Vatican hails Lungu

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:29:44 +0000

By BENNIE MUNDANDO

VATICAN representative to Zambia Apostolic Nuncio Julio Murat has hailed and appreciated President Edgar Lungu’s continued open-door policy towards the Catholic Church in Zambia since coming into power.

And President Lungu has assured Apostolic Nuncio Murat that he will meet the Catholic Bishops within this month as part of dialogue which started with vice president Inonge Wina meeting the members for the clergy last week.

Speaking to the Daily Nation after the two leaders held a meeting at State House yesterday, special assistant to the president for press and public relations Amos Chanda said Apostolic Nuncio Murat commended President Lungu for his recognition of the vital role the Catholic Church played in fostering unity and peace in Zambia.

He said the Catholic Church appreciated the cordial relationship that existed between the church and the state since president Lungu came into power.

“His Excellency President Lungu and Apostolic Nuncio Murat held a meeting at State House today (yesterday) and touched on a wide range of national issues among them, the relationship between the church and the state where they discussed the role of the church in promoting dialogue and national unity.

“The Apostolic Nuncio has appreciated and commended the president for his continued open-door policy and the considerable access he has accorded the Catholic Church since he ascended to power,” Mr. Chanda said.

And Mr. Chanda said President Lungu assured the Apostolic Nuncio that he would continue to value the church as an important entity in national unity and that he pledged to work with the church in order to hold the country together.

“President Lungu emphasised that he continues to value the church as a very critical institution in holding the country together. In line with the vice president’s statement in parliament and further to the meeting that she held with the members of the clergy last week,

“ The president assured the Apostolic Nuncio that he will, in due course and within this month, meet with the Catholic bishops to continue on the dialogue between Government and the church,” he said.