THE UPND has asked the Catholic Church to cancel a planned candlelight prayer service scheduled for August 12, 2026, stating that the event could attract political connotations ahead of the general election.

The party argues that a candle and a lamp are being used as official political symbols by some political parties contesting the 2026 General Elections, making the planned activity more political than religious.

The planned candlelight prayers were announced by the Rector of the Marian Shrine in Chelstone, Father Felix Banda of the Archdiocese of Lusaka, who called on Catholic parishes to hold prayers for peace on the eve of the elections.

In a circular dated August 4, 2026, Fr Banda urged clergy, religious leaders and the faithful to participate in the prayers as part of a novena seeking peace during the electoral process.

“Ref: CANDLELIGHT PRAYERS FOR PEACE – 12th AUGUST 2026. Reference is made to the above-captioned subject matter. As the National Elections approach, it is a time to come together in prayer and pray for peace throughout the entire process. As part of the Novena, all parishes should hold candlelight prayers on Wednesday, 12th August 2026, the eve of elections. We urge all parishioners to come with candles,” stated Fr Banda.

However, in a letter addressed to Fr Banda, Thursday, UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda urged the church to cancel the programme on grounds that it possesses official political symbols of political parties contesting the 2026 General Elections.

“We wish to draw your attention to the correspondence circulating, authored under the hand of Fr. Felix Banda of Archdiocese of Lusaka in which it has been planned to host candlelight prayers for peace on 12th August 2026, a day before the General Elections. Our serious concern which need your urgent attention is that while prayer is key in our Christian Nation at such a critical moment, and that candle lighting is mostly part of our church traditions, the timing, the activity of lighting candles and linking such an activity to politics and peace arouses serious political interests as A CANDLE AND A LAMP are being used as official political symbols of some political parties in the 2026 General Elections. As such, the said undertaking makes the whole activity more political than religious,” he stated.

Imenda added that the event could attract political party supporters who identify with such symbols, turning a religious gathering into a political procession.

“Simply put, the temptation is that the planned activity may arouse and attract political party members using a candle or lamp as their symbol to make it a political procession. This may create political anxiety among those church members and citizens who do not subscribe to such a political symbol knowing a candle and a lamp are official symbols submitted to the Electoral Commission of Zambia by some political parties or participants ahead of the 2026 General Elections. We, therefore, respectfully request that this event be cancelled,” he said.

Meanwhile, the UPND has also written to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), requesting the electoral body to intervene in the matter.

In a letter to ECZ Chief Electoral Officer, the party said the commission had a mandate to manage electoral-related matters and should address concerns surrounding the planned event.

“Recognising that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is mandated to manage and preside over all electoral related matters, we wish to draw your attention to the correspondence circulating, authored under the hand of Fr. Felix Banda of Archdiocese of Lusaka in which it has been planned to host candlelight prayers for peace on 12th August 2026, a day before the General Elections. Our serious concern which need your urgent attention is that while prayer is key in our Christian Nation at such a critical moment, and that candle lighting is mostly part of our church traditions, the timing, the activity of lighting candles and linking such an activity to politics and peace arouses serious political interests as A CANDLE AND A LAMP are being used as official political symbols of some political parties in the 2026 General Elections. As such, the said undertaking makes the whole activity more political than religious. In view of the foregoing, we respectfully request that the ECZ intervenes on this matter urgently,” stated Imenda.