Chikondi Trust Foundation president Bishop John Mambo says it is unfair to insult the very church that politicians use to campaign in every Sunday.
And Bishop Mambo says if political leaders mean well for the country, no law will be passed without consulting the church.
On Sunday, President Lungu rebuked church leaders who run big cathedrals and synagogues not to think that they are more holy than others, further daring them to take him on if they felt aggrieved.
But speaking during a Civil Societies Organisation joint press briefing at Kapingila House in Lusaka, Tuesday, Bishop Mambo said it was wrong to insult the very churches which politicians were using as platforms for campaigning.
“I think this insult and mockery directed to the church is not helping the country that we all know has been declared as a Christian nation. If indeed we meant well to say Zambia is a Christian nation, there is no law that would pass without involving them. [An] example is that if this was declared an Islamic State, you wouldn’t have been selling Mosi, but of late it’s like a soccer ball except I doubt if a church would allow a situation whereby they will literally die a natural death. But these name calling, insults and yet every Sunday you are busy campaigning using every church, going to different churches, and others being stopped in order to win the vote of the church. Of late we have Christians for Lungu, we have Christians for HH, [and] we have Christians for Nevers Mumba but genuine Christian church members, historically they have always followed the three [church] mother bodies,” said Bishop Mambo.
“Of late because of democratic tendencies, we have got a number of them at the registrar of societies but for 27 years rule of David Kaunda including me seated here [where] at one time I was almost picked and put on a plane, it was the three church mother bodies that took time to go to State House and said ‘look, what is this.’ But of lat we are just being stubborn, talking and hearing in cathedrals.”