President Edgar Lungu yesterday mocked his political arch rival Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND, saying the Church should pray for him so that he may also one day get into State House.

Speaking when he attended a church service at the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Chikondano sub congregation in Chilanga, President Lungu wondered why everything he did was considered as corruption, and went further to declare the Bible that he had been given in order to allay corruption speculations.

The Head of State also said the church must open its doors to everyone including those that go there to campaign and not to seek God.

“Right now, we are campaigning and it is a fact, everyone knows that we are campaigning but you have received us. Christians should receive anyone who comes…the Christian community, the believers, the followers of Jesus Christ should always receive people who knock on their doors, whether they are coming to look for God or not. Who knows, God might just capture them at that point of need. I am saying this because some of us believe in Jesus Christ. What brought us here is God so help us to bring God’s teachings in our works,” he said.

“The church should not abandon its people because they have chosen to be politicians. Even as politicians we still remain part of the family. But at the same time, you should also pray for us so that we should have the love of Christ. What I am saying is that those politicians who have failed fortunes, when they come to church please receive them, they have been trying some of them five times, six times, seven times. Pray for them and tell them, ‘you know why you are failing?’ Tell them to humble themselves…if you are just stubborn and you think you will get there, you will never be there.”

President Lungu noted that he likes to speak out in Church and as a result people perceived that as abuse.

“This is why they say I abuse the church because when I go to church, I start politics, please forgive me. I have heard the teachings, acts of philanthropy are not encouraged because they are distorted to be corruption and corruption is one problem we have because if they give you a chicken they say it is corruption. So you have given me a Bible, I have declared it. I have declared receiving a Bible from Chikondano church today. There is a level of desperation on the part of our detractors such that anything you do, they say it is corruption,” said President Lungu.