By Peter Mubanga Cheuka
Over the past few days, the National Day of Prayer and Fasting has been a topical issue for Zambians both at home and abroad. We have heard the Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs, Godfridah Sumaili, warn political leaders against discouraging their members from attending this event. In parallel, some civil society organizations have opposed the institution of this day citing government’s failure to take practical steps to address the corruption scandals and looting of Zambia’s national treasury. Likewise, ordinary Zambians also seem to be losing trust and are starting to question the motives behind the institution of this event. In this regard, negative sentiments about this event are now rife on different social media platforms.
Indeed, the scepticism that ordinary Zambians are beginning to show towards the National Day of Prayer and Fasting is justified. Lest we forget, it is prudent that we remind ourselves that religion and politics have historically collaborated to suppress critical thought while promoting subservience to the ruling class. To start with, religion, particularly Christianity, was crucial to the enslavement of our forefathers and mothers in pre-colonial Africa. In this regard, the teaching of the Christian doctrine to our forefathers and mothers was meant to serve one selfish purpose – to make them obedient slaves. This practice was so entrenched that even slave manuals were written by colonial masters and enslavers detailing strategies on how to brainwash and make black people obedient slaves. Amongst the most important ingredients listed in such slave manuals was the teaching of the Christian doctrine. In the name of Christianity and Jesus, our fore bearers were beaten and murdered in slave ships and plantations with little or no resistance, thanks to the Christian doctrine they were exposed to which made them subservient even in the face of oppression. Generally, with such Christian indoctrination, colonizers and enslavers found Africans easy to conquer.
Today, the interplay between religious indoctrination and oppression have not changed much. In 1991, Fredrick Titus Chiluba, not long after becoming the second president of Zambia, declared this country a Christian nation. This was later formalized when this declaration was enshrined in the Zambian constitution in 1996. Today, the Chiluba regime is known to have been one of the most corrupt governments Zambia has ever had since independence perhaps only rivalled by the current Edgar Lungu’s government. Chiluba’s corruption was of gigantic proportion and his cases were actively pursued in court under the administration of Levy Patrick Mwanawasa. He was questionably acquitted under Rupiah Banda’s government. However, in the court of public opinion, Chiluba has gone down in history as one of the most corrupt Leaders Zambia has ever had. This, dear Zambians, is the man who declared Zambia a Christian nation.
About 3 years ago, Edgar Lungu declared October 18 of every year as a National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation. Judging from experience, which I hope we can learn from, there is only one objective the president hopes this religious gathering will achieve. This is to simply avoid taking responsibility for the dire state of our economy and placing the blame on some supernatural force. The source of Zambia’s problems is so clear that indeed even a blind man can see. Edgar’s government has shamelessly dismissed public outcry over the corruption scandals that have rocked his government. Highly questionable and overpriced contracts which have drained our treasury resulting in unsustainable borrowing is now the order of the day. We have seen his government prosecute citizens for simply asking questions on the smelly levels of corruption in government. Edgar’s government has chosen to ignore alarming levels of corruption including those involving the overpriced 42 fire trucks, ambulances and the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way among others. Edgar’s government has also refused to act on the looting of the Zambian treasury as revealed by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and the Auditor Generals Reports. In fact, it can be argued that the levels of corruption in Edgar’s government can closely rival those of Chiluba. This, dear Zambians, is the kind of government which is trying to rally you and me to pray for the appreciation of the kwacha and an economically prosperous Zambia. I will leave it to you to judge.
I am a Christian and I totally agree with this article! Religious leaders and evil men have been teaming up throughout history.When Jesus was born it was evil men (Herod) and religious leaders (Sadducees and Pharisees) who teamed up to try to kill baby Jesus. Its no wonder God showed himself to the wise men of the East and lowly shepherds and not the high priest.Yes colonialists used Christianity to enslave us and to destroy our culture.And now politicians use scripture to blind us to their thieving ways… Jesus said its better for one to tie a stone round his neck and jump into a river (paraphrased) than to lead little ones astray.. Zambians are tired of the religious BS… This is not what Jesus is about.
