V-P Accuses Opposition of Sowing Division

Patson Phiri

18 April 2011

Vice- President George Kunda has called on the people of Western Province to ignore manoeuvres by some opposition parties and some Catholic priests to divide them.

And Mr Kunda yesterday held a closed-door meeting with the Litunga for about two hours.

Addressing worshippers at the Evangelical Church of Zambia (ECZ) in Mandanga area in Mongu yesterday, the vice-president said Zambians should start prayers to protect the country from homosexuality and protect the declaration of the country as a Christian nation.

He said he was surprised that stories being published in a private newspaper had projected Mongu as a violent area when the place was peaceful.

Mr Kunda said Zambians should use the power of God and prayers to fight homosexuality and promote the spirit of ‘One Zambia, one nation’.

He said some politicians had started promoting homosexuality in the country and called for more prayers to deliver them from such evils.

“We have read a lot of negative things about Mongu, so we wanted to assess but we discovered that the people are living peacefully.

“This is one Zambia and one nation. There are some people who want to divide us, we refuse. We have lived peacefully since 1964 and we are the envy of other nations and we should remain like that,” Mr Kunda told the jubilant audience.

He said some priests and other politicians wanted to preach hate to the Zambian people, which he described as unChristian and against the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation.

Mr Kunda said the Government was happy that ECZ had invested in educational and health programmes, which were complementing the Government’s efforts.

ECZ had been running educational programmes and health-related activities at Luampa Mission Hospital and had been leading a home-based care project for people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Church also plans to build a Bible college to train female pastors but has been facing financial challenges.

The vice-president donated K5 million cash to the Church as part of a fund-raising venture to raise money for the construction of a Church building.

And the pastor-in-charge, Leonard Chitumbo said some media houses had launched efforts to divide the country and cause anarchy.

Pastor Chitumbo said the media had the potential to cause chaos and build peace but it was clear that some of them wanted to divide the nation.

He said political parties should use manifestos to attract voters and not tactics aimed at causing political instability.

Pastor Chitumbo was happy that President Rupiah Banda’s Government was delivering on all its campaign promises and pledged to continue praying for his leadership.

Mr Kunda was accompanied by his wife Irene, Works and Supply Minister Gabriel Namulambe, Tourism Deputy Minister Adonis Mufalali, Western Province Minister Richard Mwapela and Agriculture Deputy Minister Allan Mbewe.

He later held a closed-door meeting with the Litunga which took about two hours.

Before the meeting, the vice-president took time to watch some traditional dances at the palace grounds.

He is today expected to hold a public rally at Kaoma Airport and another one at Tobacco Board of Zambia before he proceeds to Ndola on the Copperbelt for a series of rallies and meetings.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Police Service has said Mongu Catholic priest Paul Duffy told lies to the Sunday Post that the regional command had cancelled a Christian procession.

Western division police commanding officer Fabian Katiba and police service spokesperson Ndandula Siamana said Bishop Duffy did not tell the truth because he even participated in the commemoration of Palm Sunday that he claimed had been cancelled.

The Sunday Post reported in its edition yesterday that Mongu police had cancelled the procession because of the presence of the vice- president in the area but later allowed it to go ahead after persuasion.

Mr Katiba said the police had granted a notice to the marchers and even made a follow-up to inform Our Lourdes Cathedral that Mr Namulambe would participate in the procession, which he did.

He said the police had never indicated that it intended to cancel the procession because it takes place everywhere in the world and was a big event for all Christians that believe in it.

“We are very surprised that the story in The Post newspaper is the direct opposite of what happened because today (yesterday), our vice-president was only going to have a function at a Church in Mandanga, so how was he going to disturb Christians who are walking peacefully?” Mr Katiba asked.

And Ms Siamana said there was no reason for the police to cancel the Palm Sunday commemoration.

She said the Kuomboka traditional ceremony and Palm Sunday celebrations were both peaceful.

AllAfrica – All the Time