2014-11-11 17:03:00

Archbishop Mpundu tells Zambian politicians: Unite the Country


(Vatican Radio) Zambians today paid their final respects at the funeral of late President Michael Chilufya Sata who has been buried at Lusaka’s Embassy Park. Mr. Sata died in a London hospital, on 28 October, of an undisclosed illness.

Led by the Acting President, Dr. Guy Scott, several African heads of state and government also attended the ceremonies. Among the heads of state who attended the funeral service were Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, Madagascar’s Hery Rajaonarimampianina, Namibia’s Hifikepunye Pohamba, Mozambique’s Amando Guebuza. Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa were represented by vice presidents. The Kingdom of Lesotho was represented by the prime minister while several countries sent representatives.

According to estimates, scores of people packed Lusaka’s fifty-thousand capacity National Heroes Sports Stadium for the requiem Mass. Many more Zambians followed proceedings at home via television and radio. Most of Lusaka’s major roads were closed as the Government declared today, a country-wide public holiday.

Lusaka’s Catholic Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu who is also President of the Zambia Episcopal Conference presided over the Mass.

During his homily, Archbishop Mpundu made reference to William Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar, a tragedy based on true events from Roman history. Echoing the immortal words of Mark Antony, Archbishop Mpundu said,  “I have come to mourn and bury President Michael Chilufya Sata and not to praise or to condemn him.”

Referring to the Presidential by-election that Zambians should hold to elect a new President, within ninety days of a President’s death, Archbishop Mpundu made a passionate plea to Zambian politicians to unite the country and to desist from campaigning along tribal and divisive lines. Instead, Archbishop Mpundu said politicians should campaign on the basis of ideas and that they should shun all forms of violence during campaigns.

Archbishop Mpundu criticised Zambia’s current education system because, in his view,  it does not sufficiently prepare the youth of Zambia to be leaders of tomorrow. He hoped that in the future, the education offered to young people would be one that prepared them to run institutions of Government with integrity.

The Archbishop said that the Catholic Bishops joined the people of Zambia in mourning a leader that people loved. The Church was always close to whatever affects the people, he said. He encouraged the mourners and the people of Zambia never to lose confidence but to trust in God because God was merciful, compassionate and faithful. However, Archbishop Mpundu said that all human beings fear death even if we all know that it is part of life. “We start dying the moment we are conceived,” Archbishop Mpundu emphasised. “Human beings fear death because it is part of our human instinct for self-preservation,” he added.

Acting President, Dr. Guy Scott said his role in the remaining 80 days before the by-election would be to ensure that the Zambian people freely choose the next president whom they want. Dr. Scott said President Sata was leader who espoused non-racial politics. 

(Fr. Paul Samasumo)

(e-mail: engafrica@vatiradio.va)

 








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