Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema has called on the Church to reclaim its role as the moral campus of the country in the social and economic development dissension.
President Hichilema explained that government remains resolute in working with the church in fighting challenges in society such as injustice and poverty.
President Hichilema made the remarks through Minister of Defence, Ambrose Lufuma during the official launch of the first-ever Christians United For National Economic Transformation Summit in Lusaka.
The Head of State emphasized that with the 10,000 churches the country has, economic transformation is attainable if all embraced farming and entrepreneurship.
President Hichilema has since directed his Ministers and other government institutions to put in place measures that will make it easy for the church to acquire land for development purposes.
“According to Matthew 25 vs 34-36 we are all encouraged to embrace the kind of faith that is practical. We have about 4000 churches in Zambia that are Catholic and imagine if all had to have a farm, we could have more than enough food for export and consumption,” the President stressed.
President Hichilema recollected that October 18 was not declared as Day of National Player, Fasting and Reconciliation by accident by his Predecessor Edgar Lungu but was done according to the will of God which should translate into practical faith that changes people’s livelihoods.
President Hichilema placed emphasis that there should be no Christians for Hichilema but for Jesus Christ alone as God deserves honor and glory. And Christians Business Community (CBC) Chairperson who are the organisers of the Summit, Raphael Lubanga explained that 95% of Zambians are Christians which makes it realistic to transform the economy.
Pastor Lubanga said his organisation is working with traditional leaders as they are custodians of land and the people. He pointed out that the 26 chiefs who were in attendance represented the commitment of all the 10 provinces to develop the country expeditiously.
The CBC Chairperson said Christianity does not mean poverty and church elders should encourage the worshipers to be hard working so that they change the economic fortunes of their families.
“We want to chuck out the spirit of the devil from development and fellow pastors do not mistake Christianity for poverty. Christianity does not mean poverty and church elders should refrain from depending on brown envelopes but depend on hard work,” he said. He further called on both believers and non-believers to desist from tribal remarks because the common enemy is poverty.
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