Reformed Church In Zambia Calls Out ZNBC On Bill 10 Report

The Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) has raised a complaint with the director general of ZNBC regarding an aired news items on 28th June in which the station reported that the Church had thrown its weight behind Bill 10.

The RCZ has objected to the report, which it says ‘captured [an] unsubstantiated statement’ and that the position was not verified with the RCZ national leadership. It has called on ZNBC to apologize to the Church and immediately retract the statement.

“Reformed Church in Zambia wishes to complain over unsubstantiated News item aired by ZNBC TV1 main evening news yesterday 28th June 2020 and circulated on social media. It was reported by your station during evening main news cast that Reformed Church in Zambia has thrown her weight in support of Bill 10. This captured unsubstantiated statement is purported to have come from Rev. Lazarous Phiri of RCZ Chombo Congregation. The news item was aired by ZNBC TV1 without verifying with the RCZ national leadership,” the RCZ states.

Setting the record straight the RCZ stated the following facts: 

  1. “The church (RCZ) has not issued such a statement as the Churches structure only allows the Synod moderator to speak on behalf of the Church.

  2. The purported person to have said this statement is not an authorized person to speak on behalf of RCZ on anything related to the church or any personal view related to the church and he is not even an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in Zambia.

  3. The position of the Church has always remained consistent. The position issued during the process leading to Bill 10 remains the position of the church even now.” 

“In view of the above, we demand that ZNBC apologize to the Church and immediately retract this statement,” writes the RCZ. 

Reacting to the statement Alliance for Community Action (ACA) director Laura Miti suggested it is time for the Minister of Justice Given Lubinda to give up the bill.

“Now it's the Reformed Church in Zambia that has produced a statement refuting a jubilant ZNBC story that the church supports Bill 10,” Miti writes.

“It's tragic really the lengths that those determined to push the very unpopular bill through are willing to go to convince themselves, and us, that there are voices other than those directly linked to PF that support the Bill,” she continues

“Isn't time to let the Bill go Minister Lubinda? God knows you have tried but it's simply a bill too harmful to garner the kind of even partial support you thought you could drum up,” Miti concludes.

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