PASTORAL LETTER PLOY UNEARTHED
…As UPND hires CSOs, few priests to destabilize PF
Mr. Chanda has taken issue with reports that some churches intended to use a letter written by UPND President Hakainde Hichilema, claiming extra judicial killings, as a basis for pastoral letters, without determining the veracity of the information contained.
“It is premature and prejudicial to take Hakainde’s letter to the Human Rights Commission as a basis for pastoral letters or any other moral stand without appreciating the circumstances surrounding the events which he is complaining about.” he said.
Anybody who went to equity, he said, must do so with clean hands, “The church must take time to study situations and endeavor to bring the contending sides before making a determination on facts presented by both sides.”
Mr Chanda condemned the church mother body because President Lungu has already directed Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja to investigate the killings on
December 23, 2020 when
Mr. Hichilema appeared for questioning at the police headquarters.
Meanwhile, Former UPND deputy spokesperson, Edwin Lifwekelo has disclosed that the UPND has allegedly engaged some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and a few priests to issue alarming and malicious statements against government and President Edgar Lungu in particular has been unearthed.
Mr Lifwekelo said he was informed that some two days ago, the UPND leadership had a meeting with some priests and CSOs to issue statements aimed at destabilizing the ruling party ahead of the 2021 general elections.
In an interview, Mr Lifwekelo said he was briefed by his confidantes in UPND that a meeting which took place in Lusaka was sponsored by their leadership, and that the agenda was to mount pressure on President Lungu to fire those that are seemingly closer to him.
He said the plan of the meeting is to destabilise PF by isolating President Lungu from
the people that were closer and loyal to him as the country heads towards the general elections.
Mr Lifwekelo reiterated that after demands by the compromised CSOs to have Home Affairs Minister, Stephen Kampyomgo and Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja to be dismissed, Zambians should expect more of such calls in the next few days.
“We are also aware that there is a ploy that after that statement demanding the dismissal of Mr Kampyongo and Mr Kanganja was made by the CSOs that are sponsored by UPND, there will be another statement that will be issued by the surrogate Catholics led by Archbishop Telesphore George Mpundu in the name of Catholic Bishops.
“I am reliably informed that there was a meeting in which a known relative of Hakainde Sammy Hichilema from the Caritas Zambia was a middle man between the Catholic surrogates and UPND. A statement will soon be issued to criticise the President and put pressure on him to fire Mr Kampyongo and Mr Kanganja, among other others. This is their well-orchestrated plan to weaken the PF as we go towards the August elections,” Mr Lifwekelo said.
Mr Lifwekelo wondered why the CSOs were in a hurry to call for the dismissal of Mr Kampyongo and Mr Kamganja when the investigations were not yet done.