Kaunda calls for unity
By Fridah Nkonde
Tue 08 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT

DR Kenneth Kaunda says people should love one another regardless of tribe, race, or colour. And Northmead Assembly of God senior pastor Bishop Joshua Banda says the news that media houses have been subjecting Zambians to for the past 40 days is nauseating.

Meanwhile, Bishop Boniface Nkonde says Zambians should continue praying for the leaders because they pass through a lot of challenges. At an inter-denominational national prayer service in Lusaka on Sunday, Dr Kaunda called for national unity, saying Zambians were one.

"The Commandments say, 'love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Love your neighbour as you love yourself and do unto others the way you would want them to do unto you'. We should stop pointing fingers at each other to say 'he is this tribe, colour' or what. We should all love one another because we are all God's children," Dr Kaunda said.

"Your neighbour can be a woman, a boy but they are all His children. Whichever field we serve in, we should not preach hatred because of tribe, colour… we should always remember this commandment. If you are pointing fingers at each other because of tribe, colour, then you are questioning God's commandment," said Dr Kaunda.

And Bishop Banda, who is also Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) committee member, encouraged the media to stop publishing stories where people insult each other.

"We do not want to hear insults. The past 40 days have not been okay for the country. The news has been nauseating because the media have been publishing stories about people. Some are here and others are not. We will not follow you. The media have a responsibility to inform the nation but you should change the tempo of your message and stop the name-calling and labelling. As a church, we are determined that Zambia stays together. When people are insulting each other, don't write," Bishop Banda said.

He said there was also need for political leaders to stop issuing inflammatory statements.

Meanwhile, delivering his homily, Bishop Nkonde, who is also EFZ committee member, said there was need for Zambians to continue praying for the leaders.

"Each leader has direction to take people to a certain position, so we should continue praying for them," said Bishop Nkonde.