WEAPONISING THE PULPIT: WHY CLAIMS AGAINST PRESIDENT HICHILEMA ARE RECKLESS AND DANGEROUS
The recent statement attributed to Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) President, Archbishop Ignatius Chama, alleging that President Hakainde Hichilema is using State apparatus to “threaten, humiliate and persecute” Lusaka Archbishop Dr. Alick Banda is not only alarming but deeply irresponsible, misleading, and injurious to national cohesion.
To suggest, without evidence, that the life of Archbishop Banda is in danger at the hands of the Head of State is a grave accusation that ought not to be made casually, emotionally, or for rhetorical effect. Such claims inflame public sentiment, erode trust in state institutions, and recklessly place the nation on edge.
Rule of Law Is Not Persecution
At the heart of this matter is a simple and inconvenient truth: Zambia is a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law. No citizen, cleric or lay, bishop or president, is above the law. The summoning of Archbishop Banda by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) over issues relating to a gift, regardless of when the matter arose or whether the gift was returned, does not in itself constitute persecution. Law enforcement agencies are mandated to investigate matters where questions of legality arise. To portray lawful inquiry as political victimisation is to dangerously undermine the independence of investigative institutions. If the Church insists that Archbishop Banda has no case to answer, then the appropriate forum to establish that innocence is through due process, not radio stations, press statements, or apocalyptic narratives.
The Dangerous Politics of Victimhood
Archbishop Chama’s framing of this issue as a personal political vendetta between President Hichilema and Archbishop Banda is speculative and unsupported. Even more troubling is the attempt to paint the President as a tyrant bent on eliminating a religious leader using state machinery. This narrative is not only unproven; it is reckless.
Zambia has a painful history of political instability fueled by exaggerated rhetoric. To invoke threats to life, biblical analogies of Cain and Abel, and imagery of persecution, without a shred of tangible evidence, is to play politics with fear and faith. The pulpit must never become a platform for political sensationalism.
Separation of Church, State, and Accountability
The Catholic Church occupies a respected and influential position in Zambia’s social fabric. That moral authority, however, comes with responsibility. When Church leaders appear to shield their own from lawful scrutiny, or suggest that clerical status confers immunity from investigation, they risk eroding the very moral high ground they claim to occupy. Dialogue is important, yes, but dialogue cannot replace accountability. Nor can it be used as a shield against the application of the law.
Who Truly Threatens National Well-being?
Ironically, it is not President Hichilema who threatens the well-being of the country in this episode. It is the careless escalation of a legal matter into a national crisis by senior Church officials. By asserting that no one can “tell the President” that this situation is harmful, Archbishop Chama ignores the reality of Zambia’s democratic checks and balances, free media, independent courts, and vibrant civil society. Zambia is not a dictatorship, and such insinuations are both dishonest and destabilising.
Zambians deserve calm leadership, not alarmist pronouncements. If Archbishop Banda has been wronged, the courts are open. If the state has overreached, evidence must be presented. But to leap from a lawful investigation to claims of assassination plots and existential threats is to abandon reason for rhetoric. Faith must unite, not divide. Leadership, whether political or spiritual, must be exercised with restraint, truthfulness, and respect for the rule of law. Let the law take its course. Let the Church pray. And let Zambia be spared the politics of manufactured fear.
By Chilufya Kasonde
Ilelanga News. January 08, 2026.
Video credit: Lutanda Radio Station
The message is straightforward and easy to understand. Mr. Chaima is essentially promoting the “Animal Farm” mentality, where those in robes are considered more equal than others. The case of Mr. Alick Banda is straightforward. How did he get the car? This is no confession in the confession booth. Mr. Banda, by his obnoxious behavior, demonstrates that he is guilty of something. Mr. Chama’s pronouncement is troubling and misleading. This case does not require a philosophy doctorate to understand. Twalamisula guys, if you do not reform.
Thank you, Chilufya. I trust that those who are being vocal will derive some benefit from this excellent piece of writing you have produced.