THE Church is one of the key players that are called to participate in the development of people as attested by Jesus Christ in the gospel (Matthew 5:13-16).
To this end, a church public pastoral care is one of the approaches suggested to address the challenge of underdevelopment.
This is because the Church interacts with people from different social classes and understands the plight of the poor, especially, and indeed the gap that exists between the rich and the poor.
In addition, Zambia’s status as a Christian nation has provided an environment where faith in God plays a central role in the aspirations of its people.
The Church, as a result, is expected to actively contribute to the spiritual, political, socioeconomic and cultural aspects of the nation.
Over the years, the Church has been an active participant in various significant moments, such as the liberation struggle, democratisation efforts and fight against social injustices and is, therefore, well placed and relevant to the development equation.
President Hakainde Hichilema is on record when he stated that the Church and Government serve the same people and should therefore be partners in development.
We therefore welcome and support Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo urging the Church to take advantage of programmes being implemented using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to help improve livelihoods.
Mr Matambo says the Church is key in shaping lives in communities, hence the need for the cleric to be involved in CDF programmes to help uplift the vulnerable in society.
The minister said this during the commissioning of St Antony Francisco Fasani Parish Catholic Church building in Pamodzi Township in Ndola.
The statement by Mr Matambo is consistent with President Hichilema’s stance as he evidently values support from the Church as it has continued offering guidance to Government on different critical issues.
“Our Government under the leadership of President Hichilema values the contribution churches provide in various sectors such as health, education, as well as guiding the moral compass of people towards God,” Mr Matambo said.
We find it reassuring that the New Dawn administration is deliberately working with all churches while being categorical that the Church and Government are not in competition but simply complementing each other to better livelihoods through various interventions, including CDF.
The Church has indeed been instrumental in the development of the country, and with CDF being a game changer, as evidenced by the various development projects countrywide, the Church should participate and take advantage of the funds to help improve livelihoods.
Government has done its part in ensuring that people in constituencies have a direct hand in charting the developmental course by choosing the projects they want and this is as it should be.
The Church, therefore, is key in helping to provide credible and candid leadership to ensure proper implementation of projects under CDF once it is involved and take advantage of the arrangement.
This is appropriate as church members, as Christians, practise what Jesus Christ preached and endeavour to be good examples to others in communities and therefore can also encourage transparency and prudent use of CDF.
Christians in the strictest sense should be examples to others by ensuring that they practise the virtues Jesus Christ preached without the slightest deviation to effectively uplift livelihoods.
The Church should therefore take advantage of programmes under CDF and continue working with Government to ensure that development is attained countrywide as envisioned by the New Dawn administration by also offering objective checks and balances for the ultimate improvement of livelihoods
Church should help Govt improve lives through CDF
THE Church is one of the key players that are called to participate in the development of people as attested by Jesus Christ in the gospel (Matthew 5:13-16).
To this end, a church public pastoral care is one of the approaches suggested to address the challenge of underdevelopment.
This is because the Church interacts with people from different social classes and understands the plight of the poor, especially, and indeed the gap that exists between the rich and the poor.
In addition, Zambia’s status as a Christian nation has provided an environment where faith in God plays a central role in the aspirations of its people.
The Church, as a result, is expected to actively contribute to the spiritual, political, socioeconomic and cultural aspects of the nation.
Over the years, the Church has been an active participant in various significant moments, such as the liberation struggle, democratisation efforts and fight against social injustices and is, therefore, well placed and relevant to the development equation.
President Hakainde Hichilema is on record when he stated that the Church and Government serve the same people and should therefore be partners in development.
We therefore welcome and support Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo urging the Church to take advantage of programmes being implemented using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to help improve livelihoods.
Mr Matambo says the Church is key in shaping lives in communities, hence the need for the cleric to be involved in CDF programmes to help uplift the vulnerable in society.
The minister said this during the commissioning of St Antony Francisco Fasani Parish Catholic Church building in Pamodzi Township in Ndola.
The statement by Mr Matambo is consistent with President Hichilema’s stance as he evidently values support from the Church as it has continued offering guidance to Government on different critical issues.
“Our Government under the leadership of President Hichilema values the contribution churches provide in various sectors such as health, education, as well as guiding the moral compass of people towards God,” Mr Matambo said.
We find it reassuring that the New Dawn administration is deliberately working with all churches while being categorical that the Church and Government are not in competition but simply complementing each other to better livelihoods through various interventions, including CDF.
The Church has indeed been instrumental in the development of the country, and with CDF being a game changer, as evidenced by the various development projects countrywide, the Church should participate and take advantage of the funds to help improve livelihoods.
Government has done its part in ensuring that people in constituencies have a direct hand in charting the developmental course by choosing the projects they want and this is as it should be.
The Church, therefore, is key in helping to provide credible and candid leadership to ensure proper implementation of projects under CDF once it is involved and take advantage of the arrangement.
This is appropriate as church members, as Christians, practise what Jesus Christ preached and endeavour to be good examples to others in communities and therefore can also encourage transparency and prudent use of CDF.
Christians in the strictest sense should be examples to others by ensuring that they practise the virtues Jesus Christ preached without the slightest deviation to effectively uplift livelihoods.
The Church should therefore take advantage of programmes under CDF and continue working with Government to ensure that development is attained countrywide as envisioned by the New Dawn administration by also offering objective checks and balances for the ultimate improvement of livelihoods