The Zambia Police, Ndola Division has requested Catholic priest Chewe Mukosa to appear before them next Tuesday to assist with investigations over an unspecified matter. However, instead of waiting for the police to do their homework since no one is above the law whether they’re priests or not, the Patriotic Front and their surrogates have gone full-throttle insinuating that, “Mukosa has been summoned for questioning in connection with preaching against loadshedding and the high cost of living when he delivered his Good Friday message.”
We won’t delve into the issue since we aren’t privy to why the priest is wanted by the police, but shall instead restrict ourselves to interrogating the attitude of a few known Catholic priests towards the New Dawn Administration, and President Hakainde Hichilema in particular. Scriptures say, people perish due to lack of knowledge. Indeed…….the process of training to become a Catholic priest is a tedious one. According to Wikipedia, it takes five or six year full-time Course of Formation at a seminary, including study for a degree or other qualification in theology. The Seminary Course of Formation will also involve placements in parishes of the diocese in which you will gain practical, pastoral and liturgical skills.
Given this background, human as they are; Catholic priests are obviously more knowledgeable compared to ordinary preachers; and when they stand on the pulpit to ‘preach,’ they are not expected to mislead the public on emotive issues such as loadshedding, price of mealie meal or even our current drought situation. But lo and behold, we’ve seen some priests excitedly take to the pulpit and literally engage in politics. They’re quick to whip-up emotions by twisting information and spewing half-truths to cajole the public to start thinking the current administration has failed, lamentably. It’s actually shocking to see and hear them criticise Hichilema and his government in acidic and bitter tones, bereft of any love or compassion!
Don’t these priests realise they’re sowing seeds of acrimony and discord in the Church and nation at large – polarization if you like, by conducting themselves in such a despicable manner on the pulpit? It’s interesting that it’s always the usual suspects – the Mpundus, Mukosas, Lupupas, Mwewas, Kabasos and Chikoyas leading the onslaught. Is Hichilema paying the price for belonging to a “wrong tribe?” How come we don’t often see priests from the Zambezi provinces come out guns and blazing on the current president? We have every reason to suspect this ‘attack’ on Hichilema from some Catholic priests borders on nothing else, but tribalism and regionalism!
Since today marks 30 years since the genocide in Rwanda, we shall take time to reflect outline the chilling account of the role the Catholic church played in the same, whereby 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered in 100 days of violence for which Pope Francis has since sought forgiveness for the “sins and failings of the church and its members.”
According to the March 27, 2017 issue of The Guardian, one priest, Father Athanase Seromba, ordered his church to be bulldozed with 2,000 Tutsis sheltering inside. Another priest, Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka, equally helped draw up lists of people to be killed and raped. This is according to charges issued by the UN’s international criminal tribunal for Rwanda in 2005.
The publication further highlights that the Catholic church was compromised by its longstanding political ties to the ruling Hutu elite. Archbishop Vincent Nsengiyumva sat on the ruling party’s central committee for nearly 15 years even as it implemented policies that discriminated against Tutsis.Once the massacres started, instead of using his political affiliations to urge the regime to stop the killing, he refused even to call it genocide. Witnesses said he stood by as Tutsi priests, monks and a nun were taken to be murdered!
Further acknowledging its role in such dastardly crimes against humanity; in 2016, Rwanda’s Catholic bishops apologised for “all the wrongs the church committed” during the genocide. Their statement admitted church members planned, aided and carried out the genocide, and that the local church had later resisted efforts by the government and groups of survivors to acknowledge the church’s complicity in mass murder.
We shudder at the thought of history repeating itself in our beloved nation. Our plea to politicians hiding in priestly robes is simple: please, don’t take us on the path of Rwanda.
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
Foolish column
Why you allow a fuul to write graffic about Catholic Priests?
Because they are evil. They want to fight for Catholicism rather than Christianity
Lusaka Times why do you even allow this pompwe Kapinga on your platform…..these are devil worshipers….” -Political analyst”…my a$$s…..THE CATHOLIC PRIEST WAS 100% RIGHT…Kapinga please just go and beg for a Job from HH…..how do you even earn a living makaka iwe
“Political Analyst”…my as$$….Lusaka Times stop giving this pompwe Kapinga your platform…useless makaka
I never read his articles. I look at the by-line and I skip it
There is something fake and downright dangerous about this political/social analyst. He seems incapable of independent thinking without the tribal lenses. The HH administration should address the issues raised by the priest as other administrations have done in the past. Please don’t corrupt the mindset of Zambians with tribalism.
The issues are being addressed. hasn’t the President declared a state of emergency due to drought? Hasn’t ZESCO promised to buy electricity from Mozambique?
The church should be a neutral place where worshipers feel free to worship God. How did the members of the ruling party feel about such a message? Will that make them become more Catholics or shun the church?
