. Msiska

By SARAH MWANZA, REBECCA MUSHOTA and MILDRED KATONGO –
THE Prisons Care and Counselling Association (PRISCCA) has joined others in commending President Edgar Lungu’s declaration of October 18, 2015 as the day of national prayer, reconciliation, fasting and repentance.
PRISCCA executive director Godfrey Malembeka said the declaration clearly indicated the President’s resolve to reconcile the country and encourage peace, love and unity.
Mr Malembeka said the declaration encouraged oneness and indicated the President’s true patriotism.
He said his organisation would join all well-meaning Zambians in prayer and fasting in all the 90 prisons in the country.
“As an organisation which supports the welfare of people affected by imprisonment, we feel this timely declaration by the President is another clear demonstration of his resolve to reconcile the country,”
he said.
Mr Malembeka said PRISCCA acknowledged and appreciated the fact that the PF administration had so far pardoned close to 6,000 prisoners in its four-year rule.
He commended the leadership of President Lungu and the construction of five prisons as this would greatly contribute to decongesting the prisons.
In a related development, a youth group known as Junior Parliamentarians has urged youths in Zambia to participate in the October 18 day of prayer and fasting.
A representative of the group Thokozile Ng’ona said in an interview in Lusaka that it was imperative that youths turned out in numbers and participated in the national day of prayer and fasting.
“It is a good move by Government to involve God in our problems as a country. We need God to intervene,” Ms Ng’ona said.
Another member of the group, George Zulu said Zambia was a Christian Nation and should, therefore, demonstrate to God that it had trust in him.
Mr Zulu said all youths should take part in the day.
He said youths should pray and fast for their country because they were the future leaders.
The Junior Parliamentarians is a Ndola association of youths from churches in Chifubu and Mapalo townships.
Meanwhile, the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Zambia has welcomed the move to have bars and other entertainment public places closed in honour of the day of prayer and fasting on October 18.
Bishop Samson Kipaila said even in the olden days when the kingdom was faced with challenges it called upon its people to pray and seek God’s guidance.
He said that God, who is the Creator, knew the difficult situations that Zambia was going through and that he was able to grant the nation the solutions.
Secretary to Cabinet Rowland Msiska recently directed that all bars and other public places of entertainment should remain closed between 06:00 hours and 18:00 hours during the day of prayer and fasting on October 18.
Bishop Kipaila said in an interview that God had never failed as long as people sought and prayed.