“This conflict has a potential to cause President Hichilema and his Cabinet to lose concentration as they look at how they respond to statements by the Catholic priests!”
By Prof. Edgar Ngoma.
Lusaka, May 31 – The conflict between the New Dawn Government top leadership and the Roman Catholic priests of Lusaka should be quickly resolved. I am appealing to the civil society and non governmental organizations (NGOs) to quickly intervene in the resolution of this conflict at its tender stage.
It has come to my attention that this conflict is deeper than we think and if not arrested it may affect the ordinary citizens, in this case, Zambian citizens.
In dealing with this problem, let’s not preoccupy ourselves in trying to find and justify who is wrong and who is right. What we need to understand is that we have a conflict at hand and all we need to do for now is to find ways and means on how to bring the two warring parties to the table, to find a lasting solution to this altercation between the two.
Because of this conflict, the concentration of President Hichilema and the party leadership may be interrupted as focus would go to how they can respond to these priests and work to address national issues may suffer.
President Hichilema is currently too busy with trying all possible ways to resolve our debt crisis that if properly managed has the potential to improve the economy in bringing down the high cost of living in the nation to affordable levels and must not be pre-occupied with unproductive cold wars that have the potential to plunge the country into to further chaos.
Also Read: Tell us when we’re wrong, Ruto tells Catholic priests.
Let’s appreciate that the New Dawn Government through the leadership of President Hichilema is doing its best to serve the nation as evidenced by a list of achievements in a very short time.
We are living peacefully without any harassment from cadres be it at market places, bus stations or on the streets and many other places. At the same time, the Roman Catholic church should be commended and appreciated because they have been doing a tremendous job in fostering peace by preaching love and forgiveness in the many sermons in their churches. It is therefore worrisome now that the two promoters of peace and love are at crossroads and embroiled in a cold war conflict.
Surely, it is only prudent for the rest of us, the citizens of Zambia and citizens of the world, to stand up for the two parties who have been promoters of the peace and love and the tranquil we enjoy today in the nation.
President Hichilema has repeatedly committed himself to restoring law and order by his strong condemnation of cadreism by his party or any opposition political cadres. He has forgone the happiness of his cadres by stopping them from operating at bus stations and markets to collect money just for a greater good of the majority citizens of Zambia.
This is commendable. He has on several occasions emphasized in the past press conferences he has held at State House that as long as he is in charge as President of Zambia he wants all Zambians to live in peace and harmony with each other. He has also emphasized the need for national unity of a One Zambia, One Nation.
My appeal to both parties, the New Dawn Government and the Roman Catholic priests and its church following, is that once invited at a round table to openly engage through any mediator, both must be willing and ready to attend and with open minds in a spirit of give and take and be ready for reconciliation. I say so because the two parties cannot operate without the other. The two are in a symbiotic relationship which should be maintained that way.
Finally I am calling for a cease fire of exchange of words in this cold war conflict for now from both parties. Why this call?
Because this conflict is slowly but quickly escalating to ordinary citizens like I saw yesterday in a video which went viral on social media where a Roman Catholic nun was booed by youths at a government college in Lusaka. I quickly forwarded it to Police Command to one of the Deputy Inspector General of Police to bring to his attention to watch out and put up measures to prevent this conflict so that it does not escalate.
When the elephants are in a fierce battle, it is the grass that suffers. When the peers see their top leadership in a conflict with a group of people, the peers also declare war against anyone in a conflict with their leaders. This is where it is dangerous and we must prevent it forthwith immediately.
Calm must come today between the Roman Catholic priests and the New Dawn Government without pointing a finger to who is wrong. What is critical here is that we have a conflict and this conflict must be resolved immediately without taking sides.
We need harmony between the two parties today! And all well meaning citizens of the world are invited in both individual and organisational capacity to participate in bringing the two parties together.
I submit. Without fear or favour!
About The Author: Prof. Edgar Ngoma is a Philosopher and renowned political Analyst. You can reach him via WhatsApp on: +260 962 473061.
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