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The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has condemned government over its reported contradictory statements regarding Catholic priest, Chewe Mukosa’s alleged police call-out.
The Council, along with the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) and Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), described government’s statement on the matter as highly “irregular and unacceptable”.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday by CCZ General-Secretary, Emmanuel Chikoya, EFZ Executive Director, Andrew Mwenda, and ZCCB Secretary-General, Francis Mukosa, said the different statements undermined transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
“It is highly irregular and unacceptable that contradictory statements and actions have emerged regarding Father Chewe Mukosa’s situation especially from two senior government offices. This situation undermines transparency, accountability, and the rule of law, all of which are crucial for a functioning and democratic society,” the statement read.
In line with this objective, they restated their position to any instances of harassment, intimidation and undue coercion directed at individuals, particularly religious leaders who exercise their freedom of speech and expression responsibly.
“This includes any attempts to silence them, discredit their message or interfere with their ability to carry out
their mission,” they stated.
They furthermore urged government to respect and protect the role of the church in advocating for justice, righteousness and the well-being of society.
“We therefore, call on the relevant authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding father Chewe Mukosa’ case, ensure accountability for any wrongful actions or misinformation and uphold the principles of justice
and fairness for all citizens,” they said.
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