Sichilima smelt evil, says Bishop Kaela

BISHOP Sydney Sichilima was forced to relinquish his position as Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) president because he smelt evil and deceit among the three church mother bodies, Bishops Council of Zambia (BCZ) secretary general Able Kaela has observed.

Bishop Kaela said that the surprise resignation of Bishop Sichilima proved that the three church mother bodies, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) and CCZ were up to something fishy.

Bishop Kaela said in an interview yesterday that Bishop Sichilima, who is the overall leader of the entire United Church of Zambia (UCZ) in the country, resigned from CCZ as if he was running away from being part of an illegality.

Bishop Kaela reiterated that the UCZ boss smelt evil and deceit among the three church mother bodies and did not want to be part of it.

“Being a noble man, he obviously saw that the three church mother bodies were up no good. He smelt evil and deceit, how else can you explain him leaving in that manner after earlier distancing himself from their statement?” he questioned.

And Bishop Kaela accused the three church mother bodies of being divided because of the ‘‘ love for money.’’

He said that the church mother bodies were now compromised in their operations because of self-interests and the eager to advance hidden agendas.

Bishop Kaela wondered why the three church mother bodies had hijacked the national dialogue when they were brought in as mere referees.

He pointed out that it was because of the self-interests and hidden agendas among some leaders of the three church mother bodies that noble ones were leaving quietly.

Last week, Bishop Sichilima withdrew his participation in the three church mother bodies.

In a letter addressed to the three church mother bodies, CCZ General Secretary Bishop Sichilima said the move was meant to preserve the integrity of UCZ.

He said as UCZ leader, there were certain biblical ethics that he could not compromise in executing his pastoral duties.