By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst
Once again, Tuesday to be precise, folks will be turning up at the Showgrounds in the nation’s capital and indeed other locations around the country to commemorate the so-called national day of prayers, repentance and reconciliation. As usual, we shall be treated to spectacles of sprit-filled adherents ‘yelling out’ memorized prayers, rendition of scriptures by the papas…….and of course, flowery speeches from the politicians as a phalanx of TV and radio reporters and photojournalists jostle around for vantage positions on the podium.
Is it really necessary to stretch ourselves to extremes to prove that we are indeed a prayerful people? Mathew 6:5 puts it clear, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.” Do we then still have to be stiff necked and keep on entertaining such a charade? Who’s fooling who?
Anyway…..before the naïve and gullible ones gather the first rocks and stone us or find sjamboks to lynch us; we’ve a few important questions that require immediate answers! How has the declaration of the ‘national day of prayers,’ impacted our lives, particularly the usual suspects – the politicians? If we may call a spade a spade; during the last 7 years of PF in power, we were able to witness how our leaders engaged in the most ‘ungodly’ acts parallel to Sodom and Gomorrah even as they encouraged us to close our eyes and pray. The list of their transgressions is endless – they dipped their dirty paws in the kitty for their selfish benefit; they wantonly nurtured the bitter seed of polarization for political expediency; they unleashed mayhem and havoc against citizens using the police and party cadres – including gassing them during their sleep; they were quick to condemn civil servants to squalor and poverty for belonging to what they considered as ‘wrong’ tribes; they enjoyed life of splendor and opulence as the majority of our people wallowed in abject poverty, and haboured corrosive hatred for their opponents to the extent of referring to them as cows!
What’s so Christian about such awful conduct?
Our biggest problem as Africans is our tendency to always hide our inability or shortcomings in prayer! Even as a raging infernal threatens to engulf the entire building, we’d rather kneel down in total supplication as opposed to springing into action to douse the flames. Doesn’t Ecclesiastes remind us that there’s a time for everything? Those resources that will be going up in flames in terms of allowances, time, fuel and other logistics on Tuesday would produce sterling results if put to better use. Imagine if all of us ganged up to clean our communities and plant trees; wouldn’t our country be better than Rwanda? Imagine if we discarded our suits or designer labels for a while and put our hands on the deck, wouldn’t our country be transformed into the bread basket of the region? Imagine if we put our heads together to interrogate the conundrum of youth unemployment, would our youths still be languishing with joblessness?
Let us stop deceiving ourselves with the notion that if abdicate our responsibilities and keep on praying unceasingly, then boom – 3 square meals a day for everyone, jobs galore for our youth while horrific crime will be reduced to zero! Wake up man, it doesn’t work like that!
The New Dawn Administration is better off concentrating on its core mandate of delivering goods and services to our people like they are already doing than sticking a thumb in religion. If you are still insisting status quo remains intact, aren’t we willfully contradicting with what the Bible teaches in Mark 12:17, “Well then,” Jesus said, “give to Caeser what belongs to Caeser, and give to God what belongs to God.”
If any of us have sinned or indeed injured others in any way, the best venue to pray and repent or indeed seek reconciliation isn’t the stadium, but the temple! Mulekutika? You can’t police people to pray lest you’ll be mocking God! As a matter of fact, most civil servants that would pitch up for such prayers, especially in the previous regime, didn’t go there with pure hearts since they were coerced in doing so. Immediately these prayers were done, you’d see senior government and party officials dashing to the pubs to ‘quench’ their throats.
Government must just be bold enough to scrap off this bogus and otherwise tax consuming activity. Why must we make it mandatory for people to turn up for prayers when they are already doing so on other days of the week, January to December? Equally, the clergy mustn’t just be quick to condemn or judge the state over such matters, but endeavor to do what is right even at the risk of foregoing any fringe benefits.
Well said deregister the holiday and get Zambia working
Not even the owners of the Christianity religion have such a holiday……….