The writer of this article is absolutely correct.
The situation in Rwanda occurred because of the activities of priests and we are now seeing this happening in Zambia. They have become the foot soldiers of PF.
In many African countries we have religious leaders parading themselves as “men of God”, whose aim is to spread division and hatred instead of peace and love.
Many priests are insidious and malevolent.
I fully agree with @BlackMan.
I used to go the church once upon a time, I have now stopped after realising that the utterances of priest were divisive and prejudicial with their intention being to divide and rule.
Village political analysis. Read The Social Teaching of the Catholic Bishops and other Christian Leaderships
This a compilation of Pastoral Letters from 1953 to 2001. It will show you how the church has spoken on behalf of the vulnerable majority.
The opposition have always taken advantage but unfortunately have turned their guns at the church once they ascend to power. Don’t expect people to wait for heaven for a decent life. The Bible in the Epistle of James is very clear about the treatment of people.
Kapinga go and read the Bible again. Even Jesus Christ sided with the underprivileged. He called King Herod a fox and pharisees hypocrite and vipers who loaded heavy burdens on other while themselves wouldn’t even use a finger to lift these heavy loads.
Stop misquoting the Bible. Jesus did not say we must insult those in power.
The Bible in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV) Says; Pray For Those in Authority “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”05 No
@Piranha. Take it anyway you want. I only wish you had said the same when the same church was attacking the PF government.
Nonsensical analysis. A$$ kissing PA.
I do support Mr. Kapinga 100%, the high cost of living has nothing to do with the current GRZ but squarely on all of us for failing to use our creativity and innovation which God our creator gave us. Its common sense as long as we keep on blaming others for true failing, we will not get anywhere, even if we swap with Europe for only 20 years within 2 years we will start crying to come back to Africa.
But no one has addressed his concerns….why is it only ever priests with certain last names criticizing the administration?
This is nonsense!!! You see when bitter individuals assume power, it is a big problem. You cannot tell us that the nation is okay. It is because of people like those in current leadership who allows genocide. STAY AWAY FROM THESE KIND OF PEOPLE; 1. THOSE WHO PREACH TRIBALISM 2. THOSE WHO ARE BITTER & VENGEFUL. 3. BAMUNSHEBWA ( THE KNOW IT ALL ). 4. UNEXPOSED PEOPLE. 5 UNFORGIVING 6. LIARS. THOSE WHO HATE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT. 7. STINGY PEOPLE. 8. THOSE WHO CANNOT SAY ANYTHING GOOD THE PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP DID. …… THE LIST IS LONG. THE QUESTION IS; ”ARE YOU ABLE TO IDENTIFY SUCH TRAITS IN OUR CURRENT NATION?” LOOKS LIKE OUR NATION WAS PUT ON PAUSE SOME 3 YEARS AGO
Really!!! You see when bitter individuals assume power, it is a big problem. It is because of people like those in current leadership who allows genocide. STAY AWAY FROM THESE KIND OF PEOPLE; 1. THOSE WHO PREACH TRIBALISM 2. THOSE WHO ARE BITTER & VENGEFUL. 3. BAMUNSHEBWA ( THE KNOW IT ALL ). 4. UNEXPOSED PEOPLE. 5 UNFORGIVING 6. LIARS. THOSE WHO HATE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT. 7. STINGY PEOPLE. 8. THOSE WHO CANNOT SAY ANYTHING GOOD THE PREVIOUS LEADERSHIP DID. THE QUESTION IS; ”ARE YOU ABLE TO IDENTIFY SUCH TRAITS IN OUR CURRENT NATION?” LOOKS LIKE OUR NATION WAS PUT ON PAUSE SOME 3 YEARS AGO
Really!!! You see when bitter individuals assume power, it is a big problem. It is because of people like those in current leadership who allows genocide. LOOKS LIKE OUR NATION WAS PUT ON PAUSE SOME 3 YEARS AGO
You do realise that the bible you quote was brought by the white man, right? So you mfilikas accept some of the white man’s teachings but not all?
We did have our own Gods (declared pagans by “you know who”) that made sense in our communities. You have forgotten, ka?
Upnd are like this man having a bath in a traditional lusasa in the presence of his small daughter…,so he puts his manly weapons between his thighs. The daughter goes
behind him and calls out ” Dad what you are hiding is showing at your back”
The only thing that will make UPND leadership lose grip of power is their own lies. I have never seen a government that thrives on lies like them.
Yes. in Zambia no one is above the law.
…………
Already ………
that they are brainwashed into believing a foreign religion, shows……….
How easy it is to dupe them into resurrection………
Religion has caused many wars , millions of lost lives through millennia……….
It never caused war when you were in opposition.