Liswaniso tell police chief to stop harassing Church

By GIDEON NYENDWA

GILBERT Liswaniso has warned Inspector General of Police, Graphael Musamba to stay away from churches, stating that it is sacrilegious for the police to continue harassing the church, particularly the Catholic Church, which has been a victim of police invasions and harassment in as many times.
Mr Liswaniso has condemned the police for barricading the Cathedral of the Child Jesus during the 10th memorial service of late President Michael Sata to stop Lusaka, Archbishop Dr Alick Banda from conducting mass in honour of Zambia’s fifth President.
Mr Liswaniso is the UPND national youth chairperson.
He said the leaders of the party and leaders with government had indicated that those that would choose not to worship away from the official gathering point, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross should be allowed to do so.
“So, the one who misled the IG or the IG misled himself…we don’t know, but all of us know that we know that what happened was wrong, the church must be left alone,” Mr Liswaniso said.
Mr Liswaniso said citizens who were affiliated or supporting the opposition should not be harassed in their churches on account of their political association. “Someone could be supporting the opposition but when they were in church, no one should disturb them even the police must not disturb them. The church is a sacred place of worship and the IG (Inspector General) should never have sent his police officers to the Pope Square to stop a church service,” Mr Liswaniso said.
He said after the incident at the Cathedral of Child Jesus, he received a lot of calls from various members of the clergy who were cautioning the UPND of tampering with the church because it would paint a very bad picture about them. Mr Liswaniso also cautioned the clergy from using the church to peddle lawlessness and hatred against other people, advising the clerics that their calling was to preach love.
He said the clergy was not being stopped from criticising the UPND government but that what was wrong was to use the church to cause division in the country.
Mr Liswaniso said no one had ever stopped the UPND from going to church, stating that the ruling party members could go to any church to worship and worship with the people.
He said Mr Musamba should know how to deal with the people because his misconduct was making the UPND and President Hakainde Hichilema unpopular and could lead to the ruling party lose the 2026 general election.
Mr Liswaniso said the UPND was a strong believer in upholding the rule of law and the people should not force lawlessness to come back to the country.