Don't use your positions to enrich yourselves
By The Post
Sun 04 Dec. 2011, 17:10 CAT
Bishop Alick Banda of the Catholic Diocese of Ndola has called on the new leaders in government not to use their positions to enrich themselves and their families like the previous MMD regime.
Bishop Banda has also urged our new leaders in government to deeply reflect on the plight of many poor people in our country.
This is a very important call that deserves to be heeded by all our new leaders in government. And the leadership of our Church cannot remain indifferent in the face of the tremendous social injustices existent in our country, which keep the majority of our people in dismal poverty, which in many cases becomes inhuman wretchedness.
A deafening cry pours from the throats of thousands or millions of men and women asking their pastors for a liberation that reaches them from nowhere else. Poverty, as a lack of the goods of this world necessary to live worthily as human beings, is in itself evil. The prophets denounce it as contrary to the will of the Lord and most of the time as the fruit of the human injustice and sin.
Against this background, it will be necessary to emphasise strongly that the example and teaching of Jesus, the anguished condition of millions of the people in our country place before our Church a challenge and a mission that it cannot sidestep and to which it must respond with a speed and boldness adequate to the urgency of the times.
Christ not only loved the poor, but rather "being rich he became poor," he lived in poverty. His mission centred on advising the poor of their liberation and he founded his church at the sign of that poverty among men and women. The poverty of so many brothers and sisters cries out for justice, solidarity, open witness, commitment, strength and exertion directed to the fulfillment of the redeeming mission to which it is committed by Christ.
A leadership that is corrupt, that only thinks of itself, that wants to enrich itself at the expense of the poor is a dangerous one and deserves to be repudiated and kicked out. It would be sad to see then new leadership start doing the crazy and selfish things we are seeing today - burying billions of kwacha when others do not have even a ngwee. When a system ceases to promote the common good and favours special interests, corrupt elements, the Church must not only denounce injustice but also break with the evil system. It must be prepared to work with another system that is more just and suited to the needs of the day.
Today, the world insistently calls for recognition of man's full dignity and for social equality among all. All persons of goodwill cannot but go along with this demand, with this call even if it means that they must give up their privileges and their personal fortunes for more equitable distribution in the social community.
The corruption and abuses of the previous regime calls on us to sharpen the awareness of our duty of solidarity with the poor to which charity leads us. This solidarity means that we make ours their problems and their struggles, that we know how to speak with them.
This has to be concretized in criticism of injustice, corruption and other abuses, in the struggle against the intolerable situation that a poor person often has to tolerate, in the willingness to dialogue with the groups responsible for that situation in order to make them understand their obligations. Human advancement has to be the goal of our action on behalf of the poor and it must be carried out in such a manner that we respect their personal dignity and teach them to help themselves.
Our church has a message for all persons in this country who hunger and thirsty after justice. The very God who creates human beings in the divine image and likeness, creates the earth and all that is in it for the use of all humans in such a way that created good can reach all in a more just manner, and gives them power to transform and perfect the world in solidarity.
It is the same God Who, in the fullness of time, sends the Son in the flesh, so that he might come to liberate all persons from the slavery to which sin had subjected them: hunger, misery, oppression and ignorance - in a word, that injustice and hatred which have their origin in human selfishness.
We join Bishop Banda in calling all persons of goodwill that they cooperate in truth, justice, love and liberty, in this transforming labour of our people, the dawn of a new era. We should unite ourselves with the life of all our people in the painful search for adequate solutions to their multiple problems.
The political leadership of our country must somehow get close to the poor, because only close experience will teach them the great magnitude of the problems that afflict the majority of our people. They must therefore reform the structures of government and indeed of their own political party so that such contact really takes place.
As long as our political leaders do not actually share the problems of the people - lack of basic necessities, insecurity, unemployment and so on and so forth - they cannot really identify with the joys and the hopes, the grief and the anxieties, of persons of this age, especially those who are poor.
The poverty situation is the product of unjust socio-economic structures. Our political leaders are members of a society that has taught us to look coldly on the impoverished plight of our fellow citizens. And this, in some way, explains the corruption and abuses we see every day. There are people who are getting from the state, through corruption, more than their fair share. The present situation in our country calls for some radical changes.
