Fr Mpasa encourages more pro-poor policies
By Henry Sinyangwe
Sat 16 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
CATHOLIC Church Vicar General for Mansa Fr Mambwe Mpasa has implored leaders to have the wellbeing of the people at heart. Commenting on chief Madzimawe of the Ngoni people of Eastern Province who recently expressed concern at the widening gap between the rich and the poor, Fr Mpasa said it was saddening that the gap was so wide.
He said there was need to encourage pro-poor policies to address the challenges facing the majority of the population which was poor.
"So I think if the government would come up with policies which would be pro-poor, like creating job opportunities and then creating the environment where the national wealth is equally distributed, instead of concentrating in some areas and putting the national wealth much more into few individuals," Fr Mpasa said.
He said there was need to also address the salary differences among the employed.
"When people are employed, how much money are they getting? Because you find that very few people get very high salaries while the majority get very low salaries. Those are the things which need to be addressed. If the government can come up with policies which would balance the gap, then that will be good. Indeed, the poor will always be there, but there is need to bridge the gap," Fr Mpasa said.
He said there was need for a caring attitude for the poor and to look at what could be done to reduce poverty levels.
"Those in leadership should have the wellbeing of the poor at heart. They should be concerned and acknowledge that the majority poor would like to live better lives. If they get concerned, then they will be putting in place policies which would favour the poor," said Fr Mpasa.
Featuring on Feel Free FM's 'Big Issue' programme recently, chief Madzimawe said there was need to foster tangible development to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
Labels: MAMBWE MPASA, POVERTY
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Fr Mpasa calls for stern measures to curb alcohol abuse
By Bright Mukwasa
Tue 03 Jan. 2012, 13:50 CAT
LAW enforcement agencies must be aggressive enough in implementing regulations that restrain the youth from alcohol abuse as we risk building a nation of drunkards, says Fr Mambwe Mpasa.
Fr Mpasa, the Mansa Diocese Vicar General, said the level of alcohol abuse in the country was worrying and there was need to urgently bring the situation under control.
"The council and police should frequently start patrolling the streets and the government should ban the selling of alcohol in sachets - tujilijili. The fact that those things are sold on the street makes them readily available to the youths hence the abuse we are seeing," Fr Mpasa said.
"The youth themselves must undergo behavioural change; they should refrain from excessive drinking of alcohol or else we are likely to a nation of drunkards and that's not what we want. The children we have are our assets for the future we are trying to build. Please, I am begging the youth to look after themselves well."
Fr Mpasa said alcohol abuse in the youth had continued to affect their capacity to deliver and explore their potential even in school.
He said there was need to strengthen laws that specifically stop the youths from abusing the alcohol.
Fr Mpasa called on bar owners to be mindful to whom they sold the beer and that their interest should not only be to realise profits but to be careful of the damage that the alcohol was posing to the future of the youth.
He further urged councils to enforce regulations that forbid underage children from patronising bars.
There has been, of late, a public outcry against the abuse of alcohol by young people, who drink even on buses and at shopping malls.
Labels: ALCOHOL, MAMBWE MPASA
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Catholics question genuineness of government's reconciliation
By Ernest Chanda
Thu 09 June 2011, 04:01 CAT
THE reconciliation with the Catholic Church that government leaders are asking for is not genuine, says a Mansa clergyman.
Mansa Catholic diocese vicar general Father Mambwe Mpasa said in an interview yesterday that MMD and government leaders should first acknowledge that they were wrong before they could talk about reconciliation.
“This is the same government which has accused the Catholic church of instigating the 1994 Rwanda genocide. This is the same government that has insulted our bishops and priests, calling them all sorts of names.
And today, all of them including the President are saying they have never differed with the Catholic Church. Are they being sincere to themselves and to the nation?” Fr Mpasa asked.
“In my opinion this reconciliation they are calling for is not genuine because they are not admitting their faults. I believe that for genuine reconciliation to take place, there must be an acknowledgement from the parties involved that ‘here we were wrong, let us reconcile’.
Equally if it is one party that is wrong, let them also admit that they are wrong before they call for reconciliation. Otherwise if there is no admission of a wrong, what are you going to reconcile about?”
Fr Mpasa said government leaders should admit that they had insulted the Catholic Church and its leaders. He said there was no doubt that the top leadership in the party and government had sanctioned the insults poured on the Catholic Church.
“Some of our leaders are saying that they just attacked certain individuals in the Catholic Church, no, it is not true. This is one of the reasons I personally question the genuineness of this reconciliation. MMD cadres have been insulting us, even ministers.
Honourable Dora Siliya insulted during her tour of Northern Province. If they insist that they just insulted specific individuals in the Church, it doesn’t make a difference,” said Fr Mpasa.
“Mutuka mfumu tatuka imo (He who despises one chief has despised all of them).
Equally if you insult one government leader, you insult all of them. If they insult some of our bishops and priests then they have insulted the whole Church. Let them admit that they have used foul language over servants of God and ask for forgiveness.”
President Banda has been attacking the Catholic Church, accusing it of supporting the opposition political parties.
Government attacks on the Church have also not spared individuals like the Archbishop of Lusaka Telesphore Mpundu, former Mongu Bishop Paul Duffy and Ndola Bishop Alick Banda.
The government has also used a Lusaka freelance journalist to attack the Catholic Church through his documentaries on ZNBC.
And last week, Vice-President George Kunda defended such documentaries which attack specific individuals and institutions, saying it is a good programme.
Labels: CATHOLIC CHURCH, MAMBWE MPASA, MMD
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Safeguard judiciary properly - Fr Mpasa
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 11 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT
THE judiciary should be properly safeguarded because failure to do so will result in compromise, says Fr Mambwe Mpasa.
