In a recent press briefing at State House, President Hakainde Hichilema’s use of graphs to depict the country’s economy has drawn criticism from the leader of the Socialist Party, Fred M’membe. M’membe agrees with Chawama Catholic Church Parish Priest Father Anthony Salangeta’s questioning of the graphs, arguing that they fail to provide a complete picture of Zambia’s economic situation.
Dr. M’membe expresses concern over the President’s focus on leadership as the main driver of changes in Zambia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) levels since the 1970s. He emphasizes that prioritizing GDP growth does not necessarily guarantee the well-being of citizens. During his appearance on the “Let the People Talk” program on Phoenix FM, Dr. M’membe asserts that citizens are more interested in tangible improvements in their living conditions rather than complicated theories.
Dr. M’membe further states that it is unjust for the entire ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) system, including the President, to harshly criticize Father Salangeta for questioning the graphs. He believes that religious leaders have the right to participate in the country’s affairs and raise concerns that affect the people. Dr. M’membe also criticizes the double standard applied to religious and traditional leaders, where their support for politicians is accepted while their criticisms are dismissed as political.
Father Salangeta, who has come under attack for his remarks, is accused of misrepresenting President Hichilema during a mass service. The clergyman allegedly mocked the President’s use of graphs during a press briefing on May 19, 2023, claiming that “people will not eat graphs.” These sentiments have sparked anger among the clergy, who argue that Father Salangeta’s comments undermine the church’s integrity.
Reacting to Father Salangeta’s statements, Reverend William Njombo, the General Overseer of Christ Riches Church, expressed disappointment in the clergyman’s words, calling them misplaced and an indictment on the church. Rev. Njombo highlights the importance of the New Dawn administration’s efforts to provide free education and bursaries to empower vulnerable citizens and alleviate poverty.
Reverend William Njombo, the General Overseer of Christ Riches Church, expressed disappointment in Father Salangeta’s remarks, considering them misplaced and an indictment on the church. He believed that the clergy should focus on their primary role of offering spiritual guidance to political leaders rather than engaging in political opposition. Rev. Njombo highlighted the significance of the New Dawn administration’s efforts to provide free education and bursaries, emphasizing that these initiatives were empowering vulnerable citizens and addressing the issue of poverty.
Similarly, UPND Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa voiced his disapproval of Father Salangeta’s comments. Mweetwa emphasized the importance of the values and principles of Zambia as a Christian nation, which rely on the guidance provided by men and women of God from the pulpit. He expressed concern over a clergyman using demeaning language towards the Head of State, suggesting that it was contrary to the role of religious leaders to lead and unify the country. Mweetwa highlighted that he did not want the nation to return to the days when the country had Christians supporting a specific President, indicating his desire for a more inclusive and unified approach.
Both Reverend Njombo and Mweetwa shared the view that clergymen should refrain from engaging in political opposition and focus on their spiritual duties. They believed that religious leaders had a responsibility to offer guidance and support to political leaders while unifying the nation. Their perspectives highlighted the potential tension between the role of clergy as spiritual advisors and their involvement in political discourse, particularly when it comes to criticizing or questioning political decisions or actions.
Cde Membe and the priest should also………
Ask the GRZ if komboni people can eat free education………….
BTW, even primary school kids know what graphs mean…………
He’s trying to convince the educated. The ordinary person can only be convinced by a pot full of food not a paper full of lines.
Look at this Congolese……..
He does not know a large percentage of Zambians have been to school……..
#Spaka. You must be a moron for you not to see that your tribesman had the wrong data as compared to the BoZ.
Good day Mukorekore.
Iwe c.hikala it’s not everyone who has been to school who understands everything. More than 80 percent won’t either understand or be interested in that nonsense. Mukorekore.
Naimwe ba kasai, ………..
Not all the 80% were the target audience………….
If the komboni people don’t understand the digital world, that is why free education was introduced…….
They need to get themselves and their children educated on move on with the times………….
There’s no problem in being a Kasai ( which I am not). But there’s a lot wrong with a person who is ready to eat amafi yakwa leader wakwe without questions.
Why deny your ethnicity ?
I know you……..
Correction: charts are not digital world. They have been there long before computers were invented. Someone was just overly keen to show how sophisticated he is
Scientist
May 26, 2023 At 6:48 pm
“Correction: charts are not digital world. They have been there long before computers were invented….”
Long before computers….?
And these idiootees are even proud to say people don’t understand them ?
Will Africans ever develop ??
Not with foools who take ignorance as something normal
The problem with HH is that he thinks he is the most intelligent person in zambia and that only his whlte masters know more than him. The funny thing is that comrade mmembe is way more educated than the villager hh. Humility is a virtue every leader should possess.
