By NATION REPORTER
OME Catholic Priests are using the pulpit to attack President Hichilema and the UPND government which, according to Getrude Imenda, the UPND deputy secretary general, was doing so well in turning the economy around.
Ms Imenda is particularly incensed with Fr Anthony Sangaleta who commented on graphs which President Hakainde Hichilema used to illustrate the economic trajectory of the country from 1972 to the time the new dawn got into government.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”4,5,6″ ihc_mb_template=”2″ ]
Fr Sangaleta in his homily on Sunday said the graphical explanation of how the economy was doing would not translate into food and reduced cost of living for the ordinary Zambians.
She says it would appear that Fr Sangaleta was expecting President Hichilema to start cooking and packing Nshima and delivering to compounds where the ordinary Zambian did not understand the graphical explanation of how well the economy was performing.
Ms Imenda said the ruling party was unhappy that Fr Sangaleta as a well-informed Priest should have known that just like Jesus used parables to demonstrate points, President Hichilema was using graphs to simplify the achievements the UPND government had scored in less than two years of being in power.
Ms Imenda said President Hichilema had achieved and met many of his campaign promises which included free education, the recruitment of the teachers and nurses, the increase of salaries for civil servants, the liquidation of the retiree’s pensions and the increase in the cash transfer both in quantum and coverage.
She stated that the student meal allowance which was scrapped by the Patriotic Front (PF) had been re-introduced and that students in public universities were receiving their stipends and were happy.
“Whatever the name of that Catholic Priest is, was he expecting President Hichilema to start cooking Nshima at State House and packing it to deliver to compounds so that those who do not understand graphical explanations of how the economy is performing can eat and be hungry tomorrow. Some of these priests have been using the pulpit to attack President Hichilema and the UPND government. Let him join a political party of his choice so that we can meet in the ring and punch back because if we respond, they will say the UPND is attacking the Catholic Church,” Ms Imenda said.
She stated that it was surprising that Fr Sangaleta did not see anything good and positive achievement by the UPND, claiming that Zambians were rolling and thanking President Hichilema for the NAPSA partial withdraw.
Ms Imenda said while she admitted that the cost of living was high, government had started implementing measures that had seen the cost of mealie meal begin to come down.
“As the UPND, we are not happy the Catholic Priest is attacking the UPND government that is doing so well. That Fr whatever (Fr Sangaleta) his name is, let him read the post by Laura Miti who has observed that the strengths of President Hichilema far outweigh the few weaknesses which the UPND is addressing.. So let him join politics, it is his democratic right in a democratic country instead of using the pulpit to attack us,” Ms Imenda said.
[/ihc-hide-content]
