Maaskofu Wakatoliki wapinga Zambia kuwa 'Nchi ya Kikristu'

 

The Catholic bishops of Zambia are opposing a plan to identify Zambia as “a Christian nation” in the preamble to a new proposed constitution. 

 

In explaining their stand, the Bishops said that “a country cannot practice the values and precepts of Christianity by a mere declaration.

This is according to submissions made by the bishops circulated in response to a call for comments on the draft constitution.

“In the preamble, the declaration that Zambia is a Christian nation should be omitted” they stated.

“That is because – explained the Bishops – a Country cannot practice the values and precepts of Christianity, by a mere declaration.

They said the principle of separation between State and Religion must not be lost.

“If Zambia is a multi-religious Country, a fact that was recognized in the preamble of the first draft of the Technical Committee, to say that Zambia is a Christian nation would be in contradiction with this fact,” they submitted.

In other comments, the Catholic bishops objected to language that would allow for the death penalty and for legal abortion.

The Bishops of Zambia hope that the current process of constitutional revision is successful after the previous three unsuccessful attempts to write a new Constitution.

Among other proposals submitted by the Catholic Bishops are on regulations on citizenship and on the exploitation of natural resources of the country.

The Bishops are also opposed to attempts to include an express clause in the on-going Constitution making process supporting abortion.

They said Zambians must respect the sanctity of life.

“We believe that life begins at conception and that has been our position.”

“There is no way the Zambian constitution should support clauses that support abortion, death penalty or mercy killing.”

Currently, the Zambian law supports abortion in specific cases while the death penalty has not been repealed.

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