First and foremost, we must instill an attitude of service to society in our political leaders and a genuine concern for marginal groups. Our politicians must play a leading role in the transformation of the present-day society and in the wake of bettering the human condition. The epoch in which we are living is a critical moment in the history of our country. For this reason, we should give it absolute priority. We should participate, as best as we can, in the common quest of all for a freer, more just and more humane society.
We have no alternative. We must continue struggling, with the hope that the better world will become a reality - as it will, if we keep struggling. We should never renounce our dreams, our utopia for a more just, fair and humane society. Let's ensure that the material wealth of this country reaches all and should not be monopolised by a small group of people who are in power.
Moreover, political power must have as its aim the achievement of the common good. The best way to fulfill one's leadership obligations of justice and love is to contribute to the common good. We say this because the common good is the existence of the political, social and economic institutions. It enables people to express commitment and concern for each other as well as attain the fullness of love. Common good calls upon all persons to contribute and commit themselves to building a more just, fair and humane society for all.
And as Bishop Banda has correctly observed, "This makes our involvement in the fashioning of a better world, a better Zambia, ever more compelling. We have a duty and responsibility to cooperate with God to make a better world for that matter a better Zambia. We must not reign and fold our arms just waiting for a new world". Indeed, it is the duty of everyone of us to struggle for a better world, a better country, a more just and humane nation.
Labels: ALICK BANDA, CORRUPTION
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Zambians expectant of change in governance - Bishop Banda
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola and By Bright Mukwasa in Lusaka
Wed 28 Sep. 2011, 09:20 CAT
CATHOLIC Diocese of Ndola Bishop Dr Alick Banda says Zambians are expecting to see total change in governance and the upholding of democratic tenets by the PF government.
Meanwhile, Healing Word ministries pastor Moses Chiluba has advised President Michael Sata to speedily reinstate the abuse of office clause which was thrown out by MMD regime. In an interview, Bishop Banda said many people were happy that President Sata had won the elections and the change they wanted had come.
"But we appreciate that the former president Rupiah Banda tried his best. We have seen his efforts in the last three years that he was in office, but again when we look at the change which people wanted, it is a change to depart from old ways of governance, the old ways of doing things. We want to depart completely from old ways," he said.
"I am talking about the stifling of freedoms of individuals and if what we have seen in the recent past is what now is going to be associated with the PF government, then it simply shows that what we have done is only to change the name and not the system. We would love to see a change in totality in the way things are done, in the way we are going to live with one another."
Bishop Banda echoed President Sata's words during his inauguration that people may differ on ideas but that they should learn to live with one another.
He hoped that the same message would be inculcated in the PF cadres and that Zambians should love one another.
Asked if it was right for PF members to take revenge on MMD members, Bishop Banda said it would be wrong for people to take on vengeance as a way of life.
"In the scenario, in which we are, we may not be too sure whether it is the PF cadres that are beating up MMD cadres or it's just hooligans who are portraying that they are PF cadres, this is the reason the police and security forces should come in as soon as possible to stop this kind of situation. This is not what we wanted; we want to live in harmony and to love each other," he said. "But at the same time we need to have more freedom, freedom of information, freedom of speech and association, it's part and parcel of democracy."
Bishop Banda appreciated opposition political parties for the role of offering checks and balances.
"Without the opposition, we are going to have one party state system and this is not what we want. With the ruling government, we expect more because we have lived in a one party state. We would like to see democracy in action, not in word, we would like to see more of democracy being expressed, not necessarily in word, we want to see it in action," he said.
Bishop Banda said the PF government had a big task ahead of it because a lot of people, especially youths, were expectant.
"When you look at our country it is full of youths, youths who are expectant, youths who don't have employment, youths who don't have school and college places, so it means the new government has a lot to do to abet the situation," he said.
He advised the new government to secure employment for young people and provide education facilities.
"It is sad to see that school and university leavers are on the streets and when you see how many people went to vote, the majority were young people, which in itself is saying volumes," he said.
Bishop Banda said the Catholic Church was not calling for change of government but for good governance to take care of the minority, the marginalised and the poor in society.
