Africa-Press – Zambia. The Council of Pastors and Prophets ( CPP ) has commended President Hakainde Hichilema for scrapping off the Ministry of National guidance and Religious Affairs as it was platform for bogus clergymen who syphoned public funds.
CPP spokesperson Bernard Katongo says the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation enshrined in the Republican Constitution and the people’s compliance to Christian values and principles is more meaningful, than establishing the said ministry.
” Zambia will remain a Christian Nation even without this Ministry, what is important is the declaration and the enshrinement of the declaration in the Constitution, Reverend Katongo said in an interview in Kitwe. Rev. Katongo added that through the existing church mother bodies, government can continue attending to the welfare of the church.
The CPP spokesperson, whose organisation was recently registered , further noted that a lot of bogus clergy persons set up a lot of churches without physical structures to engage in bogus activities to hoodwink unsuspecting followers with fake miracles.
“ Most of these scandals were happening among Pentecostal churches which were assumed to working with the Ministry Religious Affairs, “ he said.
He noted that despite the bogus activities and scandals occurring in most Pentecostal churches the former Ministry made little or no efforts to control the situation.
And Reverend Katongo has urged President Hakainde Hichilema’s new dawn administration to consider putting a policy that individuals intending to form churches are qualified to reduce scandalous incidences in churches.
Yesterday during the thanks giving church service for the peaceful elections at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka, President Hichilema said his administration will continue working with the church to seek guidance despite the abolishment of the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs.
