CATHOLICS CHALLENGE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

THE Catholic Church has advised politicians vying for the Presidency to publicly and widely proclaim their express commitment to the preservation of life, property, and family values before, during and after elections. The Archdiocese of Lusaka Catholic Men’s Organisation said the few days remaining before elections call for deep reflection on family values and principles, especially by those aspiring to lead the country. Vice Chairman Archdiocese of Lusaka Catholic Men’s Organisation, Chilekwa Munkonge reminded politicians that all Presidential candidates are being sworn-in with the Bible in ones’ hands as an act of commitment to uphold not only the Republican Constitution, but also Christian values and principles.  “It is in view of the foregoing that the Catholic men in the Archdiocese of Lusaka seek prior actions from electoral candidates; especially those vying for the Presidency, to publicly and widely proclaim their express commitment to the preservation of life, property, and family values before, during and after elections,” Mr Munkonge said. As Catholic men in the Archdiocese of Lusaka, he said, we are interested parties in Zambia’s status as a Christian nation. We reject any attempt to replace acceptable religious values and principles with unnatural and un-Zambian secular practices. He also said losing lives due to politically charged activism is unacceptable and has to stop. Mr Munkonge also said perpetrators of violence should swiftly be brought to justice so that other law-abiding citizens could continue to live in peace and harmony. “Losing lives to the Covid-19 pandemic, and other hitherto existing causes is saddening. Losing lives due to politically charged activism is unacceptable and has to stop,” he said. He said as the elections were approaching, there was need to have public pronouncement that call for cessation of aggravated attacks and unauthorized armed combat against innocent citizens, opponents, and perceived enemies to help defuse and reverse the systematic disenfranchisement of Zambians due to fear of violence. He also called on the civil society and other non-state actors to join hands and collaborate in protecting the value systems and principles to ensure that Zambia was not mortgaged and led to moral degradation due to unconstitutional promises made to supporters and sponsors (local and foreign) by some candidates, if any.