"When you go round especially here in Kabushi where we are, you will find that the sanitation is not good, no proper accommodation and water. I know that the PF government will not be able to solve all these problems at once, but we have been promised that in 90 days things will be okay, the clock is ticking, it's now 88 days remaining, we are counting down," he said.
And Pastor Chiluba said President Sata was a representation of an exceptional leader propelled by endurance and patience.
He said the abuse of office clause was well-meant and was an effective mechanism to protect abuse of national resources.
Pastor Chiluba said he knew President Sata as a visionary leader from the days he interacted with him.
He said he knew President Sata as a strong believer in Biblical terms and as person who always looked to God in his life.
He said without belittling any past presidents, he knew President Sata as a leader with vision.
"In 1996 Sata called me and told me ‘pray for me Pastor I want to be president of Zambia someday,' and he said that he will be president of this country someday," recounted pastor Chiluba.
He said some people had tried to frustrate his vision but eventually it had come true at God's best time.
Labels: ACC, ALICK BANDA, GOVERNANCE, PF
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Stand by the poor, Bishop Banda advises priests
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Mon 08 Aug. 2011, 12:00 CAT
CATHOLIC priests have an obligation to stand by the poor and to share the glory of God with them, says Bishop Alick Banda. Speaking in his homily when he ordained nine deacons as priests at St John’s convent in Kitwe, Bishop Banda urged the new priests to work towards restoring hope in the lives of many people and sustaining the Christian faith.
Bishop Banda said true men of God must always be ready to sacrifice everything to serve people diligently and always uphold the dignity and sanctity of priesthood.
“In your execution of priestly duties, refuse to bow to popular dictates but what you know inwardly to be right. Share the glory of God with the priestly zeal and help people to enrich their faith in Christ,” Bishop Banda.
He said clergymen must act with boldness on various issues that affected the people.
Bishop Banda said the newly ordained priests must be exemplary in their pastoral works and must work hard to inspire Christian communities to draw closer to God.
“Our faith in Christ is deep-rooted and our prayers must go towards sustaining the faith. I urge you to help the faithful to liberate themselves from the burdens of everyday life. We are all invited to leave the treasures of the earth, to work for God and to find particular closeness with him,” Bishop Banda said.
He said with the many challenges facing the nation and the world at large and as many people seek success, riches and power, the Church had the responsibility to intensify the proclamation of the Gospel and to make people understand that it was only God who could satisfy the deepest needs of people.
Labels: ALICK BANDA, POVERTY
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A choice between life and death
By The Post
Thu 23 June 2011, 16:20 CAT
Alick Banda, bishop of the Ndola Catholic diocese, never ceases to inspire
us with his deep thoughts and reflections on many issues that affect our
country and our people.
Today, Bishop Banda is saying: “This radical love that God has given us
entails making the world a better place for all of us to live in. We
should endeavour to leave the world a better place than we found it.
Please endeavour to create peace and justice.” This takes us to the point
we made a few days ago in our comment on the death of Frederick Chiluba
about an old Rabbinic teaching, a beautiful one, that just before a person
dies, an angel comes to him from Heaven and asks the vital question: “Tell
me, is the world a better place because of your life which is about to
end? Is the world a better place because of the efforts you exerted? Is
the world a better place because you were around?” We are here on earth as
pilgrims, on our journey towards Heaven. Having come from the hands of God
the Creator, we have to return to His presence.
All our wisdom consists in identifying and following the path that leads to Heaven. But how many deceptions! Wide is the way that leads to perdition, and many enter into it. Narrow is the path that leads to Heaven and few take it! (Matt 7: 13 – 14). God, Jesus Christ, and the Church cry out to us: “You have in front of you the way of life and the way of death; choose therefore life.” (Dt
30: 19).
But meanwhile, how many times is repeated what Dante narrates about
himself: “In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself in a
dark forest as the straight path had disappeared.”
To make ourselves good!
To make ourselves saints! This does not only mean to receive Holy
Communion or to make long prayers; it means to live by faith in Jesus
Christ, to live virtuously in Jesus Christ, to live by love for Jesus
Christ, to be zealous in knowing, imitating and loving Jesus Christ.
