PF land policy will benefit the church-Kapata

Patriotic Front presidential running-mate deputy campaign manager, Jean Kapata says the ruling party has developed a robust land policy to empower Zambians, including churches to easily acquire land and obtain title deeds for their property.

Ms. Kapata says through the PF initiated land policy, churches will be able to obtain title deeds which they can use as collateral to access finance to venture into various income generating activities.

She said this will help churches to improve the lives of congregants and the needy people in society.

She was speaking when she met members of the clergy in Kapiri Mposhi today.

Ms. Kapata said the national land titling programme will empower churches to obtain loan facilities from financial institutions against their church buildings because the PF government and President Edgar Lungu regard land as a prerequisite to national economic development and wealth creation for citizens.

The former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources said from 1964, Zambia has never had a land policy to alienate land and systematically empower citizens with title deeds.

“When I was Minister of Lands, President Lungu tasked me to develop a National Land Policy and to commence the systematic National Land Titling Programme through which over 53,000 title deeds were issued by the end of 2020,” Ms. Kapata said.

Ms Kapata explained that in its 2021-2026 manifesto, the PF intends to produce and issue over four million certificates of title to public and private land owners.

“The National Land Titling Programme is empowerment for all of us … for those who want to do business, churches inclusive, they can borrow using their property,” Ms. Kapata said.

And Ms. Kapata has challenged the church to educate their congregants on the importance of voting in order to reduce voter apathy in the August 12, 2021 general elections.

Ms. Kapata also urged the clergy to guide their congregants on how to vote and ticking on the ballot for their votes to count.

“The problem that we have in this country is that people don’t come out to vote so you as the clergy you have the power to stand on the pulpit and tell people to go and vote on the 12th of August,” Ms. Kapata said.

She further urged the church to continue praying for the country and providing guidance for Zambia to hold peaceful elections.

“President Lungu is building a house according to the Bible. He went further to building a national place of worship and as the clergy, we need to pray and provide guidance for the country and its leadership as we head for elections,” she said.

And PF presidential running-mate campaign team member, Sensio Banda has implored the church to guard against the removal of the clause on the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation.

Mr. Banda charged that some leaders of certain political parties contesting the August polls were planning to remove the Christian Nation declaration from the constitution and declare Zambia as a secular state if elected to form government.

The former Kasenengwa Member of Parliament urged the church to support President Lungu as he had vowed to maintain the declaration.

“President Lungu reaffirmed the Christian nation values and principles by enshrining them in the constitution cognisant of the fact that nothing happens unless God says so, meaning that God should be at the centre of our lives,” Mr. Banda said.

And Kapiri Mposhi District Ministers’ Fellowship Chairman Japheth Msoni has re-affirmed the church’s commitment to preach peace, unity and love ahead of the 2021 general elections.

“The Church in Kapiri Mposhi condemns violence, hate speech and tribal remarks that may plunge the country into chaos. Political parties should conduct peaceful campaigns,” Bishop Msoni said.

He has since called on government to provide a peaceful platform during campaigns and elections for the August 12 polls.