One of my favourite passages of scripture is
“do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked, a man will reap what he has sowed”…. Mr. Lungu is a hypocrite. He will reap what he has sowed. It’s only a matter of time.
You can fool some people all the time and all the people some times. But you can’t fool everyone all the time Mr. Lungu. And more importantly, you can’t fool God ever.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. A man will reap what sows”. So said the Apostle Paul. These words ring true in every age. Lungu is a hypocrite. It’s only a matter of time before he starts to reap his harvest
What kind g govt prioritizes building a house of prayer next to a hospital where children are dying from curable and preventable diseases? Edgar no clue Lungu! This man is the worst president we have had and probably ever will
I’d love to hear Bonehead Mushota’s PHD analysis of this article!!!
National day of dwrinking and 4nication.
You Zambian, stop moaning. Let us just pray, have independence celebrations the Lungu can buy more privet jets or do another outrageous thing and life will just continue. Zambians are peaceful people!
And you pastors are busy praying for a thief
YEA OK COOL WHATEVER I DONT SEE ANY PROBLEM DECLARING ZAMBIA AS A CHRISTIAN NATION OR HAVING A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER. GOD CAN USE ANYONE. GOD USED A DONKEY TO REBUKE BALAAM SO WHAT, GOD CAN USE ANYONE THAT’S LIKE SAYING THEREFORE THAT ALL THE SINNERS JESUS HUNG AROUND WITH DISCREDIT JESUS AND HIS MESSAGE…..GIVE ME A BREAK…HE WHO HAS AN EAR TO HEAR LET HIM HEAR GOD BLESS PRESIDENT LUNGU GOD BLESS PRESIDENT CHILUBA …….KEEP IT UP JESUS!!!!!!!
The Whiteman left both Christianity and his nasty corrupt habits with African leaders
The article is crap to insinuate that corruption and looting is a tenant of Christianity. The chap here is failing to see his own crap in his back yard. Corruption is inherent to most Africans especially the Bantu type. Read and research their history and you will find this to be true. The looting going on at police roadblocks, government office clerks, school headmasters, the kuchekelana in the private sector is not driven by colonialists or Christianity. We are doing it all by ourselves. Don’t bury your head in the sand like Mugabe who blamed even his own corruption and mismanagement of the country on the British
It’s true corruption is increasing!
P.F, & true religious ideals is like Oil & Water.
THEY SIMPLY DONCHI MIX!!
U5 is saying dont pray because you are really bad.
Dont pray because you steal u5 says
Us we will pray and forgive these HH worshippers. As they unleash hatred we shall reply with love
From an intellectual point of view, the heading of the article and contents do not speak to each other. The heading gives an impression that this day of national prayers has given some individuals opportunities to siphon public resources with impunity but nothing to that effect has been laid out. The content of the article is not new and some of which Government has responded and clarified. Where there has been need to prosecute, the public has been duly informed. So perhaps on some issues raised, maybe you have gone ahead of yourself before the due process within Government was complete.
On the spiritual side, one would also argue that as a result of the national prayers especially the first two years, Zambia was spared from droughts and resulted food shortages: that gentlemen, not…
You dont add-up or make sense yourself. Trying hard to cover up the rote we can all see does not work. Just read my posting below and get some sense out of it!
Disaster!!!!
Zambia was spared from droughts and resulting food shortages……
And that was all due to Lungu and his prayers? YOU MAKE ME LAUGH !!!!!! What a joke!
Lungu does not need to be President, borrow 10 BILLION Dollars in our name (and steal most of it!) to pray for rain! He can do that as an ordinary Citizen!
This “Day of Prayer” is just a smokescreen to hide the STEALING of Zambians future!
KARL MARX’S CELEBRATED dictum, “religion is the opium of the people”.
Marx was not exactly against religion. For him, faith was something that “the people” conjured for themselves, a source of phoney happiness to which they turned to help numb the pain of reality. It was “the sigh of the oppressed creature”. Organised religion with its churches, doctrines and priests followed on from that, a useful tool by which the ruling classes kept the masses supine.