Long prayer is not enough if it does not bring us to Christian life; faith
is not sufficient if there are no virtues; it is not enough to be good if
we don’t do good. In order that we be Christians, completes religious, let
there be in us a true unity – life that corresponds to faith; piety that
obtains the faith and the good life: faith, life and piety that result in
zeal.
Three kinds of enemies continually try to make us stray from the right
path: the world, the devil and the passions. The world deceives us by its
corrupted maxims and by forming around us an atmosphere of bad example.
The devil operates specially by exciting our passions and fantasies. And
then the chief enemy is within us; it is the passions. The passions are by
themselves neither good nor bad; they are an occasion and strength for
evil or for good, depending on whether they are governed by reason and
faith, or let loose without any control. The passions are a great army,
and it would be really difficult to correct, to control and guide them all
at the same time.
Human life is a continuous battle on earth. Therefore, fight like good
soldiers of Christ. None will be crowned except the one who fights in the
lawful manner. “I have fought the good fight; for the rest there is laid
up for me a crown of justice” (2 Tim 4: 7 - 8). These are the texts which
should take the lead in the present consideration.
Life is a battle, and in this battle, there are those who fight like ordinary soldiers, there are the captains represented by the priests, and there is the forward sentry represented by the religious. There are also the deserters who,
tired and lacking in confidence, flee the arena; there are the shirkers
who, under a thousand pretexts, hide themselves; and finally there are
those who idly stand watching, applauding or sneering. There are also the
traitors who take the enemy’s side.
Let us pray that the Lord may give strength and courage, so that all can
conquer and on that day of the final triumph can be with Jesus Christ. He
will be the head of the chosen ones, head of his victorious army, and will
gloriously enter Heaven. Far behind the conqueror will come, covered with
shame, the traitors, the deserters. Life is a battle, and the day of
universal judgment will be the culmination.
As we have stated before, the name Christian means: like Christ, follower
of Christ. Now, Jesus Christ was humble, most pure, poor, meek. How can
his disciple and imitator be proud, dishonest, greedy, corrupt, tyranical?
Alexander the Great once said to a soldier who also had the same name but
was sluggish, mean and cowardly: “Either you change your name or you
change your behaviour.”
The humble person will draw all behind him; the proud man will alienate
all: he desired praise from all, and in consequence is now gathering
contempt from all. It is always true that he who humbles himself will be
exalted and he who exalts himself will be humbled (Matt 23: 12).
With humility, one progresses in one’s proper office; with pride, one remains
empty. The proud one is an unreasonable person, and therefore is buried
under the weight of one’s own ego. The glutton, the corrupt has in himself
his own punishment.
Gluttony and corruption kills more than does the
sword. The glutton and corrupt realises that he is a mean and trivial
person; the spirit of God cannot dwell in him. He will never have high and
noble aspirations. He will crawl on the earth, and will be a worshipper of
his own belly. On the other hand, a mortified person enjoys true freedom:
he eats to live and lives to serve God and others.
A sensual person shortens his life: he does not end the satisfaction that already begins the degradation, and the prick of remorse kills the body which the person would like to satisfy. The consequences are: blindness of the mind,
inconstancy, heedlessness and particularly the fear of death and the
horror of eternity which stick to the bones and accompany the person to
the tomb.
Therefore, either conquer, or be among the conquered: the victorious
person enjoys a great peace in his heart; the conquered person is in
continuous pain. The victorious person enjoys the esteem of people; the
defeated person is despised.
Let us enter the battle like David against Goliath: one of the two should
win. The duel is till the last, up to bloodshed; there is no middle way.
“What accord had Christ with Belial?” (2 Cor 6: 15).
And Bishop Banda tells us that it would be meaningless if those who called
themselves Christian leaders treated the less privileged with injustice
and do not use their positions to help the voiceless and down-trodden in
society. He says that humankind today is surrounded by uncertainty and
needs guidance from religious leaders. “People want hope in the midst of
despair; refrain from acts of corruption and oppression, including
bribery.