I agree ? with you. It’s a waste of time and resources. I hope they aren’t paying themselves hefty allowances like we saw in the days of ECL. I’m disappointed with HH for giving in to political pressure on this useless day
Zambia is preserved by same Prayers you are condemning. Leave it to those cherish it.
May the Lord God deal with you according to His sovereign character. We elected to Worship the Lord God under the tables on top of the tables, on mountains, on anti hills, your small mind will not deter this nation from doing just that. They do not force anyone. You can hide in your small hole and pray there. If your uncles or your friends are hypocrites do not extrapolate that to the whole nation.
Another wasteful PF creation
I for one share a divergent view to your article. I think most of the times when we analyze things, we tend to throw away the baby with the bath water. Just like going for Church service is important even though most people that go to church do not practice what they preach or represent at church. But that doesn’t mean that going to church itself is wrong. In fact many people’s lives have changed for the better and to some extent things are better in their lives and their relatives and their larger community because of church service. In the same vain, the day of National Prayer and Reconciliation itself is not wrong or it doesn’t become wrong because some people or politicians (as you want to put it) do practice the opposite from what they claim to promote during such national…
I praying and fasting for myself and Zambia.
Evil man if you don’t want it just stay kwitala
our beautiful country no longer has morals, theft has become so rampant and corruption has become a norm across the board. Where does Christianity fit in? A Christian nation??? what a joke. let’s be real countrymen.
Compartmentalized lifestyles! One pontificating Christianity, whilst the other firmly steeped in greed, theft & all manner of profane. Are there real “practicing” Christians in Zambia?..& I don’t mean just ‘perching up’ in church every Sunday; but actually understanding what being a true Christian entails? Cynical.
Resist religion led by politicians. Politics and religion must never mix!
Agree 100%
Prayer day fraud was used by crooks like Christian for baJona to manipulate lazy Zedian’s, who believe in industrial laziness, superstitions & free things to thrive, hence a lot of tu P1yefu supporters still cry for this farce. Remember Cadres & P.F officials would “pray” in the morning, go & steal + “break bones” of those with dissenting views in the afternoon & commit the worst adultery @ night, na ma P0no txts full full, whilst that useless “Religious Godfridah” turned a blind eye.
ABOLISH THAT WASTEFUL NONSENSE TODAY!!
Agr33 1OO%
Pr@yer day fr@ud was used by cr00ks like Chr1stian for baJ0na to manipulate l@zy Z3dian’s, who believe in industr1al l@ziness, superstiti0ns & free things to thrive, hence a lot of tu P1y3fu supp0rters still cry for this f@rce. Remember C@dr3s & P.F 0fficials would “pr@y” in the m0rning, go & ste@l + “break b0nes” of th0se with dissenting views in the afternoon & commit the worst adult3ry @ night, na ma P0no txts full full, whilst that useless “Religious G0dfridah” turned a blind eye.
AB0LISH THAT W4STEFUL N0NSENSE T0D4Y!!
It can just be commerated without declaring it a public holiday just like world aids day, teachers day etc.
It looks like this day has failed to heal: it can as well go to he-ll fire! Hate for EC is loathsome for brainchildren.
If you don’t want to pray.stay put.. let those who want pray ,pray. There is nothing hypocritical. Its just prayer. How can prayer day be a drain to the economy? Holidays to remove are womens day,Africa freedom day and unity day.only evil minded people don’t like prayer day.
CDF has failed, is it removed.
Corruption fight has failed, is it removed?
Our current president does not like the Prayer Day. Last year he did not attend. This year, he absconded again, choosing to be at his homestead. (Nothing wrong, it’s his choice).
Next week he’ll be on the Copperbelt, only because of bye elections campaigns. That is his choice.
Should we scrap off the day because our president shuns the event?
You just don’t know how to pray. Maybe the demon inyou feels uncomfortable . Leave day..let those who pray pray