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Fr Bwalya deplores Rupiah’s failure to condemn Munkombwe

Fr Bwalya deplores Rupiah’s failure to condemn Munkombwe
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Thursday, November 20, 2008 3:37:51 AM

THE failure by President Rupiah Banda and the MMD to condemn Daniel Munkombwe's utterances on the Church is an indication that they do not see anything wrong with his clearly irresponsible and dangerous utterances, Radio Icengelo station manager Fr Frank Bwalya has said.

And Mission Press director Fr Miha Drevensek described Munkombwe's statement on the Church as that of a very shallow politician who understands nothing on the role of the Church in society.

Commenting on the statement by Southern Province minister Munkombwe that some Church leaders were being arrested because they were becoming political agents of genocide, Fr Bwalya said the utterances should be seen as part of the MMD government's ploy to demonise the Catholic Church so that people could hate and shun it.

"I believe that Munkombwe was re-nominated as member of parliament and re-appointed Southern Province minister so that he can continue to do dirty work for the MMD. Many people in Zambia know why the government has embarked on such a futile propaganda project," Fr Bwalya said. "It is because the Catholic Church has spoken out on the rotten laws that Zambia has which continue to give birth to fraudulent elections and other corrupt activities. Knowing that the presidential elections we just had left a lot to be desired, the Catholic Church has not congratulated Rupiah Banda on his election as fourth Republican President."

Fr Bwalya described Munkombwe's reaction to the Church's stance on elections as cheap propaganda, which he said represented the ruling party's position.

He said if this were not the case, the MMD government would have already asked him to apologise and retract his statement and throw it into a rubbish bin where it belongs.

"As a matter of fact his statement does not even deserve to belong to his heart because as a human being, his conscience should be the sanctuary of truth and goodness.

“It is also true that our current minority government is very uncomfortable with criticism and is not ready to accommodate or tolerate people and organisations with divergent views," he said.

Fr Bwalya said in their poverty of thinking, the MMD government believed that by using clearly foolish accusations they could make people with independent minds abandon their convictions for fear of being misunderstood.

He said this was a form of inducement that Zambians were familiar with and easily recognise when it shows its ugly head.

Fr Bwalya said his arrest had nothing to do with promoting genocide but had everything to do with a scared government that resorts to using the police to suppress critical voices.

"Munkombwe needs to know that the riots on the Copperbelt were caused by my arrest and not what I said. This explains why when the police released me, they asked me to go to the radio and calm the people by telling them that I was free and well," he said. "People from all walks of life protested my arrest and they are still annoyed about my arrest because they recognise my voice as their own voice, expressing their disappointment with the rotten laws that we continue to hang on to in our country."

He said Munkombwe should also be educated that the people who rioted in Kitwe did not target fellow human beings.

Fr Bwalya said some people were injured but not as a result of being targets.

He said the target was mealie meal, which some people looted and other commodities.

"Ofcourse the police were targeted in Chimwemwe compound because it was clear that they arrested me. I must categorically state that I condemn targeting innocent police officers who arrested me under orders from above. I commend them for treating me in a humane manner and sympathise with them because they are also victims of the rotten laws," Fr Bwalya said.

And Fr Miha said Zambians knew very well the source of their problems and that they did not blame their own brothers and sisters that supported the current regime.

"They do not blame any tribe for their problems. Of course many blame opposition political parties for splitting votes. Against this background, I urge the Church, civil society and all Zambians not to allow anyone to take away their God-given and constitutional right to free expression," he said. "We should not allow misguided accusations and cheap propaganda to make us abandon our critical voice. Zambia needs it more than ever before."

Fr Miha said the Church could never separate body from the soul.

"How can I as a preacher give news to a hungry and sick person? How can I preach good news to the sick and hungry because it is bad news when it is wrong policies preparing bad news for the people?" Fr Miha asked. "So who promised before the election to give 50 pin [K50,000] for fertiliser? Who promised people ubunga [mealie-meal]? Who promised a better life? Was it Fr Frank Bwalya or the MMD campaigners? Now who is cheating the nation? Is it the one who is not fulfilling his promises or is it the one who tells them 'you are cheating when you are telling people'?"

Fr Miha asked if the Copperbelt would get better roads now.

"Was it not Dr [Kenneth] Kaunda who last graded the roads on the Copperbelt? MMD never did anything. Who is guilty for that? How many billions of dollars are being taken through the sweat of the miners work? Look at our roads, health service. Look at our schools; can the miners who sweat ask where their sweat is going?" Fr Miha asked.

He said the Church had a prophetic role to let the voice of the poor be heard.

Fr Miha wondered why Fr Bwalya's rights were being suppressed in a Christian nation.

However, he said no one could suppress the truth, as it would come out sooner than later.

Fr Miha said Munkombwe should publicly apologise in Parliament to the Church and the people if he wanted his sin of insulting the truth to be forgiven.

On Friday, Munkombwe told Parliament in apparent reference to the recent arrest of Fr Bwalya that some Church leaders were being arrested for being political agents of genocide.

Labels: DANIEL MUNKOMBWE, FRANK BWALYA, RADIO ICENGELO

posted by MrK @ 3:40 AM