Maravi

Spaita urges continuation of Levy's development agenda

Spaita urges continuation of Levy's development agenda
By Mwala Kalaluka
Monday September 01, 2008 [04:00]

KASAMA Catholic Archbishop James Spaita has observed that late President Levy Mwanawasa contributed greatly to the country's development. And Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) president Bishop George Lungu said President Mwanawasa was a father and shepherd who tried his best to serve God and the nation during his presidency.

Delivering a sermon during the Requiem Mass for the late President at the Lusaka Show grounds yesterday, Archbishop Spaita said the best way to remember President Mwanawasa was to complete the works he would have wanted complete had he lived on.

"Very often those that God has placed in high positions have the heaviest burden to bear," Archbishop Spaita told the congregants.

"There is no doubt that the late President had a share of problems and difficulties as he guided the nation, but we have to pay tribute to him because during these years, he contributed greatly to the development of the nation."

Archbishop Spaita said President Mwanawasa intimated to him before he left for Egypt, where he suffered the stroke that claimed his life that he was not feeling very well.

"Naturally, he would have excused himself from attending that meeting, but he went and that is a very good lesson for those in high positions," he said. "We are public servants, people should not be made to suffer because of our laziness and lame excuses."

Archbishop Spaita further said that the Roman Catholic Church in the country was in solidarity with the rest of the nation in expressing their best form of gratitude to God for having enabled President Mwanawasa to lead Zambia.

"I know in Zambia we would ask a question as to why is it that a President who was not that very old should be taken away from us?" Archbishop Spaita observed. "Who are we to question God's decision? The Lord gave him to us, the Lord has taken him back to Himself."

He urged the nation to ensure that politics of hatred and division did not find their way into the political arena.

"Politics of hate and divisions should be the thing of the past but love should unite us despite our differences," Archbishop Spaita said. "All we need to do as Christians is continue believing in the love of God Almighty as we serve the nation at various levels."

And Bishop Lungu in his opening remarks said that President Mwanawasa had contributed greatly to the sustenance of peace and stability in the nation.

"We thank God for the gift of our late President and may God forgive him all his shortcomings," prayed Bishop Lungu.

Labels: JAMES SPAITA MWEWA, MWANAWASA, NEOLIBERALISM

posted by MrK @ 3:57 PM