Anglicans plead for Bishop Mwamba

…as Archbishop Thabo Makgoba calls for due process, decent conditions and dialogue following the August disputed elections that has saw the detention of Bishop Mwamba, Brian Mundubile, Makebi Zulu and many others on treason charges.

By NATION REPORTER

THE Anglican Church in Southern Africa has appealed to the Zambian government to accord treason detainees, including Bishop Trevor Mwamba and other opposition political leaders fair treatment by ensuring the rule of law and not of man is followed in their cases.

The Most Reverend Dr Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Southern Africa says the Church is deeply concerned with the detention of opposition figures, including retired Anglican Bishop of Botswana Mwamba, and called for their rights to be respected.

Archbishop Makgoba said the Church was particularly disturbed by the detention of Bishop Mwamba, a Zambian and former Bishop of Botswana who is now president of UNIP.

“We are deeply disturbed at the detention of a number of opposition figures, including Bishop Trevor Mwamba, the retired Anglican Bishop of Botswana and a Zambian national who now leads Zambia’s UNIP,” Archbishop Makgoba said.

He said the Anglican Church of Southern Africa was calling for prayers for Zambia and its people following what he described as a disputed election, particularly for healing, reconciliation and unity.

Archbishop Makgoba also backed calls by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk for the UPND regime to end arbitrary arrests and respect due process.

“We add our voices to that of the UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk, who has called on Zambian authorities to end arbitrary arrests and respect due process,” he said.

The Archbishop said concern over the arrests had also been raised by international organisations including the European Union, African Union, SADC and the Commonwealth.

He said Bishop Mwamba as a widely respected theologian across the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Archbishop Makgoba said concern over the former Botswana bishop’s detention had also been expressed by his wife, Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, a former Botswana diplomat and Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General from 2008 to 2014.

He said Ms Masire-Mwamba had raised the alarm after Bishop Mwamba disappeared for several days without explanation before it emerged that he was being held at a police station in Lusaka.

Archbishop Makgoba said the Church was praying for all opposition figures detained at various police stations in Lusaka.

“We strongly appeal to the Zambian authorities to allow them access to decent sanitation, reading material and other human necessities,” he said.

He also called for dialogue among political parties and urged that the wishes expressed by Zambians through the democratic process be respected.

“We pray for dialogue among all parties and that the democratically-expressed wishes of the people of Zambia will be respected in a united nation,” Archbishop Makgoba said.

Ends.