In an interview on Sunday following concerns raised by Chief Justice Ernest Sakala that the judiciary was poorly funded, Fr Mpasa, who is Mansa Diocese Vicar General, said the consequences of failing to properly fund the institution would be terrible.
"The delivery of justice might be compromised and this calls for some serious concern…that is why the judiciary should be adequately funded because justice is not cheap and all those who want it must work for it," said Fr Mpasa.
He said it was unfortunate that the judiciary had experienced cases of bribery in the past.
Fr Mpasa said there was need for political will to protect the judiciary in the country.
"Let them (government) govern by protecting the integrity of the judiciary by adequately funding the institution and appointing people of high integrity," he said.
And Fr Mpasa said there was need for Zambians this year to concentrate on how they would develop the country instead of politicking.
He said there was need to raise other sectors of the country's economy.
"I also wish the year 2011 to be a year where people will not tolerate cadres threatening violence, we want to see to it that the country prospers economically," said Fr Mpasa.
Labels: JUDICIARY, MAMBWE MPASA
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Exclusion of 50%+1 is a mockery to Zambians - Fr Mpasa
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sun 28 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
A MANSA clergyman says the exclusion of the 50 per cent plus one threshold from the new constitution is a mockery to Zambians. Commenting on the government’s decision to set aside the clauses of the draft constitution that were referred to a referendum including the 50 per cent plus one threshold, Mansa Diocese Vicar General Fr Mambwe Mpasa yesterday said those in government had ignored the people’s wishes and interests due to selfishness.
“It is clear that
the end product of the process has been designed to suit the wishes of the MMD government and not the Zambians and I think all of us who have the interest of the country at heart should say no to the enactment of a new constitution minus the fundamental 50 per cent plus one,” said Fr Mpasa said in an interview.
He doubted the legitimacy of the new constitution that would be enacted, saying many important issues that people proposed had been removed by the National Constitutional Conference.
“It is sad. Look at the resources we put into the constitution, not to talk about the money that government spent to take Chiluba's cases to the London court. Government keeps putting money on lies. This is evidenced by how they have u-turned on the promises they made on the constitution,” Fr Mpasa said. “Zambians have been cheated on proposals they made to the constitution-making process which they wanted enacted before the 2011 elections.“
He said the MMD should not use the excuse of lack of funds on the issue of the referendum because they planned to exclude the 50 per cent plus one threshold from the onset.
“They doctored it the current strategy on the constitution even when they said we will enact it before 2011 elections. The Catholic Church has been vindicated for refusing to be part of the NCC,” he said.
He said it was disappointing that the MMD could discard people’s ideas after wasting so much money on the NCC process.
Fr Mpasa said leaders must learn to put the people’s wellbeing first.
He said the MMD’s style of governance centered on selfish gains instead of integrity, honesty and sincerity.
“Leaders are very selfish. They are more interested in personal gains of governance than the interests of the nation. That’s why people are u-turning on things they started with goodwill,” said Fr Mpasa.
“You can see clearly that political leadership is lacking. The other thing is that our leaders lack honesty and integrity. How can one today take cases to London for prosecution and then the next morning change their position and say ‘I was acting on instruction’? It is selfishness.”
Labels: 50 PERCENT PLUS 1, MAMBWE MPASA
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Governing by intimidation and threats
By The Post
Fri 12 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
Intolerance seriously undermines our people’s right to freedom of expression. Freedom of expression forms the backbone of democracy.
Democracy will only become a reality when there is a freedom of speech, including the freedom on the part of each individual to criticise the government and political parties; the freedom of each individual to hold a political opinion that is different from that of the ruling party or the opposition; the freedom of each individual to express a political opinion that is different from that of the ruling party or opposition; that is: the freedom to have a different line of political thinking and expression.
And as Fr Mambwe Mpasa has observed, “intimidation and threats against those with divergent views will not help. Freedom is about letting people speak freely. To use threats to try and stop divergent views is not healthy and is not even good to those who are trying to do that”.
Clearly, the enjoyment of freedom of expression would require an acknowledgement of every human being’s desire to be heard and listened to, to take part in the discussions of the issues that affect one’s life, to provide an input to decisions that affect one’s life and to search and find the truth.
When in a family, the father decides, commands and eventually punishes, without listening to the opinions of others, it is a foregone conclusion that the peace of that home will last only as long as fear and infancy lasts. The day will come when the children will reject such parental authority and will rebel or leave the home. Or they will go out into life diminished.
True love for one’s country is, as it were, an extension of love for one’s family; it is a love given to a wider family. And that which holds within the narrow circle of the home also holds in the wider community, which is the nation. Adult people wish to be heard, to take part in discussion and in the decisions which affect their own lives within the national community. People desire to take part. A country is firm and united insofar as its citizens feel that they have a voice in its affairs. This requires that each citizen be allowed one’s own opinion and the right to act with full responsibility and without fear in matters that affect him intimately.
This reminds us of Pope Pius XII’s Christmas message of 1944: “It is among the rights of citizens which found their expression in a democracy to express their points of view concerning the duties and sacrifices which are imposed on them, not to be forced to obey without being heard.”
Let us work to become a single people. We should not follow leaders blindly; we should critically examine their true intentions, and the direction in which they are leading us. Is it to a richer, more satisfying life? Is it to a life in which we are the masters of our own destiny? Or, is it to new forms of oppression, slavery and unfulfilled promises?
