Maravi

‘Give our reconciliation time to bear fruit’

‘Give our reconciliation time to bear fruit’
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sunday June 29, 2008 [04:00]

PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has asked the Church and the citizenry to give his recent reconciliation with Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata time and allow the process to bear fruits. And the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences for East Africa (AMECEA) chairman Archbishop Paul Bachenga urged African leaders to find a lasting solution to the saddening and worrisome political situation in Zimbabwe.

Addressing the 16th Plenary AMECEA Assembly of Roman Catholic bishops from East Africa at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in Lusaka yesterday, President Mwanawasa said there was nothing unsettling about the reconciliation between him and Sata.
President Mwanawasa said although his reconciliation with Sata had become infamous in certain quarters, there was nothing unusual about it.

"This is not a strange phenomenon. It is the normal way that we Zambians have historically dealt with conflict," President Mwanawasa said. "I am referring here to the now infamous reconciliation between myself and the Patriotic Front leader, Mr Michael Sata. Mr Sata is here; would you stand up?"

Sata, who was in attendance at the event, took time to shake hands and hug President Mwanawasa amid applause from the congregants.
President Mwanawasa, who described the theme of this year's AMECEA -Reconciliation through Justice and Peace - as appropriate, said Zambia was blessed because it has had selfless leaders such as former president Dr Kenneth Kaunda and his political contemporary Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, who opted to give and take during the country's landmark political points.

"Zambia's peaceful disposition did not come by accident. For many years, it has been anchored on our historical readiness for dialogue and reconciliation whenever we have been faced with a situation of potential conflict," he said. "Those that have taken the trouble to read Zambia's political history will recall that the first Zambian coalition government of 1962 was born out of reconciliation between Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Mr Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula."

President Mwanawasa said Dr Kaunda and Nkumbula had been serious political rivals but by agreeing to form the coalition, they effectively defeated the European-dominated United Federal Party (UFP) and in the process defined the path to the country's political independence.
"In the same nationalist spirit, The Choma Declaration of June 27, 1973 was proclaimed by the same two heroic leaders of our history to curb the then rising political strife in the country," President Mwanawasa said. "Let me remind our fellow citizens that we are greatly blessed to have this plenary in Zambia today when we are celebrating 25 years or the Silver Jubilee of the Choma Declaration, which fell only yesterday."
He said more recently in the 1990s the country's reconciliatory spirit took shape when Dr Kaunda, in the face of the rising demand for multi-partism, called for multi-party elections in 1991.

"Thus curtailing his own presidential term by two years. He went further to peacefully hand over power to Dr Frederick Chiluba and the MMD following his electoral defeat in those epoch-making elections that opened doors to the democratisation process on the African continent."

President Mwanawasa said for his role in entrenching the spirit of reconciliation in the country's political arena, Dr Kaunda received an award of the Grand Officer of the Eagle of Zambia, First Division.

"This was no way meant to recompense him for all his heroic works in the history of our nation. No. Far from it. There could be no price good enough to cover the personal sacrifices that went with the struggle for our freedom and the freedom of our neighbouring countries in this region," President Mwanawasa said. "It was simply to say 'Thank you, father of our nation, for what you have done for us and for our continent'."
President Mwanawasa further likened his reconciliation with Sata to the bitter tribal wars between the Ngonis and the Bembas recorded in the annals of history.
"Out of that bitter tribal war was born one of the best inter-tribal relationships in our country. From my bitter quarrels with Mr Sata, a time had to come when it had to stop in the interest of peace in our country," he said. "As it were, the reconciliation had to be stimulated by a life-threatening situation. Whether good or bad is not for me to judge but I believe God has a plan for everything."
President Mwanawasa cast aside assertions that he wanted to gain mileage from the reconciliation with Sata.

"We are taught that reconciliation denotes forgiveness, man's acceptance of his sinful nature and God's readiness to forgive," he said. "Fellow Christians, I do not say this to seek praise and reward...neither do I claim total innocence in some of the political differences that we may have experienced during my presidency. Human as I am, I have probably contributed as much to these differences as my colleagues in the opposition but this has not subtracted from my innermost desire for political tolerance and tranquility."
President Mwanawasa then thanked Sata for having demonstrated humility and magnanimity in the leaders' quest for greater prosperity within the country's political dispensation.

