Lusaka, 04 February, 2026 / 5:37 pm (ACI Africa).
Members of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) have clarified the nature of their pastoral mandate, reaffirming that their engagement with societal issues derives from their responsibility to address the spiritual, moral, and ethical dimensions of public life.
In a statement issued Tuesday, February 3, the Catholic Church leaders have responded to an online publication that linked the ZCCB to an alleged national political event. The Catholic Church leaders stress that their public interventions flow from their duty as “shepherds” and should not be misconstrued as partisan political activity.
“We, the Catholic Bishops, serve as a prophetic voice for society, offering guidance on issues of governance, morality, and spiritual matters according to our mandate as shepherds of God's people,” the Catholic Bishops say.
They categorically deny any involvement in the formation of a movement described as “the government in waiting,” and distance themselves from claims that they are associated with the purported “National Conference of Democratic Change Advocates,” which The Editor Zambia, an online news blog, alleged they were scheduled to host on February 6.
“The ZCCB maintains a position of non-partisanship,” the Catholic Church leaders state in the one-page statement signed by ZCCB President Archbishop Ignatius Chama, noting that their role as shepherds involves providing guidance on issues of governance, morality, and spiritual matters.
