By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE in Solwezi –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has called on Zambians to be vigilant and strongly condemn the propaganda being perpetrated by some sections of society aimed at turning the citizens against the Government.
Mr Lungu said Zambians should not allow agents of the ‘devil’ to sabotage the nation because it was anchored on Godly principles of love, peace and unity which resonated well with the motto of ‘One Zambia, One Nation’.
“I wish to appeal to the Church to be vigilant and strongly condemn the propaganda that is perpetrated by some sections of our society to turn the people of Zambia against Government,” Mr Lungu said.
The Head of State made the remarks on ‎Sunday night at a fundraising dinner for the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Trinity Congregation at Kansanshi Hotel in Solwezi.
Mr Lungu reiterated the Church’s responsibility in maintaining peace during election time and urged it to strongly denounce political violence and hatred by preaching messages of love, peace and unity.
He said the peace which the country had enjoyed for over 50 years could not be sacrificed for individual selfish motives.
Mr Lungu paid tribute to the Church in Zambia for supporting his declaration of October 28 as the National Day of Repentance, Fasting and Prayer.
He was also humbled by the unflinching support the Church had rendered towards the enactment of Zambia’s amended Constitution, which he assented to on January 5, this year.
Mr Lungu expressed gratitude to the Church for its relentless efforts in preaching love, peace and complementing Government’s efforts in fostering development in the nation.
He assured the UCZ that Government was ready to collaborate with the Church to foster development at all levels.
Mr Lungu said the church building which the UCZ was embarking on would not only be a worship centre but would create employment and add beauty to Solwezi District.
Meanwhile, President Lungu said he had read each and every detail of the new Constitution before signing it.
Mr Lungu said he was surprised that the same people who had been advocating the new Constitution were now criticising it.
‎The President said he would not change anything in the Constitution because he had read and understood the contents before signing it.
UCZ North-Western Presbytery Bishop Moses Gondwe said the Church was happy that Mr Lungu had signed the long-awaited amended Constitution.
He said the Church would pray for peace as the country heads towards the elections.
Trinity Congregation minister-in-charge Reverend Roy Kanchele thanked Mr Lungu for sparing time to grace the occasion.
PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri invited women to participate in politics, especially that the President had reserved 40 per cent of space for women to contest parliamentary, local government and mayoral positions.
President Lungu donated K15,000 towards the construction of the church building.
In Mwinilunga , Mr Lungu assured traditional leaders not to worry because he had no powers to de- gazette or gazette anyone of them under the new Constitution.
Mr Lungu said it was unfortunate that some politicians were gaining political mileage by telling traditional leaders that he would grab land from them under the recently-signed Constitution.
The President was reacting to concerns raised by seven traditional leaders represented by Senior Chief Kanongesha of the Lunda people when he held a meeting with them in Mwinilunga yesterday.

. KANONGESHA

Senior Chief Kanongesha told Mr Lungu that there was a belief that the new Constitution had stripped them of powers and wondered why Government was doing such a thing.
The chief complained to Mr Lungu that while the situation in Zimbabwe was different in that President Robert Mugaba grabbed land from the whites for the benefit of Zimbabweans, the situation in Zambia was different because only rich people were benefitting from the land.
He also told the President that people were worried about the introduced land tax, but was quick to tell Mr Lungu that he was a listening leader who would address their concerns.
Mr Lungu, in response, wondered where the ambiguity was coming from and that he was surprised that the contents of the Constitution were being twisted by the same people who participated in its formulation.
He said in order to correct the situation, the Government would look for resources and administer workshops around the country to discuss the contents of the Constitution.
Mr Lungu, who read out Article 165 (2‎) of the amended Constitution to the traditional leaders, said he had no powers to de-gazette or gazette a traditional leader.
He said if a dispute arose which traditional leaders failed to resolve, the courts were there to handle such.
“I don’t have powers to de-gazette any chief and I don’t want to get involved and interfere. People want to gain political mileage and come here to lie about things which are not in the Constitution,” Mr Lungu said.
The President thanked the traditional leaders for bringing the issue to his attention and advised them not to worry.