Stop it! Telesphore Mpundu told

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

FORMER Lusaka Diocese Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu does not care for Zambia’s future because he has no children to worry about, a clergyman has charged.

In an interview yesterday, Evangelical Youth Alliance (EYA) president Reverend Moses Lungu also challenged retired Archbishop Mpundu to tell Zambians the source of his hatred for President Edgar Lungu.

Archbishop Mpundu was recently quoted in some sections of the media attacking President Kaunda when he referred to him as a crook.

Rev. Lungu said Archbishop Mpundu’s level of hatred for President Lungu is worrying to upcoming clergymen who know that all church leaders and their followers must respect the presidency and the government of the day.

He said Archbishop Mpundu is exhibiting dangerous hatred for President Lungu when he is supposed to be prayerful and joyous about the Head of State’s achievements.

He said it is unfortunate that the former Lusaka Diocese Archbishop is reducing the presidency to insults and dividing Zambia in his shameless support for the United Party for National Development (UPND).

Rev. Lungu said Archbishop Mpundu, who is believed to be in his 70s, cannot blame President Lungu for the things he has failed to achieve in life because the Head of State has only been in power for less than six years.

He said Archbishop Mpundu’s continued malicious attacks on President Lungu are in conflict with biblical principles of unity, oneness, and respect for authority.

“The conduct Archbishop Mpundu is exhibiting clearly shows that he is nowhere near discipleship. I appeal to the archbishop to desist from attacking the Head of State because he is setting a very bad example and that is not what the Catholic Church is known for.

“We don’t need bloodshed in this country like what happened in the Rwanda genocide. Unfortunately it is on record that the Catholic Church participated in the Rwanda genocide and we must not take pride and pleasure in spilling innocent blood,” Rev. Lungu said.

He challenged Archbishop Mpundu to come out clearly on his earlier statement that there would be bloodshed in Zambia before the 2021 general elections in view of the recent killings of public prosecutor Nsama Nsama Chipyoka and a UPND cadre Joseph Kaunda when the opposition party leader Hakainde Hichilema appeared for questioning at the police headquarters on December 23, 2020.