Evangelical Fellowship in Zambia urges politicians to offer solutions, not play politics with drought crisis

The Evangelical Fellowship in Zambia (EFZ) has called on politicians to offer solutions on drought crisis rather than politicizing the situation.

EFZ Executive Director, Bishop Andrew Mwenda, said politicians should instead offer solutions to the prevailing crisis in the spirit of one Zambia, one nation.

Mwenda said this in a statement issued in Lusaka on Friday following the appeal by President Hakainde Hichilema for financial assistance amounting to K22.2billion.

He cited the President’s appeal for K22.2 billion to effectively implement lifesaving and life sustaining human recovery needs as a result of the current drought situation.

“Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia calls for continued peace and unity of purpose in raising the much-needed resources for immediate food relief and recovery,” Mwenda said.

He commended the President for the proactive approach to the national crisis, saying this was an opportunity for unity.

“President Hichilema has explained that this dire situation has left a staggering 9.8 million Zambians severely affected, with 6.6 million people in desperate need of urgent humanitarian assistance,” Mwenda noted.

He acknowledged that although the government had a critical role to play in leading the crisis response, the church in Zambia, business houses, local and international NGOs, should assist to mobilize resources.

Mwenda said this should be both financial, volunteers and support towards providing urgent food relief and recovery given the scale of the hunger situation that had impacted millions of people across the country.

“We understand that the country has recently faced many setbacks that have affected the economy from COVID-19, to Anthrax and just a few months ago a devastating cholera pandemic,” he stated.

Mwenda pledged EFZ’s readiness and availability to assist with volunteers from its member churches across the nation.

The drought is affecting 84 of the 116 districts across Zambia’s Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Lusaka, Northwestern, Southern, and Western provinces.

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