Press Conference held at St. Andrews Congregation – GS

I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PASS MY CALVARY AND CHRISTIAN GREETINGS TO YOU ALL. PEACE BE WITH YOU ALL.

I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THIS GREAT CHURCH – THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA (UCZ), WHOSE ROOTS CAN BE TRACED TO PRE-INDEPENDENCE DAYS. MOST OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NAME DR. DAVID LIVINGSTONE, WHOSE PART REMAINS WERE BURIED AT CHITAMBO MISSION, WHICH MISSION STATION IS A UCZ STATION FOR PREACHING AND EVANGELIZATION.

BENDING ON HIS KNEES AND PRAYING TO THE ALMIGHTY GOD, DR. DAVID LIVINGSTONE REQUESTED GOD TO BLESS THIS LAND AND COUNTRY CALLED ZAMBIA. AS A SYMBOL OF OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO THAT CALL; WE HAVE AS THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA, BEEN WALKING IN FAITH WITH OUR CONGREGANTS IN THE OVER ONE THOUSAND (1,000) CONGREGATIONS, AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THE UCZ  IS A PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVER’S AND STRONGLY PREACH THE TAG LINE OF “ALL ONE IN CHRIST”, WHICH IS THE ESSENCE OF THIS BRIEFING. TO OUR MEMBERS AND BELIEVERS, WE NEED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS WE ARE MIRRORS OF CHRIST. WE SHOULD NEVER ENGAGE IN ANY ACTIVITY THAT PROMOTES THE ANTI-CHRIST OR IDOLIZING!

BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NOTWITHSTANDING WHAT OUR PHYSICAL APPEARANCES AND BELIEFS, WE ARE ALL CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND NOBODY SHOULD CHEAT HIMSELF OR HERSELF THAT THEY ARE ABOVE GOD. GOD WANTS US TO LIVE IN PEACE, HE WANTS US TO ACT TOGETHER IN A SPIRIT OF BROTHER OR SISTERHOOD. IT IS THEREFORE ONLY TRUE THAT IF ANY ONE OF US WISHES TO BE FORGIVEN, FOR WE ARE ALL SINNERS, THEY MUST BE WILLING TO FORGIVE!  HAVING SAID THAT, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT OUR CONGREGANTS AND BELIEVERS, WOULD HAVE NO CHALLENGES IN UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. BUT, I AM MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE SOME OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS BELIEVE IN OTHER WORLDLY CREATIONS. THIS MOST OFTEN CREATES PROBLEMS AND AS CLERGY, WE HAVE A DUTY TO SPEAK OUT ISSUES WHICH WE HAVE CONCLUDED REQUIRE US TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS.  INFACT WE ARE ONE ZAMBIA, ONE GOD AS A CHRISTIAN NATION.

THUS FAR, WE HERE INFORM YOU AS FOLLOWS:

1. IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF EACH AND EVERY ZAMBIAN, EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN OF THE WORLD TO UPHOLD THE DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON. THOSE WHO HAVE SPENT TIME CAMPAIGNING FOR HUMAN FREEDOM WILL AGREE THAT WE HAVE A DUTY TO HOLD OUR GOVERNMENTS ACCOUNTABLE AND PUSH FOR STABLE CONSTITUTIONS, WHICH PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE’S RIGHTS. IN THIS RESPECT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA, ASSOCIATES ITSELF WITH THE NEED TO IMPROVE PEOPLE’S WELFARE AND AS A CIVILIZED NATION, WE CAN ONLY DO THIS BY URGING ALL CITIZENS TO TAKE PART IN THE REFERENDUM, SCHEDULED FOR 11^TH AUGUST 2016. WE APPLAUD ALL OUR PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH LED TO MANY SUBMISSIONS, THAT INCLUDED, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS. TO OUR DELIGHT, THERE IS A CLEAR MENTION OF SPECIAL RIGHTS, WHICH ADDRESS THE SERIOUS SUBJECT OF OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE DIFFERENTLY. LET ME BE CLEAR, WE SUPPORT DISABILITY RIGHTS AND SUPPORT THE ENHANCEMENT OF THESE RIGHTS IN OUR CONSTITUTION.

2. THE FLASHES OF VIOLENCE THAT HAS CHARACTERIZED THESE CAMPAIGNS, IS NOT ONLY UNACCEPTABLE BUT AN INJURY TO OUR IMAGE. FOR GOD’S SAKE, WE ARE A CHRISTIAN NATION AND CANNOT AFFORD TO SEE, HEAR OR READ OF ANYBODY TALKING ABOUT VIOLENCE.  AS THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA, WE FULLY BACK PREVIOUS INITIATIVES AIMED AT BRINGING PEACE TO OUR LAND AND WILL NOT ALLOW OUR PEOPLE TO BE CURSED BY VIOLENCE. WE MUST WORK AT ENSURING THAT ZAMBIA REMAINS AN OASIS OF PEACE.  “UBUNTU” – OUR OWN TRADITIONAL VALUES OF HUMANENESS.  I AM BECAUSE WE ARE. WHERE HAVE WE LOST IT?  KEY IS RESPECT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY, FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION ALL CENTRAL TO THE WAY OF PEACE AMONG US.