To be co-creators entails to take care of our natural resources
and ensure human life benefits from our leadership, especially the less
privileged…it is sad that we pride ourselves in our weaknesses. In the
world full of corruption of the mind and behaviours, it calls for
sanctification.” This is what Bishop Banda tells us. Truly, we have made a
virtue of our inadequacies.
Time for small thinking is over. We shouldn’t allow those who lead us to get away with clichéd catechisms which tempt all who become part of an apparatus. We shouldn’t tolerate hypocrisy and humbug. Truly, this country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless it’s a good place for all of us to live in.
Let’s reflect and meditate deeply on Bishop Banda’s homily and try to make our country a better place for all of us to live in and, when the time comes, to die in.
Labels: ALICK BANDA, CATHOLIC CHURCH, POVERTY
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Leaders should use their positions to help the voiceless - Bishop Banda
By Darious Kapembwa in Kitwe
Fri 24 June 2011, 04:30 CAT
NDOLA Catholic Diocese Bishop Alick Banda says leaders must use their positions to help the voiceless and downtrodden in society. Bishop Banda said the love of God would be meaningless if those who called themselves Christian leaders treated the less privileged with injustice.
“This radical love that God has given us, entails making the world a better place for all of us to live in. We should endeavour to leave the world a better place than we found it.
Please endeavour to create peace and justice,” said Bishop Banda in his homily during mass at Kitwe’s Sacred Heart Parish on Sunday.
He said humankind today was surrounded by uncertainty and people needed guidance from religious leaders.
“People want hope in the midst of despair; refrain from acts of corruption and oppression including bribery. To be co-creators entails to take care of our natural resources and ensure human life benefits from our leadership, especially the less privileged,” he said.
Bishop Banda said Christians were also invited as co-creators to liberate the people out of ignorance.
“Liberate our brothers from fear of the unknown, fear of doing business for fear of being called Satanists. We have to collaborate in removing fear because fear undermines success. Let us cultivate the culture of recognition of the good works. At least let us learn to say thank you,” said Bishop Banda.
“It is sad that we pride ourselves in our weaknesses. In the world full of corruption of the mind and behaviours, it calls for sanctification.”
Labels: ALICK BANDA, POVERTY
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Is it really a family feud?
By The Post
Mon 25 Apr. 2011, 04:00 CAT
The bells that were tolling on Bishop Paul Duffy and Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu are now tolling on Bishop Alick Banda. What is his crime? Criticising Rupiah Banda’s decree to write off outstanding payments from those who had been offered to purchase parastatal and government houses on the Copperbelt.
Bishop Banda dismissed Rupiah’s decree as an election gimmick to win votes. Rupiah says he is surprised that his own relative, Bishop Banda, can condemn him for writing off tenants’ debts.
He thinks there could be a family feud between them from the village.
Rupiah says he finds this very strange coming from his own bishop, his own brother, somebody he knows very well from his family. He says “…
Family feuds sometimes are worse than when people are fighting who don’t know each other”.
This is not a family feud. Bishop Banda is not a family bishop, he is a bishop of the Catholic Church in charge of the Diocese of Ndola.
Bishop Banda is not representing his village and relatives in this very important position he occupies in the Catholic Church in general and the Diocese of Ndola in particular.
Bishop Banda is one of the top leaders of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics and of the over four million Catholics in Zambia.
Clearly, Bishop Banda’s obligations to the 1.2 billion Catholics, who include over four million Zambians, take precedence over loyalty to his village members, to his family and relatives.
Of course, this may be difficult for Rupiah to understand because for him, everything is based on nepotism, on wako ni wako.
One who has a village mentality, an attitude of nepotism, regionalism or tribalism cannot be fit to be a Catholic bishop.
It would actually be criminal on Bishop Banda’s part to let things slide for the sake of a personal relationship with Rupiah when he has clearly gone wrong, and refrain from principled argument because he comes from the same village as him, he is a relative, a fellow tribesman, or to touch on the matter lightly instead of going into it thoroughly, so as to keep on good terms with Rupiah, a relative.
The result of this would be that both the organisation and the individual would be harmed.
It wouldn’t be right for Bishop Banda to say nothing on this issue while knowing perfectly well what is wrong.
