Sun, 20 Aug 2017 09:23:12 +0000
By CHARLES MUSONDA
THE Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has pledged to work hand-in-hand with the Commonwealth to foster dialogue between President Edgar Lungu and United Party for National Development leader (UPND) Hakainde Hichilema.
ZCCB Secretary General Cleophas Lungu says the Catholic Church is always open to participate in any noble effort that promotes dialogue.
Father Lungu has told a local radio station in Lusaka that the Church would work with the Commonwealth in the dialogue process anchored on the common pursuit of good governance, justice, peace and unity.
Earlier ZCCB with other church mother bodies demanded the release of Mr. Hichilema who was incarcerated for alleged treason charge.
The Bishops Conference had asked for dialogue between President Edgar Lungu and Mr. Hichilema following the differences that ensued between the two after the 2016 general elections which Mr. Hichilema lost and later petitioned the polls’ outcome.
Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland has since appointed Nigerian scholar Ibrahim Gambari as dialogue envoy between President Lungu and Mr. Hichilema.
