Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia has backed government’s stance to ensure that prophets that do not have clearance or credible testimony from their own countries of origin should not be allowed into the country to perform spiritual or religious activities.
In a statement, EFZ Executive Director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza says this would only pave way for the unscrupulous people to promote activities that do not enhance the Christian faith in the country or provide spiritual support to the people who may attend their meetings.
Reverend Mwanza says the government should always ensure that it protects the people in Zambia from any form of abuses, threats and or intimidation.
He states that some foreign prophets that are frequenting Zambia should be closely watched as they have a tendency to exploit the local people in addition to abusing them by subjecting them to very inhuman actions or performances in trying to get a miracle.
Reverend Mwanza says the EFZ is concerned at the increase in the number of so called prophets masquerading as true servants of God and going about extorting money from people in exchange for miracles over their physical or spiritual problems.
He states that foreign and local preachers should therefore not perceive the operations of government in regulating the religious fraternity in bad faith but rather as an inevitable process aimed at protecting the majority Zambians from any potentially abusive activities of false prophets.
And Reverend Mwanza has described as unacceptable and unwarranted attacks on Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili and Bishops Joe Imakando and Joshua Banda by Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.
He says there is no justification to issue such attacks against the Minister and the two clergymen who are held in high esteem and are in standing in the Zambian public and serving people well.