ST Anne’s Parish priest Father Evans Miti has called on the UPND administration to identify and remove corrupt elements in government and the private sector.

And Vice-President Mutale Nalumango has warned UPND officials not to be over excited about positions because leadership is about service.

Speaking during a church service in Petauke, Sunday, Fr Miti said leaders should be at the service of the people.

“Corrupt elements both in government and private sector [should] be identified and be removed. I know it will take time but time will be there and things will be better. What we want is that those leaders put in leadership should be at the service of the people, not ‘do you know who you are talking to, I am the chief government chakuti’, no! You can be all those titles, but if you are not at the service of the people, that title is useless! God, what he wants is that we use our positions for the benefit of the people. If we do that, God will be pleased because at the end of [our] lives, we will be accountable,” Fr Miti said.

“Yes, you can be so high in leadership or so low there and if you have misused your powers, it is not at the service of the people, that amassing wealth for yourselves, you will stand alone before God. Stand bold before the Lord and say ‘you gave me power and [I] used it at the service of the people’. In that way, God is going to reward you.”

Fr Miti said religious gatherings like the day of national prayer and reconciliation should not be used to deceive citizens that the country was united.

“As we will be reflecting on the National Day of Prayer, my caution is that these religious gatherings which we have been making every year should not just be a routine as a guise to deceive some of us to think that we are together and united as we have seen before. Yet there are other people amassing wealth where others are living in abject poverty. [People] who were asking for reconciliation and repentance and yet there were these other people who were vengeful, ensuring that those who were opponents to them were arrested. It shouldn’t be like that,” said Fr Miti.

“We want what we have already seen, the beginnings are usually good and I must confess our new dawn government has begun so well. Could you hear the opposition saying something on television against the government and it is aired on television? Not at all. Today you will be surprised on national television, on ZNBC, an opposition leader will be given a chance. If this is the way to go, it means Zambia we are moving together. It doesn’t mean that democracy is just for those in government to enjoy. The cake is for all of us.

And Vice-President Nalumango said the UPND government was committed to serving the people.

“I will speak here before men of God, before Zambians. That is the leadership that we are espousing, that we should remember to serve and not to be served. Because truly the world is upside down, whether in politics, you go in to get well for yourself. In this government we need prayer, the wisdom of God is what we need, not the wisdom of the world. We are no better; we have just been given a responsibility. When people are excited about positions, I am fearful about these responsibilities. Many times I remind myself and encourage myself in the world of God,” she said.

“Sometimes I feel like hiding but truly leadership is from God, can we always remember to emulate as we have been told? This government is committed but I cannot speak for individuals in government, I will speak about the principles that we stand for as a government of the new dawn under President Hakainde Hichilema. We are committed to service, it is not about the leaders, it is not about what you are going to amass, it is not about glory to yourself, it is about glory to man.”

Vice-President Nalumango said Zambia was destined for development with the support of the church.

“Zambia will develop with the commitment from the church to support [the country]. Zambia is very rich, we should share, look at your neighbour, if you are seriously considering your neighbour, you will not start looking at yourself and thinking about yourself all the time. This is what we bring to the table, service and service. Five years indeed you will speak again. For us, we all have our freedoms and we pray that all of us take responsibility because every freedom has a responsibility, every lifting has obligations to that. We are ready to work, President Hichilema is ready to work,” said Vice-President Nalumango.