We human beings have an inner propensity to search for the truth and to voice out that truth. This is enhanced within a climate of freedom of thought and expression. Moreover, we human beings are honoured – and this honour is due to us – whenever we are allowed to search freely for the truth, to voice our opinions and be heard, to engage in creative service of the community in all liberty within the associations of our own choice. Nobody should ever have to suffer reprisals for honestly expressing and living up to their convictions – intellectual, religious or political. We can only regret, as Fr Mpasa has pointed out, that this is not always the case in our country.
We can be grateful that freedom of worship is respected. The same freedom does not exist when it comes to translating faith into daily life. Freedom to think freely is seriously restricted in all sorts of ways; exposing injustices can be considered as a betrayal; revealing some evils of the society is seen as slandering the country.
The respect of the freedom of opinion and expression requires an acknowledgement by each politician and each political party, as well as each individual and each group in the country, of the fact that no person and no group can hold a monopoly of truth and wisdom. As such, room should be left for an alternative line of political thinking that is wiser and richer than one’s own. It also requires the acknowledgement and respect of each person as an intelligent being, capable of independent thinking and independent opinion. No one person can claim to have a monopoly of truth and wisdom. No individual – or group of individuals – can pretend to have all the resources needed to guarantee the progress of the nation. The contribution of the most humble members is often necessary for the good running of a group.
The people must never be reduced to a mass of subjugated beings vis-à-vis their rulers, but rather be treated as conscious, intelligent and responsible citizens, while those in authority for their part play their role as servants of the people.
The realisation of the respect for the freedom of thought and expression by the government requires that government be open to criticism and be ready to acknowledge and admit its weaknesses and failures.
A first step in the restoration of the climate of confidence may be taken by recognising the true state of the nation.
“The truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). These words of Christ do not have an exclusively religious meaning. They also express a deep human reality. For too long, we have refused to see that despite singing praises of development, our country still suffers from many ills – economic and social progress does not trickle down to the masses of our people; much still needs to be achieved to make adequate education and health services available to all; the HIV/AIDS problem presents an incredible challenge. People will not be scandalised to hear these things: they know them.
They will only be grateful that their true needs are recognised and that efforts are made to answer them. Feeding them with slogans and half-truths or untruths only increases their cynicism and their mistrust of government representatives. Real progress can only be attained when the true problems and the real needs are identified and all resources are channelled towards solving them. Let us add here that people in positions of responsibility have an obligation to know the actual conditions in which their people live and to work tirelessly for their betterment. They should be willing to allow their performance to be judged by the people they serve. Accountability is a quality of any good government. People are entitled to know how their representatives fulfil their duties. No disrespect is shown when citizens ask questions in matters that concern them.
The enjoyment of the freedom of speech would require that the government allows the people who hold a different line of political thinking an open forum to express their views without government interference. We all know that freedom of expression is a fundamental right of every human being. This right is also enshrined in our Constitution. And it is a matter of justice that this right is given to all without discrimination and irrespective of the issues involved.
It would be disastrous if freedom of expression were not the same for all but dependent on the person who is speaking. Participation in the life of one’s country is not only a right; it is also a duty that each citizen should be proud to assume and exercise responsibly.
Clearly, intimidation and threats against those with divergent views must surely rank as one of the worst forms of immorality in human affairs. What is distinctly lacking among our politicians 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. Things must change if we have to see a reversal of fortunes. Threats and intimidation work against progress.
Labels: MAMBWE MPASA, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Fr Mpasa challenges Rupiah over MMD militia
By Ernest Chanda
Tue 05 Oct. 2010, 04:01 CAT
MANSA Catholic diocese vicar-general Father Mambwe Mpasa has challenged President Rupiah Banda and the entire MMD leadership to tell the nation if they are behind the party's Copperbelt crack squad threatening violence on Mongu diocese Bishop Paul Duffy.
In an interview, Fr Mpasa contended that President Banda's silence on the matter implied that he supported the threats. Fr Mpasa wondered if President Banda was right by keeping quiet when his own party had formed a militia that was promoting anarchy.
"In Bemba we say Mumbwe ukulila ninshi pali uko ashintilile (). Can President Banda come out in the open and tell us why he and the entire MMD leadership are quiet when their own cadres are threatening violence on a humble servant of God?" Fr Mpasa challenged.
"We take it that their silence implies that they agree with their cadres. Why have they allowed that boy Chiko Chibale to be holding innocent citizens to ransom? And the same boy says he is not ready to apologise for the threats. Then it means President Banda and his men are fully in support of those threats."
Fr Mpasa questioned the legal backing of the MMD crack squad when Zambia had enough security wings. He condemned the open promotion of violence in a nation that subscribes to democratic tenets.
“Let them eat their buttered bread with honour and integrity. Sooner than later they will appreciate the prophetic voice from Bishop Duffy. Umweo waba mu kutwi (there is life in listening). Stubborness, arrogance and greed will not take them anywhere. As for our brother Chibale who has refused to apologise, let him know that Bishop Duffy is too high an authority to demand an apology from a nonentity like him," said Fr Mpasa.
Labels: CADRES, MAMBWE MPASA, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE
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Luapula meeting was abuse of chiefs - Fr Mpasa
By George Chellah
Fri 28 May 2010, 07:10 CAT
MANSA Catholic Diocese vicar-general Fr Mambwe Mpasa has observed that the Luapula Province developmental meeting was an abuse of time and chiefs.
Commenting on the Luapula ‘consultative’ meeting organised by opposition Patriotic Front (PF) ‘rebel’ parliamentarians, Fr Mpasa said most people thought more stakeholders would be part of the meeting.
“When we heard that there would be a consultative developmental meeting we thought many more stakeholders will be involved. But it was restricted to chiefs and some stakeholders,” Fr Mpasa said.
