Sumaili warns fake pastors

GOVERNMENT will not allow any fake clergy to practice because they were misleading and misrepresenting the body of Christ, Minister of Nation Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili has said.

Reverend Sumaili said the number of new churches had continued to grow resulting in an increase in the number of clergy although some of them were getting involved in questionable practices.

Rev Sumaili said Government would not allow bad behaviour and practices by the clergy as it was a representation of the body of Christ and the people of Zambia. She said this yesterday when she officially opened the State Church Dialogue meeting in Lusaka yesterday.

“There are some clergymen and women, who have been involved in a number of questionable practices which have raised a lot of concerns among the Church leadership, the general public and government and these we will not tolerate,” she said.

She said this was the reason government was calling for a speedy finalisation of a self-regulation of the church so that it could be easier for it to get rid of the bad clergy.

Meanwhile, Rev Sumaili has called on the clergy to work with Government to address the many challenges the country was facing.

Meanwhile, Government will not compromise the moral and principals of the country even when it comes to arts and entertainment, Rev Sumaili has said.

She said the promotion of national values and principles were to be put at the top of any agenda even in the entertainment industry.

She said Government was not going to condone a situation where event managers were inviting people with questionable characters that might undermine the morals of the land.