BISHOPS CHALLENGE THE CHURCH TO FOSTER NATIONAL UNITY

By Sandra Machima

THE Bishops Council of Zambia (BCZ) has prodded the church to take a proactive step in ensuring the values of Zambia as a Christian Nation are upheld.

BCZ General Secretary Bishop Able Kaela said the church was not doing enough to inform the citizens on the importance of Zambia as a Christian Nation.

The clergy said in an interview that it was high time the church took a frontline role in ensuring that the people of Zambia were living according to principles and values of a Christian Nation to embrace one another.

Bishop Kaela has since appealed to the Government to work with the church in its quest to unite the country and ensure better service delivery was rendered to the people.

He said the church had a greater mantle beyond the Government and could educate and inform the general public on governance and other issues of interest affecting the nation so that citizens could be well informed.

“The church must step in quickly together with the Government and work towards the development of the country without taking sides and this the nature of the Christian Nation.

“The church must come out now because they are the ones close to the communities and have a greater mantle beyond the Government. The Government also should come together with the church since they have the machinery to help the church to go and spread the message and show action out there,” Bishop Kaela said.

“We are not called a Christian Nation for nothing. We should take a proactive step and lead by example and by doing so, we will embrace harmony and unity among the people of Zambia, which is a requirement among values of a Christian Nation,” he added.

He said it was cardinal to educate the people on the integral challenges the country was facing to make them understand as the Government was devising lasting solutions.

He said both the Government and church could not fail to bring peace and unity in the country adding that the church should continue to advocate and implement the Christian values so that Zambia could continue to be a good example.