We are extremely disappointed at the double standardness being exhibited by our three church mother bodies that have decided to take partisan interest in favor of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF). We expected the said church mother bodies to speak against the inhuman treatment the people of Zambia have suffered at the hands of the PF since it assumed power some thirteen months ago.
Since the PF took over government from the “ailing” Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) rejected by people for its affinity towards corruption, the country has witnessed not only a gross abuse of the rule of law but general moral degradation. While expecting the general citizenry to observe the rule of law, government officials have with impunity disregarded it forcing people to question the PF government’s willingness to uphold the rule of law it professed over the administration of this country.
President Michael Sata is on record as having have said the country under the PF government would be ruled by rule of law as interpreted by the Ten Commandments. He promised the nation that his government will abide by the demands of the constitution. In his usual pronouncements, the president on behalf of his government promised to deal with any body found violating the constitution without lawful excuse.
But what we have witnessed in this one year of the PF in leadership is completely the opposite of what people expected from the much acclaimed government led by the “Man of Action” himself. We have seen how government has abused the human rights against his perceived political opponents, how the living standards of people have degenerated to extent that some people are almost getting destitute in the once upon at time country of plenty, how government officials are championing corrupt activities as though there was no law to cow them from doing the criminal act under our laws and how the essential commodities are being fazing out of the country forcing people to begin leading a destitute life.
In all these instances, the three church mother bodies have done nothing to make their voices heard or to show their displeasure at the sad happenings in the country. The sad part of it is that some church leaders are on record having spoken against the happenings in this government when they were committed by leaders in the previous governments. They partnered with the PF leaders when they were in opposition to criticize the evil vices which today they are scared to speak against.
Today, when they opt to criticize government, they prefer to speak under the auspice of The Oasis Forum when they can do it as a church mother bodies openly. After all this is what they have been doing since time immemorial when the church was called “The Church” and represented their general members at critical moments such as this one when people need the voice and guidance of the church.
This is not going to be the first time for the church to speak against a sitting government. The church did it during the 27 year rule of UNIP and we saw the church taking centre stage in demanding the change of constitution to allow the introduction of the multiparty democracy in the country. Indeed this was done at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka.
We wonder why the church mother bodies today have decided to cast a blind eye and ear on the evils being perpetrated by some government officials whereas government is secretly trying to muzzle the democracy which houses the freedom of association people have enjoyed this far. We cannot think for a moment that what the church mother bodies is doing is acts of hypocrisy.
We challenge the leaders of our church mother bodies namely the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) and the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) to tell the nation why they cannot be called hypocrites. We need not to tell them who a hypocrite is because they are leaders of the most cerebrated leaders. Just in case, they have forgotten, a hypocrite is a person who says something which he cannot put into practice.
Edwin Sakala
National Coordinator