“We, members of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), express our unwavering solidarity with Archbishop Alick Banda and all the Catholic faithful in Zambia in the face of ongoing attacks against the Church's mission and leadership,” the ZCCB members said.
Describing the move against Archbishop Banda as political, the Bishops said that the summons is an attempt to suppress the Archbishop’s voice as a Shepherd of the Archdiocese of Lusaka and a member of ZCCB.
“Archbishop Banda has faced consistent name-calling and what we can now recognize as state-sponsored persecution,” the ZCCB members said, and added, “We consider it an abuse of authority for the ruling party to utilize state machinery against an individual due to his stance on national governance and his efforts to hold the government accountable.”
The Bishops said that the Catholic Church has, for many years, stood as a beacon of faith, justice, and service to the people of Zambia.
They said that the Catholic Church would remain steadfast in its mission in Zambia against all forms of persecution.
“Today, as attempts are made to silence her prophetic voice and undermine her pastoral mission, we affirm that the Church's role in defending truth, justice, and human dignity cannot be diminished or suppressed,” the ZCCB members said.
Condemning “all forms of intimidation, harassment, and persecution” that they said are directed to the Catholic Church in Zambia, the Bishops said such actions not only wound “the Body of Christ”, but also threaten the moral fabric and unity of the country.
“The Church's voice must remain free to speak truth to powers that be, to comfort the afflicted, and to guide Zambia toward a future rooted in our motto: One Zambia One Nation!” they appealed.
Reaffirming ZCCB’s solidarity with the embattled Archbishop, the Catholic Bishop sin Zambia said, “Once again, the ZCCB expresses full solidarity with Archbishop Banda during this period. We reaffirm that it is morally wrong to use state institutions to persecute those who hold dissent views and/or provide oversight on matters of governance. Dialogue and mutual respect should be the way to go.”
They exhorted Catholics in Zambia to continue praying for calm, peace and unity in the country that is edging closer to its 2026 general elections.
