By Chinoyi Chipulu
Certain wheels against us are trying to cut off CAMNET TV from DSTV and Go TV, lamented the window of Pastor Moses Chiluba, Victoria Chiluba.
Pastor Victoria has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to quickly intervene in some of the challenges the Television station was going through with broadcast satellite services.
Speaking during the funeral of the late husband at Healing Word Ministries, pastor Victoria challenged President Hichilema to reciprocate the good gesture the station did to the UPND while in opposition.
She said she and her late husband risked their lives when they broadcast then opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema’s 45 campaign programmes unedited.
“We believe CAMNET helped you to be the Head of State, it was not coincidental. God chose you. It’s your time to reciprocate. Mr Hichilema, our beloved President, it’s your time to reciprocate in saving pastor Moses and his beautiful wife Victoria Chiluba. I believe you have heard and you will summon those small power,” she said. “My husband and I have been through difficult waters, Costa Mwansa, Kalani Muchima our first chief editor spoke about the time when DSTV wanted to cut off CAMNET TV from DSTV, because of certain wheels that were running against us. Mr President, I’m here to appeal and speak to you because there are certain forces that are still doing the same, and they wrote to us.”
Pastor Victoria said there were certain evil influencers that were still after CAMNET TV because they wanted to shut it down.
“And they wrote to us, they told us they want to shut us off from DSTV and go TV. You are the king of this land, I pray to God that you submit yourself, the Bible tells us that the heart of the king is in the hands of God. CAMNET TV remembers Mr. President during the time you were in opposition sir, when no one gave time to UPND to do their campaign,” she said.
Pastor Victoria said she was not trying to be political but factual hence called on the Head of of State to intervene.
“We gave time for UPND time to do campaigns and we risked our lives, not only our lives, but also our TV station. And sir through Information and Media permanent secretary Thabo Kawana, we risked our lives, and we said we are pastors and we are called to love everybody, we are non aligned,” she said.
The widow also said she did not have anybody to appeal to, but President Hichilema.
“I believe you have heard and you will summon those small powers. When you read lamentations 5, it says some foreigners have come to persecute us,” she said.
Pastor Victoria said she prayed for the President for evil people not to influence him.
“We pray for you as our President, we refuse evil people to to influence you sir, listen more to men and women of God and our brothers and sisters who are down there. Don’t just listen to those who just want to enrich their pockets by lying to you ,” she said.
“There are people out there who will tell you the truth and look you in the eye. There is too much suffering in our country.”
Pastor Victoria who bade farewell to her husband said she was broken but that the Lord was with her.
“What we live and what we shared remains between the two of us. But I would like to say this, we loved each other dearly, it’s like we had one heartbeat … I am broken, I am beaten but I am not out because the Lord is with me,” she said.
And MMD President Nevers Mumba said President Hichilema would do something to solve these issues.
“Madam Pastor Victoria, you , you made a request to the President, the President came to me and said pastor Mumba, I may not understand all what is going on, but I want you to let the people know that we have heard and we are definitely going to do something about it ,” he said.
Dr Mumba said the station would continue impacting lives through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“So there comes the salvation of CAMNET TV, it’s not just CAMNET being saved, it’s the lives that are going to continue being impacted through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ through this channel. So we are not saving a station,” he said.
He said the government was saving a vision to touch the lives of Zambian people and abroad.
Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha said the government would look into the issues pastor Victoria raised.
“We mourn with you as government. Government mourns with you Living Word Ministries. Kawana is here, the issues you were raising, he is here, he is listening. And we are here,” he said.
Kabesha said pastor Chiluba’s passion for saving souls and bringing lost souls to the knowledge of Jesus Christ was key in the country.
“That is key for government. We can fight corruption but if people are not saved, they will continue even when they are in prison, they want to bribe the prison warders, we can talk about justice but if people have no Jesus in their hearts, they want to bribe the clerks at the courts to make the file disappear,” he said.
“My sister, sometimes the President, yes he is the king but he has soldiers. Yes it’s normal for Zambia, we have droughts, the President, the Vice-President organises prayers, we go and pray and the rains starts raining. In the past, people would say, it’s not raining so boma iyanganepo (government should look into it), many times even when we have twins or triplets, boma iyanganepo. Boma inalimo (government should look into it, was government in the bedroom) mu bedroom?”
He said the government would intervene to make sure it sorted out the challenges at the TV station.
“Sister Victoria, we are the captains of the ship. We have our Master captain but we can do some of those things. So we are here and we will continue mourning with you and we are saying condolences,” he said.
The Media Owners Association of Zambia (MOAZ) president, Costa Mwansa said pastor Chiluba would be remembered for his tireless efforts to promote unity in the Zambian media industry.
And speaking in an interview, Council of Churches in Zambia general secretary Bishop Emmanuel Chikoya said he received the passing of pastor Chiluba with shock and he would be remembered for his openness.
“He contributed to the media space and we will remember him for investing in the media space and transformed a lot of lives. He was a passionate preacher of the gospel, was offering checks and balances, someone who called a spade, a spade, so we will remember him for that,” he said.
Former Ndola Pastor’s Fellowship chairperson Reverend Chilekwa Mulenga who was also in attendance, said Pastor Chiluba was a beacon of resilience and hard work.
“Pastor Moses Chiluba’s life was a testament to the power of God at work in a man. We remember his unwavering commitment to family values, a man who dearly loved his wife and raised well their children,” Rev Mulenga said.
He said pastor Chiluba’s voice may be silenced, but the echoes of his teachings and his fearless approach in confronting social ills would continue to reverberate within people’s hearts.
Citizens First (CF) leader Harry Kalaba said Pastor Chiluba used his TV station to give voices to all political parties.
“The nation has lost a critical voice, not only in the Church but also the social dimension of things. He used his platform to give voice to all of us, especially us in the opposition, despite the intimidation that would come with him hosting us” he said.
Socialist Party media director Brian Hapunda said his party would remember late pastor as someone who practiced social justice.
Pastor Chiluba who died on January 6, 2025, was laid to rest at the Memorial Park in Lusaka on Saturday.