3. WE CALL UPON ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TO DEAL WITH ISSUE BASED CAMPAIGNS. ANYTHING ELSE IS UNACCEPTABLE. THUS FAR, WE REJECT ANY NOTION THAT OTHERS ARE SUPERIOR TO OTHERS OR THAT A PARTICULAR POSITION IS MORE SUPERIOR TO THE OTHER BECAUSE WE HAVE EVERY TRUST AND CONFIDENCE THAT ACTING TOGETHER, WE CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING. COMPROMISE AND CONSENSUS IS THE WAY TO GO. JESUS REMINDS US IN HIS LIFE THAT NON-VIOLENCE IS THE WAY TO PEACE.  HE RESISTED OPPRESSION PEACEFULLY.  JESUS CALLED US TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES AND PERSECUTORS AND TO PRAY FOR THEM.  I WANT TO REMIND YOU THE SINS OF VIOLENCE.

4. WE ARE ONE PEOPLE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE UCZ EMBLEM OR LOGO, THERE IS A CROSS OVER ZAMBIA IN AN OVAL SHAPE. THIS HAS A PROFOUND MEANING WHICH THE UCZ HAS A DUTY TO PRAY THAT IT IS NOT MUTILATED BY HUMAN FAILING.  THE ZAMBIA, IN THE LOGO, IS ABOUT OUR LAND AND ITS PEOPLE.  THE OVAL SHAPE IS ABOUT UNITY IN DIVERSITY, THE CROSS REPRESENTS THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST THAT FLOWS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AND WEST TO EAST.

THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE AFOREMENTIONED, WE URGE ALL POLITICAL LEADERS THE CIVIL SOCIETY AND ALL CITIZENS OF OUR BELOVED COUNTRY TO ENSURE WE STRIVE HARD TO PRESERVE THE UNITY AND PEACE WE HAVE ENJOYED AS A NATION FOR ALMOST 51 YEARS NOW.  WE ALL NEED TO BE MINDFUL THAT IT IS EASY TO DESTROY THAT TO BUILD.  TO THIS EFFECT, WE IMPLORE ALL WELL – MEANING ZAMBIANS TO ENSURE WE GUARD JEALOUSLY THE UNITY AND PEACE FOR WHICH OUR FREEDOM FIGHTERS LABOURED FOR OUR SAKE AND FOR THE OTHER FUTURE GENERATIONS.

CONCLUSION

BEFORE I REST THIS STATEMENT, LET ME FINALLY DRAW YOUR ATTENTION FELLOW CITIZENS TO ANOTHER ISSUE WHICH HAS BECOME SO INTEGRAL TO OUR LIVES AS A NATION AND THAT IS THE ISSUE OF GENERAL ELECTIONS FOR OUR COUNTRY.

IN GENERAL AND UNLESS THERE IS A PROBLEM, ELECTIONS ARE A ONE DAY AFFAIR. WE CANNOT REDUCE ZAMBIA TO THIS ONE DAY AFFAIR. WE HAVE A HUGE TASK TO ENSURE THAT PEACE IS MAINTAINED RATHER THAN ONLY FOCUS ON THE 11^TH OF AUGUST 2016.  WE ALSO INVEST IN OUR FUTURE BY LOVING ONE ANOTHER AND DOING GOOD FOR EACH OTHER. AS A CHURCH, WE SHALL CONTINUE PREACHING FOR ALL OF US TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND WHERE NECESSARY ENCOURAGE WHOEVER IS OFFENDED TO ACCEPT THAT FORGIVENESS IS THE ESSENCE OF ONENESS AND PROGRESS.   WE ARE ADDING THE VOICE TO MANY VOICES THAT HAVE CONDEMNED ANY FORM OF VIOLENCE.  THE GAME OF BLAMING THE OTHER, FINDING THIRD FORCES AT PLAY (THE YOUNG PEOPLE)   THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT THAT HAS WINNERS AND LOSERS.  NOT ALL ARE WINNERS AS IT WOULD BE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  WE CALL FOR PEACE BUILDING AT ALL TIMES.  WHEN WE DO, ELECTION OR NO ELECTION, THE GUIDE SHOULD BE LUKE 1: 79 – GUIDE OUR FEET INTO THE WAY OF PEACE.  GOD’S PEACE CALLS US TO SHARE PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER; TO BE AGENTS OF RECONCILIATION AND FORGIVENESS IN ALL PLACES, INCLUDING POLITICS.  WE ARE CALLED TO BUILD RIGHT RELATIONS BASED ON JUSTICE WHICH RESPECTS HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY.  TO PURSUE PEACE, CHRISTIANS MUST TESTIFY WITH THEIR LIVES.

LET US REMEMBER THAT WE OWE A DUTY TO POSTERITY. OUR FOREFATHERS/MOTHERS, LEFT US THIS BEAUTIFUL LAND AND WE SHOULD WORK TOWARDS ENSURING THAT WE LEAVE THIS LAND BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND GOD BLESS OUR BELOVED COUNTRY, ZAMBIA.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. 

ENDS/

 

SUBMITTED BY:  

THE REV. DR.  MULAMBYA  KABONDE

UCZ GENERAL SECRETARY