. Ndhlovu

By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE and CATHERINE NYIRENDA –
SOME clergymen in Lusaka have condemned reports circulating on social media aimed at discouraging people from taking part in the October 18, National Day of Prayer and Fasting.
Meanwhile, the Grand Coalition on the Constitution has announced that it will be part of the Day of Prayer and Fasting.
Some unscrupulous people are circulating short messages (SMS) on people’s mobile phones urging them to shun the prayers because it was related to the mark of the beast.
Bible Gospel Church in Africa (BIGOCA) Bishop Peter Ndhlovu and Christian Power Bible Ministries Joseph Bonte asked Zambians to ignore the online messages as they were merely meant to distract people from worshiping God.
Bishop Ndhlovu said that people distributing such messages had no place in God’s heart as such they should be ignored with the contempt they deserved.
He said that there was a background to national prayers as even the country’s forefathers held a national prayer with First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda being the first one to do so when the Country gained independence.
Mr Bonte said President Edgar Lungu was a Christian who believed in God and had realised that he needed God’s intervention for him to guide the country to prosperity.
He called on Zambians to ignore people who were distracting them from God’s hand in managing national issues.
Forum for Selfless Leadership coordinator Moses Kalonde stated in an interview that the day of prayer was significant in helping the country come out of the current economic challenges.
Mr Kalonde said President Lungu had shown selflessness in the manner he was trying to govern the Country, and unfounded criticism even on the Day of Prayer was unwelcome.
“This is an occasion to help heal our land, in time of economic difficulty. President Lungu wants everyone to get involved as the country seeks God’s hand so that we can come out of these difficulties,” Mr Kalonde said.
He called on well-meaning Zambians to turn out in large numbers to attend the prayers and not to be misled by people who did not mean well for the country and in particular President Lungu’s leadership vision.
The Grand Coalition on the campaign for a people driven Constitution in Zambia announced that it will take part in the prayer event as declared by President Lungu.
The Coalition said it would also use the event to pray for the expeditious implementation of a new Republican Constitution. Grand Coalition vice-chairperson Sarah Longwe said Coalition members would be praying for a people driven constitution.
Ms Longwe said during a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that most of the challenges facing the country were partially due to a weak constitution which did not provide for effective participatory and inclusive governance.