These things are happening in Bishop Banda’s diocese.
And it wouldn’t be right for him to hear incorrect views, ideas being expressed without rebutting them, but instead take them calmly as if nothing had happened.
Rupiah may seem to be doing something very good by writing off those debts, but in reality, he is harming the interests of the masses, he is planting seeds of corruption and arbitrariness in the use of power.
It would be strange on Bishop Banda’s part to see someone harming the interests of the masses and yet not feel indignant, or dissuade or stop him or reason with him, but allow him to continue.
What Rupiah is doing is not new.
These are the methods and corrupt practices of his political advisor and consultant Frederick Chiluba.
If Rupiah is honest with himself and others, he will not deny that he is doing this as part of his campaign strategy to win votes on the Copperbelt.
But we know Rupiah has problems telling the truth; he lives by telling lies.
What he is doing amounts to abuse of power and public resources to win himself personal votes.
But is this the way public resources should be used or abused?
We all want to see our people live well, own houses but not in a corrupt way. Everything has to be done in an honest and truthful manner.
It is clear that Rupiah doesn’t tolerate, welcome or accept criticism.
To agree with everything that he says is divine, but to disagree is hatred, feud and so on and so forth.
Look at the way Rupiah has set his minions and the state-owned media he controls on Bishop Banda for simply expressing his view on a matter of great public interest, a matter involving public assets and resources.
Rupiah wants this decision of his, this act of his to go unquestioned. Why?
This is supposed to be a democracy where citizens have the right to question the decisions and actions of those holding public office.
Every one of us has to support Rupiah, has to belong to him or be condemned. Rupiah is not even ashamed to attribute hatred or enmity where it may not exist.
In fact, Rupiah has no regard for the patriotism of his critics, probably unless they happen to die. Criticism per se is non-existent in Rupiah’s world of power. Anything else is destructive.
Opposition to Rupiah is an expression of hate, feud and not pure disagreement.
Yet it is quite true that acceptance of criticism implies the highest respect for human ideal, and that its denial suggests a conscious or unconscious lack of humanity on Rupiah’s part.
Rupiah is today, in several ways, dissuading many people from criticism. First, he makes loud pronouncements against critics and criticism – calling them all sorts of names, and accusing them of all sorts of things.
In addition to this, he resorts to unleashing his minions and cadres on his critics, harassing and intimidating them.
What is distinctly lacking in Rupiah and his minions is a culture of tolerance and humility which places the humanity of others before self and accepts that all citizens have a right to participate in the shaping of their destiny directly without fear of reprisal, harassment or intimidation.
It is negative conservatism to assume and believe that any one political party or leader can ever have the final and perpetual solution to all problems facing our country.
Such conservatism has no existential basis.
We know why Rupiah fears and hates criticism. It is simply because he thinks that honest criticism will undermine his hold on power.
And because of this, he doesn’t want to hear any such criticism.
But there can be no doubt, of course, that criticism is good for people and institutions that are part of public life.
No institution or public office should expect to be free from the scrutiny of those who give it their loyalty and support, not to mention those who don’t. If criticism is valid, it should be made.
Honest leaders cannot fear criticism because the truth is on their side.
It is not wise to reject criticism and opt for unprincipled peace which gives rise to nothing but a decadent, philistine attitude and brings about political degeneration.
If there are shortcomings, we shouldn’t be afraid to have them pointed out and criticised because this is in the interest of the people.
Anyone, no matter who, may point out shortcomings. If they are right, the shortcomings should be corrected.
If what is being proposed by the critic will benefit the people, it should be acted upon.
There is no need for Rupiah to take everything personal.
What is at stake here is not a personal thing or issue.
The issues under discourse are bigger than Rupiah as an individual.
Yes, Rupiah may look at things this way because to him, power is something personal, something to be enjoyed and for which he should be patronised.
What Rupiah should realise is that it is folly for anyone to personalise matters pertaining to the state apparatus.
Today more and more people are coming up to criticise him and to openly disagree with the way he is governing the affairs of our country.
Rupiah won’t be able to stop or intimidate everyone into silence or into complicity in the crimes of his league. What is happening is unstoppable and cannot be wished away.
