a primitive and ineptitude man who did not know that when people stopped speaking, then those in power were in danger.
He said it was primitive for Mr Imenda not to understand what freedom of speech, expression and consciousness meant in a democracy where citizens were free to express themselves without fear or favour.
Mr Imenda, the UPND secretary general is primitive and dull. The UPND is not going to manage to fight the Catholic Church.
Mr Imenda and his party are spearheading intolerance against the Catholic Church and the people with opposing views. But let them know that when people do not speak, it is a breeding ground for chaos and serious trouble in the nation,” Archbishop Mpundu said.
Archbishop Mpundu has warned that Zambians should brace themselves for much worse times under the UPND administration because the new dawn was working at silencing the Catholic Church and that people should start speaking out against the ills of those governing the nation.
“If things exploded in the country, Mr Hichilema is going to be the first one to run away because he is a coward and totally misinformed. So, sooner than later, President Hichilema is going to be on his feet, running away. Not all people are going to be praise singers because there shall always be those to criticize government so that it could work effectively. Government is not going to manage to prevent free speech and let it be known to them that there is no freedom without justice,” Archbishop Mpundu said.
(Credit: Daily Nation Zambia)
If Hakainde wishes to carry on this vendetta against us Catholics, it will be the end of his political career. He needs to humble himself and behave correctly. Why does he like ukuchimfyana?
He should stop retaliating, and focus on fixing the economy. Then we will praise him accordingly. We cannot praise him right now because he is driving us into deeper and deeper waters.
I am sure some dull praise singers will blog here insulting Bishop Mpundu, and myself. Go ahead, and decampaign yourselves.
Your double standards are surely amazing. So it’s okay for you and bishop Mpundu to insult others but it’s not okay for the insulted to respond. The bishop just called Mr. Imenda dull and primitive but it’s okay for him to do that but if UPND supporters respond it’s not okay, what type of hypocrisy is that? By the way, you are not the only Catholic because there are many other Catholics who believe father Salangeta and bishop Alick Banda were wrong to say what they said so don’t think just because a biased priest said something it then it means all Catholics members will follow blindly in your crusade against president HH. Furthermore, bishop Mpundu went further to accuse president HH of sending Mr. Imenda to say what he said, is he saying the man can not think on his own? Should we also say the bishop is not speaking his opinion but that of his boss, the cardinal or the pope? Should we also say it’s him or Banda who sent father Salangeta to say what he said since by his statement he is implying people can not think for themselves but have to be sent by their bosses. Why did have to draw the president in what Mr. Imenda said? To me this statement tell me that bishop mpundu has a person has a bone to chew with the president because there was no need to include the president. Besides, the church is supposed to be unifiers but from such statements they seem to be the ones dividing people. Even if the president and the SG were wrong, why didn’t the bishop seek their audience and counsell them privately and instead of making such statements to the public. Who can trust such church leaders to mediate if at all political parties got in to conflict because they seem to have thrown wisdom to the wind by making such statements.
It’s not the kind of language you would find in polite society. You do not use words like “primitive” and “dull” if your intention is to have a conversation. I know the Catholic priests who are conversationalists.
If Alick, Salangate or Mpundu had uttered such words during the reign of the might PF the PF cadres would have dealt with them. Now UPND cadres are too smart maybe tht is where lies the problem.
Ba Indigo u only have one vote just like salangate , Alick or Mpundu. Sincere Catholics can read in between the lines and they wont get into personal fights but vote for the best candidature and as things stand there is no better alternative to UPND.
I think it is not right for a Bishop to openly quarell with anybody. Secondly I do not understand how the president is being accused of sending people to make statements. Honestly people this is not politics we sound so immature. Let there be a sit down dialogue between the church and the head of state.
There Catholic bishops I think they have a problem. If imenda batuke made a minute a mistake,why are they making further mistakes themselves by rushing to the media houses to air their grievances. This doesn’t show maturity and as a religious group, they should show love and thru prayers and other best approaches to unite the country. Tit for tat should not come from religious people.
Well said Archbishop! If Hichilema can’t condemn what his juniors are saying then he is sending them! Hichilema’s ending will not be good because he’s antagonizing almost everybody and every non-government institution!
Mwanawasa atleast tried to fight corruption and fix the economy with his then Finance Minister N.Magande.But still pipo were not quiet n afraid to voice out grievances or short comings.Any President who doesnt want to hear criticism is not fit to be President in a Demokratie country .Criticism is bad when based on hatred or tribalism ir the like but if there is cause,genuine reason ,listen ,thank the person voicing out such and find solution.Not all problems can have immediate solutions but US Zambians are not v difficult pipo. We might not be there in Zambia but our everything is there because that is our home.Shilungafye.Zambia belongs to all 73 tribes,full stop. And constructive criticism if panacea for the Nation.
