CCZ opposes death penalty
By Allan Mulenga
Mon 02 July 2012, 13:23 CAT
THE death penalty should not be the extreme punishment to be meted to those who commit serious crimes, says Reverend Moses Mwale. In an interview, Rev Mwale, who is Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) president, said the death penalty should not be part of the constitution.
"I strongly believe that death penalty should be not part of the Constitution. I am a pro-life person and I believe in life, as it were. I know the background and the essence of introducing the death penalty is to try to deter extreme crimes in society. By sentencing people to death it means that people might be deterred those who might want to commit extreme crimes might be deterred from committing such crimes.
But there is a point where I don't think we need to implement an eye for an eye in as far as these matters are concerned," he said.
Rev Mwale urged those advocating for the inclusion of the death penalty in the constitution to look at life holistically.
"Yes, those people that have committed murder or serious crimes deserve punishment, they are a danger to the society, but I don't think we should go to an extent of sentencing someone to death. We better give them a chance of reform and change, hoping that there would be change. For me the extreme punishment that we might confer on such people could be maybe a life sentence," he said.
Rev Mwale said there was need to give people who commit serious crimes an opportunity to repent and transform their lives.
"They could have made a mistake, but they could change in life and if given an opportunity. Those that are not going to change, let them be confined permanently away from the people around without killing them. During that time they might make a decision to change their lives as well," he said.
He said Jesus Christ believed in the reality of life and that all people had an opportunity to change.
Debate has raged over whether or not to retain the death penalty in the Zambian statutes.
Reverend Pukuta Mwanza, executive director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, recently said the death penalty should be retained as it was necessary for the protection of the general public.
And Fr Augustine Mwewa, a priest in the Ndola Catholic Diocese, said the death penalty serves as a deterrent and helps in reducing crime and that capital punishment assured the safety of society by eliminating criminals.
Labels: CCZ, DEATH PENALTY, MOSES MWALE
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Appointments of cadres worry CCZ
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 06 Mar. 2012, 11:59 CAT
THE Council of Churches in Zambia has described as retrogressive and discriminatory the
appointment of cadres to senior civil service positions.
Releasing the Council's Pastoral Letter on the state of the nation, council president Reverend Moses Mwale said one of the demands of Zambians to the government was to see a professional civil service that was capable of guiding and running government structures professionally.
Rev Mwale said instead of the government cleaning up and getting rid of political cadres from the civil service, more and more were being added.
"Prominent PF cadres, some of whom lost elections in the just-ended election have been appointed into senior civil service positions as controlling officers, district commissioners and into professional positions in the foreign service and parastatals," he said.
Rev Mwale said that the civil service must be left to non-partisan workers in order for the government structures to run professionally and effectively.
"As church leaders, we find this retrogressive and discriminatory to many qualified Zambians seeking for appointments in the civil service that are neither relations of the senior government officials or PF cadres," he said.
He said the church also found the development was totally against the
foundations of the nation under the motto of ‘One Zambia, One nation'.
And Rev Mwale said that the church was concerned about the shuffling of ministries, hiring and firing of top civil servants.
"We have also noted that government has been hiring and firing top civil servants in their attempt to position capable people within the civil service," he said.
Rev Mwale said the continued hiring and later firing of government officials was making the government look disorganised.
"We have not received official an official position from government on most of the reports that have been presented," said Rev Mwale.
Labels: CADRES, CCZ, MOSES MWALE
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Laws governing mines not ‘totally fair’ – Rupiah
Written by Patson Chilemba in Kabwe
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 6:28:35 PM
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said the current laws governing the mines in the country are not “totally fair” to Zambians. Officiating at the 28th general conference of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) at Mulungushi University in Kabwe on Monday, President Banda said Zambians wanted most of the money investors put in their pockets.
"We are working very hard to try and resolve this problem of the laws that govern our mining in our country because we see that it's not totally fair to us. But at the same time, you don't want to take everything from them so that they don't find it interesting to remain in Zambia," President Banda said.
"We need to make prudent laws, as you have said in your speech, to make sure that they don't take advantage of our people. And I think most investors, proper investors, do not mind fair laws being put in place to protect the citizens of that country."
President Banda disclosed that government had acquired a mediator to settle some outstanding issues that the government had with an "unnamed" mine.
"So we have agreed on one particular mine, I have not disclosed which one it is because we are still negotiating. Our people are leaving for London, and they are going to sit down with this negotiator who is worldly renowned for making fluid resolutions when there is a conflict between a country and the investor," he said.
President Banda said he had taken note that CCZ wanted to see a situation where the mining industry was compelled to undertake and fulfil certain obligations to empower disadvantaged local communities, including women, the majority of whom had been excluded from the mainstream economy and other empowerment programmes.
"Nobody can argue with that. We are going to try our best," he said.
However, President Banda said it was unrealistic for some politicians to think that the country could achieve development without investment from outside. He asked Zambians not to create phobia against foreigners.