More and more of our citizens will join the voices of Bishop Banda and others. Rupiah needs to change his ways or the Zambian people will change him.
Labels: ALICK BANDA, CATHOLIC CHURCH, PAUL DUFFY
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Rupiah wants to please voters with free houses, says Bishop Banda
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola and Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Mon 18 Apr. 2011, 04:02 CAT
The decision by President Rupiah Banda to write off outstanding balances on housing units on the Copperbelt is an act of desperation, says Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Alick Banda.
In his homily during Palm Sunday celebrations at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Bishop Banda said the decision by the government to write off the balances was an election campaign gimmick for the ruling MMD.
Bishop Banda said the MMD was pleasing people in the run-up to the elections because it wanted to retain government power at all costs.
“They want to please people by giving them these housing units for free because they want votes but it is difficult to win back the minds of the people if they have already decided that they want change,”Bishop Banda said.
He said if people on the Copperbelt had decided that they wanted change of government nothing would happen.
Bishop Banda said first Republican president Dr Kenneth Kaunda tried to make moves to win support in 1991 when people had already made their minds that they wanted change and nothing happened.
“Kaunda tried to do the same in 1991 it failed; Chiluba did the same when he attempted to go for a third term bid - it also failed because people wanted change. The current government is doing the same by giving people houses and other things but it will not help them if people want change,” Bishop Banda said.
He said the suffering of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection should unite the Church.
Bishop Banda said Christians must be inspired by the work of Jesus Christ who stood for the poor and preached the gospel for the emancipation of mankind.
During a press briefing at Hotel Edinburgh in Kitwe on Saturday, President Banda directed that all outstanding balances on over 3,386 housing units on the Copperbelt be written off and sitting tenants be given letters of sale.
President Banda said the MMD home ownership policy was not meant to punish people through exorbitant pricing of houses.
“It is meant to empower people and not shackle them as they move towards prosperity and with immediate effect all outstanding balances owed by sitting tenants intending to buy houses should be written off and I direct the Commissioner of Lands to expedite the issuance of title deeds because my government wants to provide all Zambians with security and stability they should have by right,” said President Banda.
Earlier during the official commissioning of a mini-hospital in Ndeke Village and launching of mobile hospital units on the Copperbelt, President Banda said he has become ‘deaf’ in order to stop listening to insults uttered by opposition parties that want to distract his eyes off the ball (elections).
“They will not manage and if I were to listen to these distractions, I would not have done these achievements and the money we are earning as revenue from copper is being used to build hospitals and schools and roads rehabilitation which I will soon launch here on the Copperbelt even if opposition parties say I am campaigning but development should not suffer and my government will continue working,” he said.
Labels: ALICK BANDA, RUPIAH BANDA
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Catholics to conduct PVT
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola and Chibaula Silwamba in Lusaka
Fri 18 Mar. 2011, 11:10 CAT
THE Catholic Church is advocating the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) and will stand by it, says Ndola Diocese Bishop Alick Banda. CARITAS Zambia has said President Rupiah Banda’s position on PVT has revealed that either his legal advisors are incompetent or he does not listen to their advice.
Launching the 2010-2012 elections strategy at the Diocese in Ndola yesterday, Bishop Banda said there was nothing criminal about the PVT.
“If we have the PVT in place, it is going to answer all the questions that people have over elections. I don’t see anything criminal about the PVT. We are going to dialogue with government and stakeholders so that when we come to the election days, issues should be clear,” he said.
Bishop Banda said the Catholic Church was not going to take over the running of the elections but that the Church would work with established institutions to make sure those underhand methods such as dribbling, rigging, manipulation and intimidations were not there.
“The 2010-2012 election strategy is an initiative of the Catholic Church in Zambia in line with the Church’s resolve to actively participate in contributing to the attainment of a credible electoral process,” he said. “You will agree with me that in Africa in general, Zambia in particular, we suffer from unclear electoral processes that cast a dark cloud on free and just elections, underhand methods such as dribbling, rigging and manipulation and intimidation are not uncommon,”
Bishop Banda said the notion that the Church should busy itself with incense and votive candle or better retire in the sacristy showed only parsimonious (lack of generosity) of those who champion such a cause because electoral decisions, good or bad equally affected the Church which was part of the community of Zambia.