“Since we were not invited we didn’t know the content of that meeting. Up to date I don’t even know what development the meeting wants to bring to the province.”
He said even from the resolutions, people did not see much.
“We thought that they would talk about the companies that are closed, the roads and other problems in the province. I thought they will talk about building schools and other things. What we only heard is that such-and-such a person shouldn’t come to our palaces,” Fr Mpasa said.
“If what we have heard is what was going on, then just as well we were not invited. If what we are hearing is what transpired then it’s good we were not invited. It was abuse of time and abuse of the leaders they invited like the traditional leaders. Kuchusha abana bakwa Lesa it’s just a question of troubling God’s children.”
He said meetings should be organised with a clear agenda.
“And such meetings should be restricted to developmental issues, not where you talk about personalities or you become political,” said Fr Mpasa.
Recently, Chiluba opened what was termed a developmental meeting in Luapula Province organised by Chembe MMD parliamentarian Mwansa Mbulakulima and all PF rebel parliamentarians in the province.
But the meeting later proved to be a campaign tool for President Rupiah Banda.
Labels: CHIEFS, MAMBWE MPASA, MMD
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Luapula meeting was abuse of chiefs - Fr Mpasa
By George Chellah
Fri 28 May 2010, 07:10 CAT
MANSA Catholic Diocese vicar-general Fr Mambwe Mpasa has observed that the Luapula Province developmental meeting was an abuse of time and chiefs. Commenting on the Luapula ‘consultative’ meeting organised by opposition Patriotic Front (PF) ‘rebel’ parliamentarians, Fr Mpasa said most people thought more stakeholders would be part of the meeting.
“When we heard that there would be a consultative developmental meeting we thought many more stakeholders will be involved. But it was restricted to chiefs and some stakeholders,” Fr Mpasa said.
“Since we were not invited we didn’t know the content of that meeting. Up to date I don’t even know what development the meeting wants to bring to the province.”
He said even from the resolutions, people did not see much.
“We thought that they would talk about the companies that are closed, the roads and other problems in the province. I thought they will talk about building schools and other things. What we only heard is that such-and-such a person shouldn’t come to our palaces,” Fr Mpasa said.
“If what we have heard is what was going on, then just as well we were not invited. If what we are hearing is what transpired then it’s good we were not invited. It was abuse of time and abuse of the leaders they invited like the traditional leaders. Kuchusha abana bakwa Lesa it’s just a question of troubling God’s children.”
He said meetings should be organised with a clear agenda.
“And such meetings should be restricted to developmental issues, not where you talk about personalities or you become political,” said Fr Mpasa.
Recently, Chiluba opened what was termed a developmental meeting in Luapula Province organised by Chembe MMD parliamentarian Mwansa Mbulakulima and all PF rebel parliamentarians in the province.
But the meeting later proved to be a campaign tool for President Rupiah Banda.
Labels: CHIEFS, MAMBWE MPASA, MMD
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Manipulation of the poor
By The Post
Mon 22 Feb. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE daily deeds of our politicians must produce an actual Zambian reality that will reinforce our people’s belief in justice, strengthen their confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all their hopes for a glorious life for all.
And as we have stated before, the individual does best in a strong and decent community of people with principles and standards and common ends and values.
There is need for our politicians to reach out and touch our people, show them that politics is not a dirty game, a game of lies, deceit, manipulation and corruption but a real and meaningful part of their lives.
Manipulating people by capitalising on their ignorance, high illiteracy levels and poverty is evil. But we see this happen every time there are elections or by-elections.
Our poor and ignorant fellow citizens are lied to, deceived and manipulated in all sorts of ways to give unscrupulous politicians their support, their votes.
The aspirations of the poor clash with their lack of understanding and desperation. Every so often they are made to vote for people they don’t know, for candidates they don’t understand. They are tricked in all sorts of ways to vote for crooks.
They are divided into petty political parties that bring no guidance to the nation to support unscrupulous and greedy politicians.
We agree with Fr Mambwe Mpasa, the Vicar General of Mansa Diocese, when he says: “There is just this general tendency among politicians to take advantage of the poverty situation in the country and manipulate people.
We all know that there is poverty in the country, there are also high levels of ignorance resulting from illiteracy. And our leaders have taken advantage of this; they have manipulated innocent people by making them trade their vote with a packet of sugar. This is an evil act on the part of politicians. We treat them like our masters when in fact we are the masters.”
Politics should not be based on lies, deceit and manipulation because it is something very noble; it is a genuine way of being at the service of others for the integral development of the country.
And it is for this reason that participation in politics need to be guided by very noble values and sentiments of respect for human dignity, human rights, common good, social justice, solidarity, integral development, special concern for the poor. Politics need people with credibility.
It is therefore important that every citizen of this country makes full and proper use of their right to vote when the time comes and vote wisely and only for people who are known for their honesty, ability, dedication and concern for the welfare of all.
It is a strict duty of justice and truth not to allow people to lose their dignity, their political choices as a result of poverty, illiteracy and ignorance in general.
Manipulating the poor, deceiving the poor is betraying Christ. And a nation that has decreed itself Christian cannot condone politics that are based on nothing but lies, deceit and manipulation.
We should ask ourselves: what kind of society are we trying to build in this country that declares itself to be Christian but allows unscrupulous politicians to bribe voters with sugar and mealie-meal, fertilisers and seed and indeed money to get their votes?
We saw this happen in Eastern Province with Rupiah Banda distributing sugar and mealie-meal to poor people so that they could vote for him.
We see this in almost all our by-elections but we still tolerate it and those with deep pockets carry the day. What type of society are we trying to build in this country?
