Come Out in Open, Caritas Challenged

19 May 2011

Some Church mother bodies have asked Caritas Zambia to come out on whether they have decided to take part in active politics so that they do not mislead Zambians that they are a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

The Bishops Council of Zambia and the Independent Churches of Zambia(ICOZ) said in separate interviews in Lusaka yesterday they weredisappointed with the revelation that some Caritas officials were aspiring for parliamentary seats on the Patriotic Front (PF) ticket.

On Sunday, MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya said CaritasZambia intends to field candidates on the PF ticket and that Mpika Caritas Zambia programmes manager Mulozi Sichone had been allocated Isoka West Constituency.

Bishops Council of Zambia Spokesperson Gibson Nyirenda challenged Caritas to come out in the open and state whether they are a political organisation.

Bishop Nyirenda said it was now becoming evident that the recent statements by Caritas were motivated by their partisan position.

“It means whatever they have been saying has been motivated by their political interests,” he said.ICOZ board Chairperson David Masupa said the Catholic Church through Caritas Zambia should come out in the open and state their favourable candidate in this year’s elections.

“It is very wrong for Caritas Zambia to continue misleading Zambians that they are an NGO when in actual fact they are not.

If some officials from Caritas want to contest for elections they must resign from Caritas,” he said.

Meanwhile, Reverend Masupa has also challenged the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) to come out in the open and state their political position given the recent statements by some priests.

“The ZEC has been preaching that they would remain neutral but somestatements that we get from some bishops calling for change are contrary so they must come out in the open,” he said.

Rev Masupa however said the calls for regime change are misplaced because Zambians were witnessing the economic prosperity of the country because of the good policies of the MMD Government.

Ms Siliya has also challenged Caritas Zambia to immediately withdraw from abusing their flock in the Catholic Church by fielding parliamentary candidates on the PF ticket in this year’s general elections.

Meanwhile, United Party for National development(UPND) national youth chairperson Joe Kalusa said the role of the Church was to be impartialand not take sides because they represent people with divergent views.

He was happy that the plot about Caritas Zambia had been exposed tothe Zambian people to enable political parties take them on when the campaigns start.

Mr Kalusa said even when the PF ran a pact with UPND, some Catholicclergy offered advice that would have made Mr Sata an obvious choice as a candidate.

He said some Catholic bishops were pushing an agenda that was strange including that of homosexuality following an announcement last month by the Catholic Nuncio in Zambia Nicola Girasoli that gays and lesbians have rights.

AllAfrica – All the Time