Bishop Banda said as the Church, they did not seek political power or control but the opportunity to intensify, argue, protest or affirm something adding that the Church was playing its part in the public debates of the society.
He said the 2010-2012 election strategy was an attempt to provide a transparent, credible, and a non-partisan electoral process to complement the government system.
The Bishop said strategy would include dialogue on electoral policies, the legal framework and electoral-related procedures.
He said elections strategy would endeavour to lobby and advocate for a meaningful and comprehensive participation of all stakeholders in the electoral cycle (pre-voting, voting and post voting periods).
“The Catholic Church of Ndola has so far managed to monitor the issuance of National Registration Cards (NRC) and voter registration exercises. I am glad to note that our parishioners have to obtain NRCs and register as voters,” he said.
Bishop Banda hoped that the Church would contribute towards bringing about credible, free and just elections and subsequently usher in an authentic democracy which respects constitutionalism.
And commenting on President Banda’s criminal offence threats against advocates of PVT, Caritas Zambia executive director Sam Mulafulafu said it was extremely embarrassing for President Banda to threaten that tabulating and computing results already announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is a criminal offence. He was convinced that either government had very incompetent legal advisors or those being advised choose not to listen to their technocrats.
“It is difficult to fathom how our President can make such a legally incorrect statement in the presence of our very senior judges who also seem to find it convenient to keep quiet even when they know that the President was wrong,” stated Mulafulafu in a press release. “No wonder ECZ chairperson justice Ireen Mambilima refused to comment on the statement, categorically stating that she is not the legal advisor to government. My interpretation of her statement is that she did not want to be associated to the falsehood and politically convenient statements.”
Mulafulafu said when he was FODEP president, during the tenure of both judge Bobby Bwalya and justice Mambilima as ECZ chairpersons,they carried out the PVT.
“The President must be sincere in his criminalisation of the PVT. It is common knowledge that his own party, the MMD, will tally results as forwarded by the party agents from polling station all over the country. It is, in fact, folly for any political party participating in the elections not to place agents at polling stations and tally results,” said Mulafulafu.
Labels: ALICK BANDA, CARITAS, VOTERIGGING
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Chiluba is a cadre, shouldn’t get his benefits - Bishop Banda
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Sun 28 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
CATHOLIC Dioceses of Ndola Bishop Alick Banda has called on all Zambians not to allow former president Frederick Chiluba to receive his presidential allowances because he has become a cadre engaged in politics.
And Bishop Banda said Zambia needs leaders who are going to deliver and improve the economy and not leaders who just insult themselves in the press.
“My advice to Dr Chiluba is that ‘let us observe the rule of law’. There was a law that was put that former presidents are not supposed to involve themselves in politics because their allowances will not be given to them. This was done by Dr Chiluba,” Bishop Banda said.
“Do not change goalposts to suit your situation, Dr Chiluba’s allowance should not be given to him because he has become a cadre and our courts should come in, people should make sure that he is stopped.”
And commenting on Chiluba and opposition party PF president Sata attacking each other in the press, Bishop Banda said both Chiluba and Sata were mature people who needed to dialogue rather than insulting each other.
“My advice to Chiluba and Sata is that they should dialogue. These two are leaders and if they have issues with each other, they don’t need to attack each other in the press. What they need is to dialogue, our future leaders look up to them and it is not good for them to insult each other,” Bishop Lungu said.
“We only have one Zambia. And as leaders we should know how to behave. This country needs to be developed and in the next elections, we want leaders who are going to perform and not leaders who are just going to give people empty promises.”
Bishop Banda said many towns on the Copperbelt were in bad shape saying that Mufulira had become a big shanty compound.
Bishop Banda said he was interested in leaders who were going to develop the country’s economy by building good schools, hospitals and improve the roads and not leaders who want people to vote for them so that they can be in power to enrich themselves.
Labels: ALICK BANDA, CATHOLIC CHURCH, CHILUBA, RUPIAH BANDA
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