A society of wolves, hyenas, jackals! Or is it a society of Christians, upright men and women! Can a Christian nation be built on such a foundation – a foundation of lies, deceit, manipulation, greed and vanity.
We know that this is not possible because liars, manipulators have never deserved the respect of anybody or been successful anywhere.
As we have stated before, manipulators are like little sailboats that go with the wind and the waves. Manipulation is synonymous with opportunism.
Manipulation does not have substance; it doesn’t have roots. It is impossible to build anything lasting on a foundation of lies, manipulation because this is only possible where there is honesty and integrity.
Our politicians should know that this country will not be good for them to live in unless it is a good place for the poor to live in.
Their lies and manipulation are at the heart of our country’s problems and failures. Zambia is not making much progress not because her people have failed, but because her politicians have failed.
And what Zambia needs to move forward is honesty, principled and hardworking leaders to match the needs of her people. The ultimate progress of our country will lie in the quality of the leadership we construct.
It is clear to all that our politicians are more comfortable with the population that is poor and ignorant because they are easy to deceive and manipulate. For this reason they are not in a rush to eradicate poverty and ignorance because they survive on it.
But we have hope in our fellow citizens that soon they will wake up to these realities and refuse to be abused.
So it is dangerous for those in power to try and consolidate their stay on the basis of mediocrity, deceit, lies and manipulation.
Soon our people will see through them and refuse to be led by them and they will choose new people to lead them where they deserve to be led.
Clearly, if our politicians want to remain relevant they have to act up to different standards and treat their people with concern and respect.
It is understandable that dishonest politics should dominate in a country where the President gets involved in electoral corruption, bribery and has joined hands with a former president who is a thief.
There must be a certain degree of honour in the politics of our country just as there must be a certain amount of light. When there are men without honour, there are always others who bear in themselves the honour of many men.
They are the men who rebel with great force against those who steal the people’s dignity, that is to say, against those who steal human honour itself.
We say this because in every society there are men of base instincts. The crooks, thieves, liars, deceitful elements, manipulators who go about in the guise of decent politicians, Christians, but they are monsters.
If they are offered a drink from a river of blood, they will not be satisfied until they drink the river dry. At their hands the best and noblest citizens are harassed, marginalised, humiliated and sometimes even killed.
Unless we stop such characters from dominating the politics of our country, we shall pay the price that must be paid by those who allow evil, vanity, greed and selfishness to rule their country.
Labels: MAMBWE MPASA
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Shikapwasha must apologise to Catholics, demands Fr Mpasa
Written by George Chellah
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 2:50:30 PM
MANSA Diocese Vicar-General Fr Mambwe Mpasa yesterday demanded that information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha must apologise to Catholics if he has any sense of remorse in him.
Commenting on Lt Gen Shikapwasha's ministerial statement to Parliament over a week ago on the violence against journalists by MMD cadres in which he accused the Catholic Church of having perpetrated the Rwanda genocide of 1994, Fr Mpasa said he was really disappointed when the minister stood on the floor of the National Assembly and made that statement, which was empty in substance concerning the government's position.
"If Honourable Shikapwasha who is a Reverend also, a man of God made that statement from the pulpit of his church I would have not minded much because some sects or so-called churches don't see the difference between preaching the good news and attacking other churches like he did when he attacked the Catholic church. For some churches hatred for other churches is synonymous to good news. So I wouldn't have been surprised if he was saying all those things about the Catholics from his pulpit," Fr Mpasa said. "But to say all those things on the floor of the National Assembly I was deeply troubled. And more still, I was more troubled that he finished everything and sat down with no challenge in the form of maybe a point of order from another member of parliament. On the contrary all what we heard was 'hear! hear! hear!' from some members of parliament, which made me think, 'are these lawmakers endorsing the law breaking as was uttered by Honourable Shikapwasha'?
"That was sad for me. In my view, the National Assembly risks to have its integrity undermined. How can an Honourable member of parliament, a Cabinet minister for that matter and the government spokesperson rise on the floor of Parliament and perpetuate violence and law breaking? That, I find it sad."
Asked whether Lt Gen Shikapwasha needed to apologise to the Catholic Church, Fr Mpasa responded: "I don't know if he has any sense of remorse in him. I think he should apologise to us but it is not for me to ask for an apology from him. All I can say is that for him to equate us to murderers I think he was not fair on us and he is not right because we are not."
He expressed displeasure with Lt Gen Shikapwasha's statement that The Post was inciting the Catholics against him.
"For him to think that the Catholic Church is being incited by The Post, what does he take the Catholic Church for? We are not dunderheads to be incited by any paper. We are people of good morals, we are principled people...so we cannot be incited by any paper. For him to say we are incited by The Post he is just insulting us just like he insulted us when he said we are murderers and we were involved in perpetuating genocide," Fr Mpasa said. "What he did is what happens when people start thinking with their tummies so as their pockets instead of using their heads. The Lord, since He was quoting scripture, He wanted us to stand by God, the Lord God I think it is in Luke chapter 16 v 13 somewhere there... in which the Lord cautioned us on worshiping two masters. He said you cannot worship money and God you may respect one and despise the other. I think my brother Reverend Shikapwasha is falling victim of that.
"And again in the same Bible I would want to quote Mathew 7 v 6 where the Lord says don't give what is holy to the swine. The offices we have put those people into are very important offices, which in religious language we can say they are holy offices. And those are the offices they are abusing actually, not using to turn against us. To turn against innocent people and start harassing them and for Honourable Shikapwasha to say all those things in Parliament, he was enjoying his immunity, which is an abuse."
