• PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu shares a hymn book with Reverend Adamson Shamfuti during a church service at Mpongwe Baptist Church yesterday On the left is Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo. Picture by SHABBY MULOPWE
By SYLVIA MWEETWA and JAMES KUNDA –
BUSINESS at Mpongwe boma yesterday came to a standstill as word went round that President Edgar Lungu was in the area.
Mpongwe residents from all walks of life particularly besieged the Baptist Church, where Mr Lungu attended a church service, to have a glimpse of the Head of State.
The President was in Mpongwe District of the Copperbelt Province to inspect development projects.
During the church service, President Lungu said that he would continue to put God first and acknowlede Him in his daily activities.
Mr Lungu said it was important to praise God at all times, and reaffirmed his commitment to serve the nation as time to campaign was over.
Mr Lungu said he was happy to be part of the worshipers as he continued to check on development programmes in Mpongwe District.
He also said that he would continue to work for the Zambian people in line with the Patriotic Front Government’s vision.
“I don’t have much to say but that I came to worship with you while I am here to check on development projects, and not to campaign because that time is over,” Mr Lungu said.
Meanwhile, in his sermon, Justine Mukupa emphasised the importance of unity which he said was key if the people of God were to stand against the powers of darkness.
Pastor Mukupa said unity should be the song for all Zambians, and that this should be upheld at all times.
Mpongwe Baptist Association director Adamson Shamfuti praised President Lungu’s commitment to uniting the nation and urged him to continue.
Reverend Shamfuti further said the President’s humility and acknowledging God, was humbling and should be praised by all.
Mr Lungu was accompanied by his Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda, Presidential Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe, Transport and Communications Minister Brian Mushimba, Ronald Chitotela for Infrastructure Development, Christopher Yaluma (Mines and Minerals Development) and Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo, among others.
Meanwhile, First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Namugala has urged Christians to collaborate with the Government in eliminating the mushrooming of pseudo churches in the country.
Ms Namugala said the rapid increase in ‘unorthodox churches’ did mislead people into practising Christianity in nonconformity to the Bible.
“The Church of Jesus Christ in this country should rise up and maintain the status of torch-bearer to keep the nation on a right path to salvation and not the falsehoods that we are witnessing in some of the churches run by the so-called prophets,” Ms Namugala said.
She was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during the launch of the United Church of Zambia (UCZ)’s Saint Stephen Sunday.
The event signalled the commissioning of fundraising for the ongoing construction of the new UCZ Saint Stephen Congregation building in Lusaka’s Ibex Hill residential area.
The estimated cost of the project is K8.5 million and yesterday’s function was held under the theme ‘Revive my work o’ Lord through giving’.
Ms Namugala urged the congregants and other Christians not to abhor entrepreneurship as there was nothing sinister about a Christian owning substantial wealth.
She called for an end to the syndrome where some individuals branded others ‘Satanists’ as some people earned their wealth through genuine hard work.
In a homily during the service, UCZ Saint Paul’s minister-in-charge Vincent Kageya, who was guest speaker, urged people to invest in giving to the growth of God’s kingdom.
Meanwhile, Luanshya residents jostled to have a glimpse of the President who stopped to greet marketeers and the residents.
President Lungu said when he toured Mapatamato market that he would ensure that the roads in the area were worked on.
Mr Lungu said he wanted to use the road and have a feel of how it was and that the road was in a deplorable state.
He said when he stopped to greet marketeers at Mpatamato market.
“I have seen that the roads here are bad.I have come with the minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development and we will find ample time and see what we can do with the roads.I have walked on the road to have a feel and I now know that the roads are bad,” he said.
Mpatamato market chairlady Annie Musonda said the marketeers have receivedthe Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF) and that the members who have benefited should be given enough time to repay the loans accessed.
Ms Musonda said the empowerment the marketeers have accessed had never happened before and that the move was an indication of the Preisdents commitment to uplifting the living standards of people.
