THE ZAMBIA CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS HAS URGED ZAMBIANS TO ELECT LEADERS WHO WILL RESPECT THE FREEDOMS AND LIBERTIES OF ALL, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR TRIBE IS, OR THEIR POLITICAL AFFILIATION.(PHOTO)

 Choose leaders who will respect freedoms and liberties for all

Lusaka- The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has urged Zambians to elect leaders who will respect the freedoms and liberties of all, regardless of who they are, what their tribe is, or their political affiliation.

In his homily during the opening Mass of the 2nd ZCCB Plenary Assembly at the Catholic Secretariat Chapel, ZCCB President, Archbishop Ignatius Chama, said the country has a crucial task to choose leaders who will take the nation to either prosperity or to doom.

“The plenary comes just before a crucial task for all Zambians to elect political leaders who will govern us for the next 5 years,” he said “Who will take the nation to either prosperity or to doom. Leaders who will respect the freedoms and liberties of all, regardless of who they are, what their tribe is, or their political affiliation.”

“Looking at what is going on so far, there is a sense of fear in most of us that we are slowly inviting trouble for ourselves. The freedoms and liberties that are being taken away from the citizens are creating a foundation that will grow into violence and loss of what we have built as a country,” he said.

A 32-year-old radio repairer, Nelson Chikubi, of John Laing was last week beaten to death in Lusaka by suspected UPND cadres after a repaired radio he was testing played a campaign song for opposition politician Brian Mundubile.

Drawing from the day's Scripture readings, Archbishop Chama compared Zambia's current situation to that of the Kingdom of Judah, whose people trembled in fear when faced with external threats.

Quoting the Prophet Isaiah, he reminded the faithful that God's response to fear was not political alliances or violence but unwavering faith.

"If you do not stand by me, you will not stand at all," he said, adding that the message remains relevant for Zambia today.

Referring to the Responsorial Psalm, Archbishop Chama said God remains the ultimate source of hope and security.

“God will uphold our country, provided we as individuals in our country are willing to believe that God is more than willing to uphold us: that God will stand by us always,” he said. 

The ZCCB President challenged Church leaders to remain faithful to their prophetic mission by guiding the nation towards hope rooted in God rather than political interests.

“If we, as leaders of the Church to which everyone looks for guidance, fail to see that our responsibility is to bring the people to this trust in God, that he will be there for us to overcome what we are going through, we will fail the test of being who we are, prophets among our people,” he said.

Archbishop Chama cautioned that rejecting God's call to justice and righteousness would have serious consequences for the nation.

“Now is not the time to join political bandwagons, but the time to challenge the nation to convert and do what is right and just as a people who believe that a just God will uphold our nation"