Fr Mpasa said he would want to pray that members of parliament and all those people in high offices should stop abusing the privileges and immunity of the National Assembly.
"They should consider that House as holy and not stand on its floor to peddle lies and to preach vengeance and hatred against individuals and institutions. To the government, I would want to advise that if they do not really agree with what he said they should distance themselves from that statement he presented in Parliament because it contained no substance and nothing but just hatred, vengeance and intolerance. They should speak out and caution him not to present such statements," Fr Mpasa said. "As to my brother Reverend, the man of God, he may do well to take sometime and reflect, pray over what he said and pray over what he is. And if possible go back to a refresher course in the college where he did his theology and scripture if at all he did any. He will do well to do that and let him be a man of God and always sincere and true to God he is preaching about."
He said as a man of God, Lt Gen Shikapwasha should not stand on the side of violence.
"Whether people are offended or not, he shouldn't allow people to take the law into their hands. There are proper channels where people can address their grievances. He should always be mindful that the President is a Republican President, he is ours, he is for everybody not just for a few," Fr Mpasa said. "And when he says the supporters of those who are being insulted, he should be mindful of the fact that everybody has his own supporters, there are supporters of other people. So if all the supporters of other people rose and met other supporters what is going to happen? So let him be mindful of that."
Giving a ministerial statement, Lt Gen Shikapwasha accused the church of trying to jostle for who they should put into State House.
Lt Gen Shikapwasha said the church in Rwanda took sides with newspapers and radio stations, which were fanning out falsehoods and propaganda that led to the genocide.
"The church blindly took sides in opposing camps such that it is reported Mr Speaker that 'after a century of Christian proselytisation the country was catholicised but not Christianised. Ritual was generally followed but the spirit was missing. This became tragically evident for the church, only after April to May 1994, when its people slaughtered their brethren wholesale inside the churches on orders from civil authorities and priests. This Mr Speaker is because the church took sides with men. The church must take sides with God," said Lt Gen Shikapwasha.
Labels: CATHOLIC CHURCH, MAMBWE MPASA, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA
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Fr Mpasa cautions govt against intolerance
Written by Ernest Chanda
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 6:39:58 PM
MANSA Diocese Vicar-General Fr Mambwe Mpasa has cautioned the government against being too intolerant to divergent views. In an interview from Mansa yesterday, Fr Mpasa said the culture of intolerance was a serious danger to any leadership.
"This habit of being intolerant to opposing views will not take us anywhere. An intolerant government is a danger to itself and to the people.
In Bemba we say amano uli weka tayashingauke koshi [individual wisdom cannot match collective wisdom]. It is important to listen to divergent views. This is not only healthy for leaders but for their followers as well," Fr Mpasa said.
"Leaders are people's servants and should at all times listen to their employers, in this case the citizens. If you have leaders who are intolerant then it is a recipe for failure. One day they will just find themselves stranded and crashing because they will have no direction. The reason is that they had not accommodated divergent views from the beginning."
He urged those in authority to instead channel their energies and resources towards tackling national problems.
"If you are a good listener as a leader even your leadership is bound to yield good results. In fact, most of the people who make it in leadership are those who listen to those they lead. Intolerance from leaders is therefore dangerous to themselves and to the nation. Instead of developing a nation, intolerant leaders get busy fighting individuals and organisations, and that is a sheer waste of time and resources," Fr Mpasa said.
"As citizens of this country, we have a right to speak about our welfare and no one should stop us. Besides, it is wrong to assume that leaders know it all, no. If anything, we know more than what they think they know. Let them know that their power comes from people and there can never be a servant who is above his master."
And Fr Mpasa cautioned government against harassing the media, saying information brought health to every human being.
"It is not good to harass the media. They are the fourth arm of government after the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. Human life is in the ear; the more you hear helpful information, the more you live. Generally human beings exist by communicating to each other, so any suppression of that is a serious infringement on their inherent right to communicate," said Fr Mpasa.
"And harassment of the media is bad for democracy. Leaders should concentrate their efforts on solving national problems rather than fighting innocent citizens. National resources should be spent on fighting evils being exposed by the media instead of fighting those exposing these evils."
Labels: GOVERNANCE, MAMBWE MPASA
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Don’t target individuals in new constitution - Fr Mpasa
Written by Ernest Chanda
Saturday, May 30, 2009 3:34:31 PM
MANSA Diocese Vicar General Fr Mambwe Mpasa has advised Zambians to sail beyond the idea of targeting individuals as the country enacts a new Republican constitution.
Commenting on works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti's proposal that presidential candidates in the next election should be degree holders, Fr Mpasa argued that education alone did not give one leadership qualities.
"We have had excellent leaders who were not degree holders. Currently we have a degree holder in State House but things are still not right in the country. Poverty levels continue to go high and unemployment continues to grow. Corruption is also on the increase and people are still losing jobs," Fr Mpasa said. "In my life as a servant of God I have also learnt that the ability to lead people does not come from high levels of education. Leadership comes from God, with level-headedness and the wisdom to understand and value people's needs. In fact most of the people in [first Republican president] Dr [Kenneth] Kaunda's team were lowly educated but they achieved a lot of things for this country. Yet they never viewed national problems from a theoretical perspective but from a practical one."
Fr Mpasa said the country had seen highly-educated people in government who had also messed up the economy.
"The first MMD Cabinet had a lot of highly-educated individuals, but look at what they have left in this country - poverty! And most of them are in problems because of economic mismanagement despite them being degree holders. I don't look at that as the criterion for choosing presidents. Besides, let us not discriminate against those who have the ability to lead this country but have no degrees."