Now it may seem elitist, even sneering, to ask what the opium of the people is, what keeps us—or, worse, “them”—down when we could be up, soporific when we should be fighting for a better world. Are we really dim animals, willing ourselves into submission?
Disaster!!!!!!
No Comment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lungu pulled his bible that is always ready in his back pocket and said ” let’s pray”
When the citizens opened their eyes after prayer , their country was in $17 billion debt, suffering with high taxes were the order of the day while lungu and his gang grew unbelievably rich beyond imagination…..
Then when the citizens complained he unleashed his thug police on them….while insisting let’s dance to the music …..
True Spaka.
WELL PUT, & WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING ON THE GROUND IN BA VISIONLESS CHAKOLWA’S ZAMBIA TODAY!
It will not win H-ever.
HH’s SON IN THE NAME OF CORRUPTION.last week AG report shows that, the government has have tried to reduce the CORRUPT VILES . It’s shows that k62,000,000 was misappropriated compared to k217,000 of 2016 general annual report.
The WORLD BANK and CENTRAL BANK also agreed that FINANCIAL CORRUPTION has gone down in public service institutions, curbing of corruption has improved of late.
ADB and other dire organizations on their CORRUPTION INDEX around African Governments as well as the globally, SHOWS THAT ZAMBIA IS NOT EVEN OF TOP 30 ON CORRUPT countries in the world.
However, the problem is political propaganda which has come with infallible evil schemes of PREACHING FALSEHOOD.This shows like Zambia is the most corrupt country in the world because of some political pockets who have…
The corruption rankings are an objective thing….it is where you were compared to now. We Zambians have never seen this level of corruption and mismangment as of with lungu, maybe also FJTs time as well…..
You have never lived in those countries that are in the top 10 or 20. That is were police and the state openly solistce bribes. It is like living in a war zone.
Zambia has never been close to that , but we are getting there with lungu….and we are uncomftable with what we see now under lungu, this is an indication of the excellent rule of law and leadership integrity and morals of past leaders like KK, PLM and even RB to an extent…..
“In fact, it can be argued that the levels of corruption in Edgar’s government can closely rival those of Chiluba”…. I don’t agree with this ; corruption level now are much higher than they were under FTJ
What more with young, well educated and dynamic technocrats with a sharp appetite to acquire more and beyond their means, by hooks and crooks!
In the name of Jesus!
I have no qualms,whatsoever,on declaring Zambia as a Christian Nation and even a day of fasting and prayers.God can bring change in even in the people we call evil.He had done it before and He can do it even now.He used a harlot,as a spy,in entering the promised land.David committed adultery with Uriah’s wife but king Solomon came from the same adulterous woman.God is not a respecter of man.He can use anything,even evil people,to extend His kingdom.Paul was a murderer who was persecuting God’s children but God made him the greatest evangelist. Abraham committed sin with his made but the lineage of salvation,who is Jesus Christ,came through his seed.There is no one,not even a single person even the writer of this article,who is righteous.God will judge Edgar on this declaration whether…
National day of prayer and fasting is meant as sheep skin covering up corruption and theft, by this wolves in sheep skin leadership. But thank you to the Lord’s word, ”…You shall know them by their fruits…” And what are the fruits of this leadership? Will leave it to you to judge.
Lungu is fcuken corrupt in fact he should change his middle name from Changwa(what fcuken name) to corruption which will fit his actions the guy is just plain thief
What a load of cr@p!! This is the usual narrative being used by the same people to try and get people to rise against the govt. of PF/ECL. If these people can see so much corruption, why can’t the pinpoint it so that we can have convictions?? Why did Mwanawasa fail to convict FTJ despite having eight years ti do it?? The same groupings that persecuted FTJ and RB have grouped up behind today’s opposition/CSOs to fight ECL. Useless article!!!
FTJ was found guilty by the London high court.Instead of his lawyers defending him in court,RB and his crew used the DPP and technicalities to get him off the hook.
