Africa-Press – Botswana. Churches have been urged to resuscitate the role they play within the society to address sever social ills destroying young people’s lives.
Speaking at the national launch of Month of Prayer in Tutume on Sunday, Minister of Justice, Mr Machana Shamukuni, called on the churches to join hands with government to seek God’s intervention on the society’s moral values.
Mr Shamukuni said gender-based violence, road accidents, substance abuse as well as HIV/AIDS had claimed lives hence the need to address such challenges.
He said it was important for the nation to change the way they had been doing things bearing in mind President Masisi’s “Mindset Change” initiative.
He explained that the recent findings of the Botswana AIDS Impact Survey V (BAIS) had revealed that 58 per cent of people aged between 25-49 years were highly affected with HIV/AIDS, with 31 per cent being males.
That, he said, was an indication that HIV/AIDS was still high among young people hence the need for behavioural change.
He said as per this year’s theme, “Prayerful youth: getaway to a healthy lifestyle” there was need for the young people and everyone to pray and seek God’s protection against social ills bedeviling the society.
Meanwhile, Bishop Champion Malongwa urged churches to introspect on their role and find out if they were connected to the people they had to guide.
“The church need to lead by example in fighting societal issues instead of influencing or being part of the problem,” he said.
Bishop Malongwa appealed to Batswana to unite in prayer during this period and revive spirit of Botho going forward.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