He called on National Constitutional Conference (NCC) delegates to be broadminded and consider posterity as they deliberated on the new constitution.
"May I appeal to the NCC to think beyond their perceived enemies and political opponents. They should know that they are not writing a political party constitution. It would be a grave moral sin to stop others from contesting the next election just because we want to fix them. Let us learn from the 1996 constitution, which was targeted against Dr Kaunda. That 1996 citizenship clause up to now remains a big shame to the country," Fr Mpasa said. "I pray that those honourable members of the NCC should be above all pettiness and give us a good constitution. Targeting individuals is too costly for the nation because it means the constitution will have to be revisited in future. Besides, let us not end up handing over the country to a Dr Criminal or Professor Criminal. Let us be broadminded and think of the future generations."
Last week, Mulongoti said the nation should not U-turn on the precedent of having university graduates as Republican presidents.
Mulongoti, who is a nominated member of parliament, said the standard had already been set where the last three presidents had been degree holders.
He said former president Frederick Chiluba managed to get a degree when he was in State House, while President Rupiah Banda and late president Levy Mwanawasa entered the highest office in the land as graduates.
"I do not know whether it will help the country by reversing that and going to people who are not graduates. We should move on by attaching premium to leadership. We must adhere to the standards we have already set as a country by having the last three presidents who are graduates," said Mulongoti.
Labels: CONSTITUTION, MAMBWE MPASA, NCC
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Intolerance: the bane of our political leaders
Written by Editor
If criticism is valid, it must be made. And all citizens of this country have a right to participate in the shaping of their destiny directly without fear of reprisal. Citizens of this country should not hesitate to criticise public officers and give them their suggestions.
It is said that “he who is not afraid of death by a thousand cuts dares to unhorse the emperor” – this is the indomitable spirit needed in our struggle to build a more prosperous, more just, more fair, more humane nation. And the weapon we need most in this struggle is criticism and self-criticism because with it, we can get rid of bad styles and keep the good.
We fully agree with and share the observations and concerns raised by Mansa Catholic Diocese vicar general Fr Mambwe Mpasa when he says: “Zambians will not stop talking for as long as things are not going right in the country. Government should not expect people to keep quiet even when things are not well. This government is wasting time fighting every opposing view, but people cannot simply be told to shut up. When things are not going on well, we have a right as Zambians to speak out. And this does not mean that whoever criticises government is a member of the opposition party, no.”
As we have repeatedly pointed out, and will continue to do so, criticism is good for people and institutions that are part of public life. And whenever it is valid, it should be made in a spirit of absolute honesty and sincerity. No one should be criticised falsely or maliciously no matter how much they are detested. No individual or institution should expect to be free from criticism and from the scrutiny of those who give them their loyalty and support, not to mention those who don’t. The criticism and scrutiny of one another will always be necessary. But, of course, it will be more effective if it is made in an honest and sincere manner.
We will not achieve much with this growing intolerance to criticism that is starting to characterise all aspects of our politics and national life.
As we say, dust will accumulate if a room is not cleaned regularly, our faces will get dirty if they are not washed regularly. Our political leaders’ minds may also collect dust, and also need sweeping and washing. The proverb “Running water is never stale and a door-hinge is never worm-eaten” means that constant motion prevents the inroads of germs and other organisms. To check-up regularly our work and in the process develop a democratic style of work, to fear neither criticism nor self-criticism, and to apply such good popular maxims as “Say all you know and say it without reserve”, “Blame not the speaker or the critic but be warned by his words” and “Correct mistakes if you have committed them and guard against them if you have not” – this is the only effective way to prevent all kinds of political dust and germs from contaminating the minds of our political leaders and all other representatives of our people.
We shouldn’t lose sight and understanding of the fact that the main task of criticism is to point out political and organisational mistakes and weaknesses in the governance of our country. Criticism is a weapon for strengthening and increasing our capacity to overcome our weaknesses and deficiencies. The purpose of criticism is to increase the capacity of our political leaders and other representatives to deliver on their promises and commitments to the masses of our people and it should not be seen as a means for unjustified personal attacks on them. If they have shortcomings, they shouldn’t be afraid to have them pointed out and criticised, because they are there to serve the people. Any one, no matter who, may point out their shortcomings. If he is right, they should correct them. If what is being proposed will benefit the people, they should act upon it. It is said that political leaders who are taught by mistakes and setbacks, become more wiser to handle the affairs of their people much better. It is hard for any political party or person to avoid mistakes, but they should make as few as possible. Once a mistake is made, they should correct it, and the more quickly and thoroughly, the better.
Again, as we have pointed out before, one of our biggest hurdles to progress is our leaders’ inability to accept criticism and to respect the right of every citizen to participate in their own way in the shaping of their own destiny. Our leaders are so intolerant to criticism and they try very hard at every turn to smash any deviant thinking. And one of the most effective ways they try to achieve this has been through blackmail and suppression of all criticism and information designed to expose the fallacy of their policies and the crimes of their league. Thus before people realise it, their hard-won constitutional rights which they practice every five years at the polls, spawns one tyrant after another, using the mandate obtained from fraudulent elections. All the leaders become demi-gods of wrath. All critics are crushed. To agree with everything they say is divine, but to disagree is a crime, a sin.
In due course, the phrases “constructive criticism” and “destructive criticism” are coined in order to place potential opponents or enemies in some useful categories to reward the loyalists and punish malcontents. The citizen must belong to them or be condemned. The sponsors of the dialectic are not ashamed to attribute enmity where it may not exist. They thrive on the explosive emotions which this dialectic is likely to generate among the unsuspecting idle youths of low literacy and other opportunists. In fact, no regard is ever had for the patriotism of the critics, unless they happen to die.