"Of the citizens of this country therefore, I only ask for patience to allow this process work. From the church, both Catholic and other denominations, I ask not for your condemnation but for your understanding and prayers for the healing that this nation so desperately needs to maintain our peaceful ways?" he said.
President Mwanawasa said in order to promote love in the nation people must embrace reconciliation, which he said was unfortunately a hard and painful process but with no escape or shortcuts.
"Is it not a serious contradiction and utter hypocrisy that although the church is growing in Africa, we Africans continue to hate each other with a passion?" he asked. "How can one explain the recent xenophobic attacks, now being referred to as Afriphobic, in the Republic of South Africa? I do not want to believe that this is the South African way of expressing gratitude to other African nations that sacrificed so much in the anti-apartheid struggle. God forbid! There is something clearly amiss which calls for urgent and serious resolution."

He also said the African continent still faced an uphill battle in engendering the aspect of justice in its governance system.

"We cannot claim to entrench justice in our governance process in the face of the high poverty levels especially in our rural areas," President Mwanawasa said.
He also commended the Roman Catholic Church for its great role in raising the social and economic status of the people through its continued advocacy.
"The Zambian Catholic Church has a very vibrant justice and peace ministry. As President of Zambia today, I can confidently confirm that I have on several occasions felt the vibrancy of this ministry. Whether or not it has always made me comfortable is another matter," he said.
President Mwanawasa appealed to the church to prioritise the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in its evangelical work and social teaching.
Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) president Bishop George Lungu urged Zambians to make the theme for this year's AMECEA Conference part of their existence other than being just a mere slogan.

Bishop Lungu, who is also the Bishop of Chipata Diocese, thanked everybody that overwhelmingly contributed towards the conference.
"When we chose this theme we took into account the challenges of our times in our region, where there have been conflicts and misunderstandings. Reconciliation creates an atmosphere of reflection, acknowledgment of issues and factors that led to differences. Once this is appreciated we strive to heal ruptured relations and peace prevails," Bishop Lungu said. "Where there is peace and justice, there is harmony and people are able to work constructively and productively."
He said in the meantime the church was alive to the fact that justice and peace had taken a practical test in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

"In the case of Zimbabwe, the President of Zambia in his capacity as chairman of SADC accurately identified a possible solution by suggesting postponement of the Zimbabwean presidential run-off until such a time an environment for elections was conducive," Bishop Lungu said. "Recent events in South Africa also attest to the need for justice, which is the rule of law and order, as well as respect for the dignity of humankind. I am sure that the delegates to this Assembly will pray for our brothers and sisters in South Africa, in Zimbabwe that reconciliation through justice and peace may prevail."
Bishop Lungu said there was a strong similarity between reconciliation through justice and peace and the fight against corruption.

"In an environment where corruption is left to thrive, there is no justice and there is no peace. This is so because few people illegally amass a lot of wealth while the majority suffer, because they are denied basic goods, structures and services as public resources are misapplied," said Bishop Lungu.

And Archbishop Bachenga of Mbarara Archdiocese in Uganda said AMECEA bishops appreciated the role President Mwanawasa had so far played in finding a peaceful solution to Zimbabwe's political crisis.

"We would like to thank you, your Excellency for your strong standing for the enhancement of peace and cooperation in the region. In a special way we stand and encourage you, in your capacity as SADC chair and an African statesman, to seriously address the political situation in a neighbouring country pointed out by the chairman of ZEC," he said.

Archbishop Bachenga said the bishops in the AMECEA region were saddened, like any other people, with the current situation in Zimbabwe.

"Human dignity and lives of our people can never be traded for political interests and inclinations. I believe your Excellency you are expected to travel today Saturday for the African Union (AU) Summit in Egypt...we are in solidarity with you and our fellow African leaders and you can be our messenger and assure them that we are praying for them and with them and we are calling for them as leaders in this continent to seriously deliberate on the Zimbabwean situation," said Bishop Bachenga. "It is so painful. It is so saddening, lives of the innocent citizen must be protected; Africa has suffered enough."
The AMECEA conference, which has attracted over 200 bishops, is being held up to July 6.

Labels: MWANAWASA, POLITICS, SATA

posted by MrK @ 3:43 AM