ONCE again, October 18th is upon us, marked as Zambia’s National Day of Prayer, Fasting, and Reconciliation. Yet with every passing year, the relevance of this holiday is called into question. Is it really achieving its intended goals? Can government-mandated prayer truly unify a nation divided by race, religion, social class, and political ideology? These are the pressing questions we must confront as we reflect on this day. The National Day of Prayer was introduced in 2015 by former president Edgar Lungu, largely seen as a politically motivated gesture to carry favour with Zambia’s large Christian population. While prayer is undeniably important for many, this day has failed to transcend its origins, becoming little more than a symbolic exercise with...