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Fr Bwalya denounces Kunda’s reaction to pastoral letter

Fr Bwalya denounces Kunda’s reaction to pastoral letter
Written by Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 9:11:41 AM

RADIO Icengelo station manager Fr Frank Bwalya has described Vice-President George Kunda's reaction to the Pastoral Letter issued by Roman Catholic bishops last week as childish. Reacting to Vice-President Kunda's criticism of the pastoral letter, Fr Bwalya said no well-meaning Zambian would believe that the Catholic Church were influenced by a political party in raising the issues they did.

"The issues that the bishops raised accurately describe the dilemma that Zambians face today. In Chibemba there is a saying to the effect that the person who refuses to be advised embarrasses himself or herself. I can see that the MMD is on the verge of being embarrassed due to their refusal to listen," he said.

Fr Bwalya stated that it was fallacious for the government to accuse the Catholic Church of conniving with a political party to criticise it.

"I know that some people in government argue that the Catholic Church is influenced by Patriotic Front merely on the basis that both refused to participate in the NCC," he stated. "The facts are that the Catholic Church refused to go to the NCC as part of a group of other church organisations and civil society. The concerned church organisations and civil society organisations that refused to participate in the NCC gave their reasons. Unfortunately government failed to build consensus and decided to go ahead without these equally important stakeholders. As such, it is fallacious for government to accuse the Catholic Church of conniving with a political party to criticise government. Apart from the issues regarding the NCC can government justify its clearly childish accusation?"

Fr Bwalya reminded Zambians that this was not the first time the Catholic Church was being accused of siding with a political party.

"I have no doubt that the Catholic bishops are used to these kinds of accusations and I know that they will not even reply to the accusation because they know that the people know the truth," Fr Bwalya stated. "The MMD has conveniently decided to forget that UNIP accused the Church of supporting the MMD in 1990. At that time people were hungry for change and were fed-up with UNIP. Today again Zambians are fed-up with the corruption of the MMD and they want change. So paradoxically someone can say it is normal for the MMD to behave the way they have done over this issue. But it is still childish."

He advised the Catholic Church to devise ways of ensuring wide dissemination of the Pastoral Letter to a wider section of the Zambian population.

"Translating the Pastoral Letter in as many local languages as possible is vital. Moreover, the material should be used for discussion in small Christian communities and other fora alongside in-depth analyses using various media so that people can judge for themselves whether the response of the government is mature," he suggested.

Fr Bwalya urged the bishops to continue talking about the issues they had raised and defend their wise and prudent position regarding pertinent issues before Zambia heads in the wrong direction.

"I am not a spokesperson of the Catholic Church but I am a Catholic like Vice-President George Kunda and I have a right to defend my church and other churches including organisations and private individuals that I think are doing the right thing in pointing out routes out of the current desperation that confronts our country. On the other side, Mr George Kunda has a right to defend the corruption and failures of his government. But Zambians have never been stupid idiots contrary to what someone thought in the past. So they will judge for themselves," he stated.

Fr Bwalya pledged to engage Zambians of goodwill and establish their thoughts on the government's response to the Catholic bishops' Pastoral Letter.

"This will be a kind of opinion poll to rate the MMD government at a time when it is clear that they are becoming more childish and paranoid in their response to issues, including some very basic issues," stated Fr Bwalya. "I believe that a government that refuses to listen to the people it is supposed to govern has no moral authority to preside over the affairs of its people. Such a government should be disowned by all Zambians of goodwill."

Catholic bishops over a week ago issued a Pastoral Letter in which they called for integrity and raised concern over corruption in the government, the mutilation of the Mung'omba draft constitution by the NCC, the job losses and lack of clear policies in view of the global economic recession among other issues. However, Vice-President Kunda accused the Church, in Parliament, of having formed an alliance with opposition political parties while information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha dismissed the observations.

Labels: FRANK BWALYA, GEORGE KUNDA

posted by MrK @ 9:11 AM