INDEPENDENT Churches of Zambia (ICOZ) president Bishop David Masupa says church leaders need to be respected as they are partners in governance who must not be used for political expediency.

And Bishop Masupa says churches should know that it is not good to allow politicians to seize their pulpits to make political pronouncements.

In an interview, Bishop Masupa said politicians should be serious with their Christianity and should go to church irrespective of the fact that there is no election any time soon.

“We want to say that the politicians should be serious with their Christianity where they should be going to churches or to church irrespective of the fact that there is a by-election or there is no by-election. We should be seeing them in those churches. Churches should not just be used when politicians die or they want to be hosted in churches when there are elections. They visit churches and get hold of the pulpit to make pronouncements,” said Bishop Masupa.

“I think they can be making pronouncements even in their various respective offices rather than coming in churches to make political pronouncements. I think also the churches should know that it is not good to allow politicians to come to seize their pulpits to make political pronouncements on those holy altars. They can speak even in their respective benches rather than to be releasing political statements on holy altars. I think churches should be respected as holy places of worship and the church leaders should be respected that they are partners in governance and should not just be used for political expediency.”