By IREEN MULENGA
Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has joined the Ministry of Health in the fight against Covid-19 and has called on leaders in all sectors of society to demonstrate the love for the people of Zambia by halting all activities that inevitably occasion public gatherings.
JCTR Executive Director Fr Alex Muyebe that Ministry the country is facing a real risk of having its health care system overwhelmed by Covi-19.
Fr Muyebe said that to help fight it, there is need to avoid gatherings such as political activities, inspection of development projects, social and religious events and other events that have a tendency of drawing crowds of people in one place.
He said the Ministry of Health has noted that social gatherings including political activities in communities have continued to push the numbers up.
Fr Muyebe said the current Covid -19 situation demands for all of us to show solidarity and commitment to save the country from the imminent health and socio-economic Catastrophe by adherence to the 5 golden rules.
He said JCTR is also saddened by the rising incidents of political violence recently in the Country.
Fr Muyebe said that Violence in any shape or form has no place in our Christian nation.
He said it is worrying and disheartening that Zambia is slowly slipping into a situation of civil strife, with rising spate of violent attacks between UPND and PF cadres in the run up to the August polls.
“JCTR believes that it is possible to stop political violence if political leaders do not only stop at casually condemning violence but also engage at a deeper level with their followers and honestly bring home and inculcate the message of non-violence, tolerance, mutual respect and upholding of human dignity and sanctity of life.
“JCTR has confidence that with good leadership in the UPND and PF political camps it is possible to completely stem out political violence. The Zambian people will hold both UPND and PF leaders responsible for any unnecessary loss of property and life due to political violence,” he said
Fr Muyebe has called on Public media for the equal play field in the coverage of political party messages.
He said during the campaign period, every Zambian has the right to be well informed of various political party messages through the public broadcaster.
Fr Muyebe the public media must endeavor to create a situation in which every political party has a fair and equal chance of succeeding in order to guarantee free, fair and credible general elections on the August 12.