Mmembe may be educated but he is archaic. He is also a tyrant. No wonder the penchance for Communism.
Well if you look at the upnd crowd following him who is intelligent? None so his ego should be boosted
What has Communism got to do with intelligence quotient? Must everyone be a Capitalist to be termed intellectual? You just overrate H-H’s assumed brainpower. His statements speak volumes.
And has to reply to anything. Looking at the video, you get a feeling that he’s disappointed with himself.
Enough pampering to people who can’t understand simple graphs………..
That is why free education was introduced……….
For as many people to get educated and move on with the modern world………
We live in a digital world , not a jungle…….
New Dawn. Its Graphs and Gloves! While citizens starve. Kekekekekeke!
Spaka mustbe one of those in State House from Watchdog. He is as persistent as a dog in his support for master HH
There is no viable alternative…….
He’s like a konto sticking onto a mangy dog.
What goes round comes round remember that they also condemned Sata that people can’t eat roads but because it’s them they want people to understand – you reap what you sow, what’s so special about HH that he cant be criticized or told in his face the way he used to tell ECL this level of hypocrisy and amnesia is unimaginable and unprecedented indeed. Reflect on your past deeds and words and leave people alone your duty is to deliver what you promised the people. You’ll be judged on the ability to deliver the promises.
Our KK took the battle to church warning the Catholics that mukendela pali kolona. The rest is history.
UPND praise-singers are unintelligent and suffer from collective amnesia. The graphs do not tell us why HH and his fellow crooks decided to take the bumper maize harvest left by the PF to sell to other countries, cause a staple maize deficit and higher prices of the commodity. As we learnt as undergraduates at UNZA, GDP as an economic index does not tell you about the distribution of the growth of the country in terms of who gets what. We have had high periods of growth in Zambia, for example between 2004 and 2014, due to an increase in commodity prices of the major export earner, copper. But the same period has been described as one of increased inequality and poverty.
ba mbi bena inonsita saporta fye na mafi ne fsushj
THE TRUTH PAINS, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER HYPOCRISY IS EXPOSED. PF CROOKS ARE BITTER BECAUSE THE GRAPHS CLEARLY SHOWED THAT THEY WERE THE WORST IN THE HISTORY OF ZAMBIA AS FAR AS NATIONAL MONEY MANAGEMENT IS CONCERNED. AND THE GRAPHS WERE VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND AS LONG AS ONE HAS THE SENSE OF SIGHT , NO GCE WAS NEEDED . HH IS UNIQUE GOOD PRAGMATIC LEADER. JEALOUS DOWN
Diop, you must be from Senegal. Anyway, give me examples of countries where pure socialism or communism have succeeded in uplifting the well-being of citizens. By the way, none of the 20 most prosperous nations are socialist / communist.
Freddy is petty … a man and his colleagues who believe that they can form government and govern Zambia and its people on the basis of the garbage-like theories advanced by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels in the 39-page Communist Manifesto. By the way, the duo called for the abolition of religion and called it “the opium of the people …”
They may be anything else bur garbage like. Marx foretold a scenario that happened. He was an economist who could predict from his observance of society. And as an academic he was open to correction as much as confirmation
When things are bad let it us call it bad.You zambians be serious stop being hypocrites.One Pastor in 2021 said PF must be removed, a well Known pastor from Lusaka and every one was quiet.These clergy we have who can not stand for the people what are they for?mmmmm kkkkkk Rev be serious please if you cant speak for the poor go to hell.
MR. BARTH, WELL SAID’ IT IS JUST FOOLISH THINKINKING BY SOME PEOPLE . ALA EVEN US WHO LIVE IN MAKOMONI , INCLUDING OUR CHILDREN WERE ABLE TO FOLLOW AND UNDERSTAND THE GRAPHICAL NATIONAL EXPLANATION. FREE EDUCATION IS BEING APPLIED AS A BENEFIT TO THE NATION. ALTHOUGH WE LIVE MU MAKOMBONI WE ARE ABLED TO UNDERSTAND ISSUES. WE ARE NOT KNOW -NOTHINGS. PLEASE HH CONTINUE WITH YOUR GOOD PROGRESSIVE WAYS
I just checked on Antonio Mwanza’s article on the subject…man 90% of Spaka’s kinsmen are for the graphs man and have rubbished the priest’s educational credentials as cheap. So the defense is not about logic but about tribe.
You are one person whose valid points are diluted by your tribal hate. Surely what has meaningless graphs got to do with tribe?