Anyway Mulandu su bola…
How dumb. A judge in London passing judgment over a Zambian matter?? Why couldn’t Zambian Courts find him guilty?? We had to rush to the “white daddies” to help us think?? Levy had eight years to do this but he failed-this anti-corruption exercise is a sham. It needs to be upgraded,
These are evil men using the name of Christ to cover up their evil deeds. Who does not know it is written in the scriptures, ”Thou shall not steal…” Exod. 20:15, but they continue to loot the nation.
Proverbs 28:9, ”He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”
God cannot be mocked or cheated.If this day was declared to hoodwink the masses,the day of judgement will come.You cannot cheat the people of God and go scot-free.Corruption and pilferage will not go unpunished when that day comes.One might be clever this time but there is a day of reckoning.Most of God’s people cannot access proper medical services because of this cancer corruption.A lot of people have gone to early graves because of one corrupt individual.The wrath of God will be on these corrupt elements.
Cries of the nation will reach God’s throne like it did to the children of Israel when they were in captivity in Egypt.God hates corruption and corrupt activities.A corrupt nation is a disgrace in God’s eyes.Zambia should eradicate corruption,other than alleviating it.It is a…
Now this my dear friends is a brilliant article. He is very right, make the masses obedient and convince them that their riches are in Heaven while our political elite steal and plunder
Mwanawasa was never tried, but he wasn’t a saint. To qualify to buy a residential property FTJ said you had to be a Zambian and a sitting tenant. Go to Kitwe and check who has bought parastatal houses and flats whether he qualified as set out by FTJ, and whether he’s a relative of Chiluba. Come and post your findings here then we discuss
”In this regard, the teaching of the Christian doctrine to our forefathers and mothers was meant to serve one selfish purpose – to make them obedient slaves.”
Oh may be the whole religion thing is a lie. How, as Christians, can you think your beliefs are the correct ones when we have 1 billion indians who believe in 33 million Gods, Muslims have a prophet who enslaved women and was once married to a 9 year old girl (1 billion people follow Islam), China has a billion people who do not believe in God. In fact China banned religion because they didnt want their people being brainwashed with the man in the sky.
Absolutely, religion is a lie. It was a human invention meant for mind control. All religions are man-made. We have been sold a lie.
Have you heard that Harry Kalaba was chased from Mwinilunga district by the ZAMBIA POLICE FORCE because a Minister of health was in the area. Further the crime was that Harry Kalaba had gone to church. My foot. What a beautiful country which is being destroyed.
aha WHERE IS SHARON? SHE CAN’T WRITE?
Those asking about Sharon or Tayali(real life name)…..he was on Radio this morning and will resume his job very soon.Its almost month end and he needs ka e-wallet kaili.
SHARON WHat ARE YOUR COMMENTS ON THESE THINGS?
It will NEVER win an election EVER.
Those asking about Sharon or Tayali(real life name)…..he was on Radio this morning and will resume his job very soon.Its almost month end and he needs ka e-wallet kaili.
Boza lako.
Well researched article depicting the whole truth and nothing but the truth..good work. Even in the Vatican, the pope does not coerce people to worship and fast in the manner that is way off the mark.. well done Cheuka, thanks for enlightening us…
Saying “I will leave it to you to judge” is not correct for you have already judged this government and its leadership. What I and maybe many more do not know is whether the apostle who is singing this song is Judas or Peter. There shall NEVER come any Government that will be able to remove the word corruption from the word list. Judas was corrupted with some shillings to identify Jesus and since then it has grown in tandem with population. Even where corruption attracts a death sentence as a price, it has never been successfully eliminated. By the way is corruption only receiving cash or can one be corrupted by word of mouth, pictures or photographs? What corruption come to your mind each time you hear the word???
A mockery of a holiday.. Even a named popular artist who graced the occasion as choir master or whatever is a known womanizer.
This year it was a religious entertainment
brilliant article but those who are supposed to read it are busy stealing so they don’t have time to read it. What a pity.
The Union of state and religion is called Spiritual Fornication (Revelation 17:2). Give Caesar what is due to him and give God what is due to Him (Matthew 22:21). These fake prayers by those who murdered Vesper in cold blood ended in the mouth of Chagwa. It is clear now why Pigeons refused to fly!