By SIMON MUNTEMBA
CHIPATA Diocese Bishop, George Lungu should not speak broadly for others over the Church empowerment fund meant to cushion the impact of Covid-19, he should speak for himself, the Independent Churches of Zambia (ICZ) has said.
And ICOZ president, Bishop David Masupa said it was selfishness and hypocrisy in its highest degree on the part of Bishop Lungu to discourage others from accessing the Church empowerment fund from the government when his church has been receiving huge sums of money from the same government during fundraising events.
He was reacting to Bishop Lungu’s directive that no Catholic institution in Eastern Province should access empowerment funds through the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs.
“I disagree with him in the sense that the money is a Covid-19 relief fund aimed at helping the churches. It is meant to cushion the impact that Covid-19 has had on churches.
“So, it does not mean well when one sector of the church speaks broadly for other sectors. He should, in fact, have just said that I as a Chipata Catholic Bishop, I will not get the money rather than discouraging the church as a whole,” Bishop Masupa said.
In an interview yesterday, Bishop Masupa said there was nothing wrong with the Church Empowerment Fund and those opposed to it had their own hidden agenda or personal hatred against the government.
So for us as ICZ, he said, the government means well for providing these funds. It is not just done in Zambia, it is done even in other developed countries. Who are we to refuse? People have stopped going for work because of the pandemic and they needed this gesture from Government.
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