Some Catholic priests enjoy fermenting trouble. Every religious leader can advise the ruler but with integrity and politeness which lacked in these priests. If war starts – just like in Rwanda where nuns and priests were involved- in genocide; the same in German with Hitler, then it WILL be them fermenting the war. CATHOLIC PRIESTS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. YOU NEED TO LEARN TO BE HUMBLE. YOU HAVE SUCH A BAD HISTORY INCLUDING SEXUAL PERVASION. PLEASE LET ZAMBIA BE GOVERNED PROPERLY. I hope this is NOT to prevent the gassing issue that is being exposed.
Can someone please break this cycle of name calling? It is sickening to see our political and religious leaders using such uncouth language.
All because of a graphical presentation by the Head of State. What a nation! Or am I missing something?
The reason why these Catholic priests are trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill is simple.
In the first place, Catholic priests are not workers of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Rather they are workers of the enemy of Jesus Christ and all Christians including all human beings made by God.
All Catholic priests work under the pope who happens to be the enemy’s human representative here on earth. And their work is to promote the enemy’s agenda of stealing, killing and destroying. And they do this mostly through magic — particularly Catholic magic.
As a result, they are good at causing strife, confusion, sowing discord, division, plotting and scheming in a country as well as bringing down governments.
You can only stop their work by looking up to God where our help comes from.
Ba Epic Writer, you have a very fertile imagination!!
Ba mpundu, you are degrading yourself by using bad language. Please don’t join them. Stay away, otherwise, “birds of a feather ….”
This dull bishop has a big ego just bcoz his church which is full of drunkards and adulterers is big.
Syllables of fighting government for no reason is being taught at mpima college of catholic therefore fellow Zambians don’t get surprised? Catholic church what makes you to quarrel with this government especially HH who never wronged you?let us be fair otherwise you will be punished by God for harbouring grudge for someone who never wronged you.
The enemy has extreme hatred for all humans made by God. So the enemy’s human workers are no different. And they don’t need a reason to attack someone. If they come to a peace treaty, don’t take them serious because they’re just pretending. They look good hearted on the outside but they are naturally evil especially in the spiritual
Ati they are a government on their own so they can say or do whatever they want to anyone. That makes them small gods. We know them that they have girlfriends and children everywhere and chase skirts. They want to be obove their fellow human beings and come out perfect but they are worse than beasts. They want to ride on the ignorance of the simple minded and the goodness it’s not all catholics who are like that but a few rotten apples and their supporters. Maybe they are keeping money for someone or they benefitted from brown envelope. Most of them are political cadres . They say leadership is ordained by God so they are fighting God in short. One day you will hang your head in shame when you realise that you supported evil and ridiculed good.
Big titles but very …….., you are also flaming a small fire. Is this a response of a Christian or a máfia?
Despite having retired, Archbishop Mpundu is the most senior Catholic clergy man in Zambia. It is therefore unfortunate for the Archbishop to have reacted in such a manner that he did. HH has forgiven all his enemies and has said he will not revenge because if he so, then there is no difference between him and them. This issue was triggered by Father Salengeta and before reacting in such a manner, he should have shown us his position on the matter. Does he support what the Chawama priest said? Was Father Salengeta speaking on behalf of the Catholic Church or Catholic Bishops or Catholic Church? It is also not right to involve the President in every issue that happens even when he has no hand in it. It is unfair to allege that Batuke Imenda was speaking on behalf of his boss HH. Does it the Catholic priest was also speaking on behalf of his bosses, is Archbishop Mpundu the one who told or sent him to say what he said? The Archbishop further said HH and his government are intolerant to criticism and yet it could be the one who is more intolerant. Instead of advising his juniors, he is even supporting them. There is no one who is fighting the Church, Catholic Church in particular. The UPND SG was simply responding to so many attacks and not criticism as you put it and these attacks have been going on for some time. Archbishop Mpundu has been criticizing the government and no one has never insulted him, those priests are just anti HH and they should follow father Bwalya’s example by leaving the priesthood and join politics otherwise they will be bruised and that is how the game of politics is. As a Clergy, you should know that the gospel does not make sense to some people, Paul says it is foolishness to them that perish. In the same manner, things like graphs may not make any sense to some priests like Father Salengeta, they may be foolishness to him but graphs are a vital tool for analyzing and interpreting information, they are never meant for food or eating. As a visionary leader, you should know where you are coming from, where you are now and where you want to be tomorrow and that’s exactly what the President was doing and those of us who understand graphs appreciated him very much.