Morality key in governance – Caritas

By NATION REPORTER

LEADERSHIP comes from God and those entrusted with the responsibility to govern should have the sense of morality, fairness, transparency for the absence of these virtues could easily chaos and political instability, Caritas Zambia has warned.
Caritas Zambia has expressed grave concern that the peace and tranquil Zambia has enjoyed since gaining her independence are increasingly being threatened by a toxic political atmosphere and may easily lead to political anarchy and disorder

Fr Dr Mapulanga said in an interview yesterday that the Church and other stakeholders are deeply concerned about rising political tensions in the country, warning that peace could not be taken for granted, especially as the nation heads towards another election cycle.
Fr Dr Gabriel Mapulanga, the Caritas Zambia Executive Director says while politics was not inherently dirty, it had been tainted by politicians who had converted a noble platform for service into a source of tension, immorality and disorder.

He said Caritas Zambia and the Catholic Church had always worked to promote unity, reconciliation and peace, including mediating when national stability appeared at risk.
“Yes, there are tensions in this nation,” he said. “What we need is to be proactive before things get worse. Every time there is tension, we must understand its root causes and address them so that peace is maintained.”
Fr Dr Mapulanga said much of the tension Zambia was witnessing stemmed from politics and party rivalries, compounded by economic pressures such as the rising cost of living.

The the rivary political conditions, he said, had the potential to disrupt peace if left unchecked.
He said from the Catholic Church standpoint, politics was meant to serve the human person and promote the common good, but this was being undermined by individuals who separate morality from politics.
“Politics is not supposed to be dirty,” he said. “It is leadership, and leadership comes from God. When you remove morality and the aspect of God, you lose the very essence of authority,” the Catholic Priest said.
Fr Dr Mapulanga condemned political violence and lawlessness, saying leaders must demonstrate discipline and guide their followers accordingly.

He cited incidents such as the attack on the Patriotic Front (PF) Secretariat, insisting that perpetrators should be brought to book regardless of political affiliation.
“If you commit an offence, you must face the law. Support for political parties must be within the law. It must never involve taking the law into your own hands,” the Clergyman said.
He said maintaining order was the exclusive duty of the police, who must enforce the law fairly and without fear.
“The worrying thing in this country is that political leaders do not come down hard on offenders simply because they belong to the ruling party,” Fr Dr Mapulanga said. “This is wrong. The police should not segregate. They must be tough on anyone who breaks the law.”
Fr Dr Mapulanga said the heightened emotions and hostile political rhetoric being witnessed were clear indicators of simmering tension.
He urged leaders, citizens and the Church to tone down inflammatory language and avoid adding “oil to the fire.”
“We want sobriety, especially as we move towards the election,” he said. “Everyone, political leaders, ordinary citizens, even church leaders must speak responsibly.”