Catholic Diocese of Ndola Bishop Alick Banda says there is no crisis in the country contrary to a statement issued on Friday by Lusaka Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu.

Bishop Banda has further challenged political leaders in the country to focus and concentrate on building the nation instead of politicking. He said elections were over and that political leaders needed to respect the outcomes of the courts regarding the August 11, 2016 polls.

Bishop Banda said there were a lot of people especially in the rural areas who needed development in the health and education sector among others.

He has advised those that felt aggrieved with the outcome of the 2016 general elections to be the first to seek reconciliation.

Bishop Banda has told ZNBC News in an interview in Ndola that the church is ready to help political leaders seeking reconciliation, adding that there was a leadership in place in the Zambia.

Meanwhile, UCZ Rev Sydney Sichilima has distanced the Church from a statement issued by Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu.

He said as a senior bishop of the church he was not consulted.

“Basically what we are saying is that, if there was such a meeting, we were not consulted. We were in Kabwe for a meeting as a leadership from the (UCZ)” he told Smart Eagles.

“I am sorry to mention that we are still consulting. If we comment on matters in Court we could be cited for contempt. We have reserved comments for matters that are in Court as they are being handled by the Judiciary”

He also stated that the Church was preoccupied with praying for the peace and unity of the country.

“For now, we are praying for the Peace of the nation. For the unity of the nation. We want the country to preserve its peace. We should live as One Zambia, One Nation. We pray that God Himself bestows peace on this nation. Otherwise over the matters that are in Court, it is not time for us to talk about the matters in Court as lay people. We need to respect the structures of this country”.

And in an apparent reference to Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu’s statement, Rev Sichilima wondered why he was speaking on behalf of the Church.

Rev Sichilima said the Church would not allow any person to comment on matters on their behalf and that the Church had an official spokesperson, who was the Secretary General.