CHURCH CAUTIONS MUKUNI
… Refrain from reversing peace, unit gains
CHIEF Mukuni of Southern Province should refrain from reversing the gains the church and Zambian people have recorded in uniting the country with his partisan stance, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Pukuta Mwanza has charged.
Rev Mwanza said that the traditional leader was working against the good will other stakeholders had so far put in place to ensure the much needed peace and unite in the country.
He was reacting to chief Mukuni’s pronouncement that he would not waste time to invite government officials to the Lwiindi traditional ceremony. Rev Mwanza reiterated that the stance was against the spirit of national dialogue that the church and the Zambian people were tirelessly working to achieve.
He said that traditional leaders should be in the forefront of seeing that all sectors of the community were united and existing in peace.
Rev Mwanza said that chiefs were parents to people of different backgrounds and that they were not supposed to be selective.
“Those reports concerning chief Mukuni taking a stance that is hostile against government is not helping to move the national dialogue forward. We strongly feel that the traditional leader must show commitment and patriotism towards national unity and leading the country together,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rev Pukuta said that traditional leaders should not drive the divisions that al- ready existed between political players deeper.
He charged that traditional leaders should not incite acrimony among politicians.
Rev Pukuta said that chiefs should work the same way the church was by promoting dialogue and peace building in the country.
He pointed out that even chief Mukuni should be seen to be working towards uniting the nation and not the opposite.
Rev Pukuta said that the traditional leader should not be seen to work and support only his tribe but all Zambians regardless of political affiliation.
He said that every traditional leader is a national leader who should be seen to be providing leadership to the whole country.
Rev Pukuta said that the church was keen on seeing to it that the national dialogue was a success and that traditional leaders must be seen to be encouraging their subjects.
And UPND vice president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba announced on his Facebook page that he, together with party leader Hakainde Hichilema and their spouses were in Livingstone for the Lwiindi ceremony of the Toka Leya people of Kazungula at the invitation of Chief Mukuni.