Maravi

Name the priests who had insulted Rupiah, Fr Mwewa challenges Kunda

Name the priests who had insulted Rupiah, Fr Mwewa challenges Kunda
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Thu 19 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

NDOLA Catholic Diocese treasurer Fr Augustine Mwewa has challenged Vice-President George Kunda to disclose the names of the Catholic priests who have insulted President Rupiah Banda.

And Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) president Bishop George Lungu said it has never been the policy of the Catholic Church to insult the Republican President or any government leader.

Commenting on Vice-President George Kunda's statement on a live programme on Sunday evening on Monze's Sky FM Radio that Catholic priests had joined the trade of insulting President Banda, going against the teaching of Jesus Christ and the Church about forgiveness and reconciliation, Fr Mwewa said he expected a person of Vice-President Kunda’s calibre to state which priest had insulted the President.

“He specified that priests from Ndola and at that diocese; it’s me and Fr Miha who appear in The Post because the state-owned media do not interview us. So what it means is that they get The Post and read and say priests are insulting the President. I have never insulted the President. If I speak out when I see something wrong, am I insulting the President? Let him prove that Catholic priests have insulted the President,” he asked.

He said he would continue speaking about issues as long as he saw something wrong in the way things were being done

“Am I insulting the President when I say that he is contradicting what the late president Levy Mwanawasa stood for?” Fr Mwewa asked. “We speak on behalf of the majority and it is unfortunate and unfair for the Vice-President to say what he said. I respect the President but if he is not performing to the people’s expectations, we will speak out. Why would I lose my dignity by insulting a big person like President Banda? Jesus Christ said we will face prosecution and this is not the first time,” he said.

Fr Mwewa said statements that the Task Force on Corruption was created for one person were totally wrong because there were many other cases that were prosecuted by the Task Force.
He said Vice-President Kunda was the one who had been changing positions on Chiluba.

On toning down their language, Fr Mwewa said he would not attack personalities and he could never reduce himself to that.

He said he would continue to speak out as a Zambian and if any other leader including Michael Sata or Hakainde Hichilema insulted or were not doing their work, he would still talk.

And Bishop Lungu said the Catholic Church and its leadership would not shy away from their duty of speaking on behalf on the silent poor.
"We will do this, even if it makes our political leadership uncomfortable. At the just-ended Second African Synod Meeting of Catholic Bishops in Rome, Italy (4th - 25th October), we resolved as African Bishops to redouble our efforts in engaging politicians and governments so that they can work for justice and peace," he said.

He said he recently mentioned in Chipata that it was indeed a great pity that the Catholic Church's relationship with the Zambian government was at its lowest ebb since the re-introduction of multiparty democracy in Zambia.
"As a country, we have many challenges in the field of health, education, agriculture and governance. We urge our politicians to rise to the occasion and for a change, listen to the aspirations of the people. It cannot be business as usual. Our people are suffering," he said.

Bishop Lungu said Vice-President Kunda was on record saying that that the government was funding mission hospitals.

"Let me remind government that the government is not doing the Church a favour by seconding personnel and giving funds to Catholic health institutions and schools. As a Church, we have built the infrastructure, sourced for doctors, teachers and medicines.

It is not too much to ask government to supplement our efforts, especially since our schools, health institutions, agricultural projects, our radios - all serve the Zambian people without discrimination of any sort. The money that this government gives us to run these institutions is our money: tax payers' money," Bishop Lungu said "Provision of health and education is a primary responsibility of government. We are saddened that sometimes, politicians speak as if this is not their role.

In fact, many times when government gives us funding, it is too little and is often too late."
He called for a conversion of hearts from especially Catholic politicians. Bishop Lungu said Catholic politicians had a duty to stand up for their faith, uphold their faith at all times and educate fellow politicians who may not know how the Catholic Church operated.

Bishop Lungu, in the same vein, called upon priests to courageously continue to preach justice and peace without fear. He, however, urged them to tone down their language.

"They should not imitate the language of politicians. The language of a priest and any Christian, for that matter, must be one that promotes dialogue. This, however, does not mean that the truth should be compromised.

Further, the Catholic leadership is aware of the many good politicians in government, and the many good priests who are working well with government," he said.

Bishop Lungu said Zambia had many challenges and problems but the potentials were greater. He said the Catholic Church was ready to cooperate with the government and with all other denominations and people of goodwill to apply the potentials for the good of the nation.

Bishop Lungu said the continued bickering in the nation only detracts the country from concentrating on issues of development.

"It also gives opportunity to our detractors to exploit the situation. As Catholic Bishops, we have recently resolved to meet the Republican President, Mr Rupiah Bwezani Banda soon. Possibly early next year, so that we can engage him in dialogue. Let us all be a people who enhance reconciliation, justice and peace at all times," said Bishop Lungu.

Labels: AUGUSTINE MWEWA, CATHOLIC CHURCH, GEORGE KUNDA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 1:39 PM