By ROGERS KALERO
IT is difficult to distinguish some church leaders from political leaders because they behave
like they run political parties,” President Edgar Lungu has said.
President Lungu said it was worrying that some church leaders are becoming political instead of being neutral, promoting unity and providing spiritual guidance.
Mr Lungu said yesterday in Kitwe during the launch of the 2020-25 Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) world-wide strategic plan that a trend by some church leaders of taking partisan stance in the country was worrying.
“I would like to commend the SDA for keeping its lane of preaching the word of God, remaining true to the bible teachings and callings.
“Some church leaders in the country behave like they run political parties. It is difficult to distinguish them from political parties, but it is good that SDA leaders have continued with their neutral stance,” President Lungu said
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji who is Kwacha Constituency Member of Parliament donated K100, 000 for the church to buy food.
“I know that people came from different places, they need food, I will give the church K100, 000 to buy food,” Mr Malanji said.
He said the public should not label those giving to charity as corrupt because they come from different backgrounds and made money before entering politics.
SDA Zambia Northern Union president Samuel Sinyangwe called for an end to political acrimony to maintain peace as the world awaits for the “soon coming Christ.”
“The church should remain in the lane of its calling. It is a matter of choice, and some of us, we decided we will be ministers of the word. A number of government ministers like Freedom Sikazwe knows my lineage.
“I would have become a chief by now but I decided to become a pastor. So because I am a pastor, I should promote peace and unity. I should not encourage the nation to be divided on partisan or tribal lines but I should embrace peace,” Pastor Sinyangwe said
Pastor Sinyangwe who quoted Mathew 28:18-20 said the church‘s mission and objective in the next five years would be to preach the word of God through the three angels message to the world.
