Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
ZCCB President Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu
Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) President Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu has expressed concern over the increasing incidence of corruption, and embezzlement of public funds in the country.
Archbishop Mpundu has noted that corruption has become a troubling national issue.
He is worried that corruption has become so pervasive in the country, with no solutions in sight.
Speaking during a joint press briefing in Lusaka, Archbishop Mpundu says peace cannot come to the country if successful administrations do not take drastic steps to stamp out the endemic corruption among public servants which has reached epidemic proportions against the backdrop of the highest poverty index since the dawn of the politics since independence.
Archbishop Mpundu says it is unacceptable that some public service personnel have amassed enormous wealth in dubious or highly questionable ways and within a short time in the service.
He says it is sad that the Auditor General’s report has continued to record increasing misapplication of huge sums of public funds by public officers.
Meanwhile Bishop Mpundu has welcomed the ban of all large public gatherings like prayer meetings, weddings and musical concerts in a bid to contain the spread of cholera.
He says this measure is aimed at protecting Zambians from getting cholera.
He says it is important that government comes up with lasting solutions to the epidemic.
He has however urged government to sensitize the public about the measures it has put in place.
Speaking at the same briefing, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) Chairman Bishop Paul Mususu appealed to all political parties in the country to declare and enforce zero tolerance for political violence and bring culprits to book by handing them over to the law enforcement.
He has also advised them to stop insulting each other or anyone who does not agree with their political opinion but should start respecting each other.
Bishop Mususu has also appealed to politicians to give the planned national dialogue a chance to succeed by committing themselves to dialogue without preconditions with a view to level the playing field.
And Council Churches of Zambia (CCZ) President Bishop Alfred Kalembo says the church will continue to cooperate with government it is its effort to stamp out cholera which has claimed more than 50 lives in the Country.