"We must be honest enough to condemn ourselves for that. We need investors to come here. But once they come here, we need to make prudent laws as you have said in your speech to make sure that they don't take advantage of our people," he said.
President Banda said impatience was one of the main reasons for lack of development, saying some people thought the country could attain development such as that of the United States of America (USA) in one day.
"Of course, there are those who are simplistic to tell us the cause of all this is poverty. I think that the Congo is not a poor country, just like Zambia is not poor," he said.
President Banda said Zambians had always managed in one way or another to remove leaders when they were not satisfied with leader's performance.
He said he was ready to be voted out should he fail to perform on his promises to the people.
"Today, if there were elections and I was voted out, I will salute the other person, shake hands with him. In other words, I am telling you that I am not going to ask for a third term. I will ask for a second term, but not a third term," President Banda said.
And the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) chairperson Reverend Moses Mwale asked government to put in place legislative measures compelling investors especially in the extractive industry to bank their revenue with the Central Bank of Zambia, and commercial banks in the country so as to ensure liquidity and accountability.
Rev Mwale said many people were poor mainly due to individuals, institutions or governments.
He said whatever the case may be, Christians must apply and exercise their prophetic voice and speak out against any form of abuse or misuse of power.
Rev Mwale said the government, individuals and institutions should not abrogate their responsibility to defend the poor from justice.
"The Church has potential to offer some unique solutions to poverty and injustices. The Church is better equipped to meet the psychological, spiritual and physical needs of poor people as most secular social programmes do not place much emphasis on the first two and thus miss an important element on the solution to poverty," he said.
Rev Mwale said CCZ had chosen to dwell more on the mineral wealth and land of Zambia, which made the country unique.
He said CCZ appreciated that the price of minerals had been fluctuating of late.
He said the mining Act repealed all Mining Development Agreements that previously existed, under part 15 of the Act and Section 160 forbids the Minister of Mines from entering into any agreement relating to the grant of a large scale Mining licence or any other licence, under Section 159 Part 15 of the Act.
Rev Mwale said where communities increased their shareholding, they stood to benefit even more, as they enjoyed increased dividend and greater voice in deciding the policies of the company.
"We are therefore proposing that Zambia should introduce, like South Africa, a Social Charter for the mining industry (9 October 2002,) that addresses the historical imbalance created under Apartheid/colonialism," Rev Mwale said. "The Social Charter is an undertaking that binds government and the Mining Industry, and they undertake to put in the necessary regulatory framework as well as Industry Agreements to facilitate the Charter."
Rev Mwale asked the government to put in place measures compelling investors especially in the extractive industry to bank with the Central Bank of Zambia.
He said this would only be possible where the Central Bank could assure excess liquidity in the market.
"And that will be possible if the Mineral revenues were banked with the Central Bank, instead of 100 per cent repatriation of capital and profits, as is the case and has been," said Rev Mwale.
Labels: CCZ, MINING, MOSES MWALE, RUPIAH BANDA, WINDFALL TAX
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Rev Mwale calls for renewal
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Masuzyo Chakwe
Friday, April 10, 2009 5:08:58 AM
COUNCIL of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) chairperson Reverend Moses Mwale has said Easter should be a period of renewal. And Roman Catholic Diocese of Mongu Bishop Paul Duffy has urged Zambians not to use the Easter holiday to get drunk but take it as a period for the Lord.
Rev Mwale, in an interview yesterday, asked people in the country to use the Easter celebrations to reunite.
"I want to invite the Zambia nation to reflect on the sacrifices that Jesus Christ himself gave on the cross of Calvary and use the celebrations to reunite us as a nation," Rev Mwale said.
He urged people to deeply reflect on their differences and come together again in an effort to live a life of reconciliation with one another.
"I think three weeks ago, I said there is something wrong with the way politics is practised in Zambia; I think this can be a time of renewal. Politics should be to the service of the people and politics should not antagonise us," Rev Mwale said. "For example, like what I read in your newspaper, the other time the Lusaka [Province] permanent secretary [Stephen Bwalya] walked away from church because [Patriotic Front leader] Michael Sata had attended a church service there. I think that cannot be tolerated in a nation like Zambia. Let Easter help us to reflect on these issues that we should not practice enmity and animosity because we are in politics, because we belong to this political grouping or that political grouping; let us reconcile and move together as a nation. Easter should provide such a forum for us."
He added that Easter reminded people about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
"According to scripture, all enmities were put to rest and new hope of life was brought in," Rev Mwale said
And in an Easter message to the people, Bishop Duffy said if Zambia considered itself a Christian nation, Zambians should then celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and look forward to their own resurrections.
"It is a spiritual day and it's a holiday on Monday but what does Easter mean to Zambians? It is significant to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and apply it to our lives and see how we can live as Christians to the best of our ability," he said.
Bishop Duffy said some people took holidays as days to get drunk and miss the whole point of what they were celebrating.
Bishop Duffy said Easter was a time to celebrate Christ and his resurrection to give people a new life.
Labels: CCZ, MOSES MWALE
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