But, what do the phrases “constructive criticism” and “destructive criticism” mean anyway? A keen look at those who use these phrases will invariably show that they get intensely paranoid when they hear criticism. They are so weakly constituted that they fear that if they are criticised, they will lose their manliness, their constituencies and ultimately, their power. “Constructive criticism” means flattery, agreement and praise of those in power, of the President. Criticism per se is non-existent. Anything else is destructive. Opposition is an expression of hate, not pure disagreement. They are incapable of being criticised without feeling rancoured about it. In fact, all the time the impression given is that to criticise is to condemn or curse in the biblical fashion. Hence, whenever opposition or criticism emerges, their first instinct is to smear those behind it with the filth of being sponsored or of being under the payroll of some foreign agency – however greedy they themselves may be. Every domestic crisis, however self-created, will eventually be blamed on the foreigners and their local agents – the critics. Despite 60 per cent of their budget being funded by foreigners, they will still not hesitate to accuse their opponents, their critics of being sponsored by foreigners to destabilise their government.
Here is the truth about our leaders. Even the most blood-thirsty tyrant will require the press to kneel down and praise their glorious leadership and ignore their heinous deeds. The self-righteousness of these characters is truly embarrassing.
It is quite true that acceptance of criticism implies the highest respect for human ideal, and that its denial suggests a conscious and unconscious lack of humanity on our part. Intolerance to criticism must surely rank as one of the worst forms of immorality in human affairs. We can see the horror of this in people who can publicly threaten to spill the blood of a priest for simply expressing views that are critical of their leaders and their party. And this subculture of blood is nursed with speeches from the President himself at public fora.
What we are striving to say is that our political leaders should take pride in their critics, whether they agree with them or not. Until they can allow their people the fullest and unencumbered expression in politics, they are in danger of teaching them a very simplified version of this complex universe. A society without critics is a human hell where leaders indulge in their anarchical instincts without moral compunction. History always tells us that the greatest nations respected their critics. True, tyrants all over the world and throughout history have always been terrified by critics, but ultimately more tolerant societies have parted ways with their politicians and endorsed the contributions of their critics.
We seem to be really stuck in a culture of zealous worship of political leaders, a culture which would look primitive even in the eyes of our ancestors. We have established a reputation for intolerance that is difficult to match. Today people are being dissuaded from criticism in several ways. First, the President makes loud pronouncements against critics and criticism, calling them all sorts of names and accusing them of all sorts of things. Should this fail, they resort to harassment and intimidation in all sorts of ways. A grave paucity of vision and an obsession with violence against critics will be remembered as evidence of our ‘proud’ civilisation.
We don’t seem to be learning from history. Yet history tells us that the greatest epochs in mankind’s weary journey are characterised, not by subjugation nor downgrading of critics. The only discernable preoccupation of our leaders is the destruction of reason and intellect for the mistaken fear of losing power. What is distinctly lacking among our leaders 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 without fear of being victimised, of being harassed by the President and his followers or supporters.
Tolerance and respect for our fellow citizens will make us allow our critics to express their opinions about our views without inhibition, whether these seem to be unpalatable or not. At the same time, we should expect the same treatment or privilege when our turn comes. This is not something we achieve instinctively. Rather, we develop it consciously and respectfully. For, our very instinct would drive us to throttling our opponents in argument, or, better still, smack them with a deadly blow.
In our view, the problem with all this is their fear of criticism, fear of being undermined by honest criticism. Anyone who dares challenge our demi-gods is a subvert. And because of this anti-criticism culture, our people lose the habit of thinking and exchanging creative views and thoughts. People have no real interest in the future nation – only the present owes them anything.
This is the point Fr Mpasa is making. And his observations and concerns deserve our greatest attention, considerations and even meditation.
Labels: GOVERNANCE, MAMBWE MPASA, POLITICS
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Zambians won’t stop talking - Fr Mpasa
Written by Ernest Chanda
Thursday, April 16, 2009 3:08:57 PM
ZAMBIANS will not stop talking for as long as things are not going right in the country, Mansa Catholic Diocese Vicar-General Fr Mambwe Mpasa said yesterday.
In an interview from Mansa, Fr Mpasa said the government should not expect people to keep quiet even when things were not well.
“This government is wasting time fighting every opposing view, but people cannot simply be told to shut up. When things are not going on well we have a right as Zambians to speak out. And this does not mean that whoever criticises government is a member of the opposition parties, no,” Fr Mpasa said.
“Zambia is a free country and people should be allowed to express their views freely. As Zambians we are stakeholders who are interested in the welfare of this country. Government should just be tolerant enough to accommodate every view.”
He also called on the Rupiah Banda administration to spell out its vision for the country.
“I know that this administration has claimed a lot of successes, but there is nothing to point at so far. The worst is that they can’t even show us their programme for this country apart from fighting the opposition,” Fr Mpasa said.
“They have used time as an excuse but the point is this country has not started today. There was a president before President Banda, so we assume that he found a starting point. So why is this administration using the five months they have been in office as an excuse for assessing their successes, if any?”
Fr Mpasa also condemned Copperbelt Province MMD cadres who were calling for the blood of former Radio Icengelo station manager Fr Frank Bwalya last week.
“There is no one who has the right to shed another person’s blood. The best this government should have done is to let Fr Bwalya hold his press conference and then take him to court if he was found wanting. Fr Bwalya even though he is a priest has a right to free expression of his views. The Constitution does not say priests should not speak out when things are wrong, but allows everyone to speak out freely,” said Fr Mpasa.
Labels: MAMBWE MPASA
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