By Pastor Chilemba
I stand a great chance of winning if the Church will vote as a Church, says MMD presidential candidate Dr Nevers Mumba.
And pastor Mumba said it’s is very difficult for a person who is not a true Christian to fight vices such as corruption and violence because they are corrupt within themselves and in their perception of issues.
Pastor Mumbi also urged Patriotic Front (PF) Lusaka Province deputy campaign manager Mumbi Phiri to mind her language as a leader, over her recent that ukulinganya amapuli (testicles) kulaponwesha, in reaction to Hakainde Hichilema’s complaints against police bias.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, pastor Mumba noted that a lot has been said about why people should be elected on account of their Christian values, including arguments from parties represented by the two front runners that President Lungu must be voted for for declaring the national day of prayer, and Hichilema’s arguments that he will guide the nation on God’s will.
“First I just want to warn the Zambian people that Christianity is not some kind of chitenge you buy at the market when you are going to a wedding. It’s either you are a Christian or you are not. You don’t become a Christian because of an election approaching,” pastor Mumba said. “Unfortunately some Zambians are duped by politicians who become Christians ahead of an election. That’s why the Bible says know they that labour among you.”
Pastor Mumba said Zambians were sharper and knew candidates who become Christians ahead of elections, saying when “you elect them into office you pay the highest price, because once in office they are themselves without any values, without any virtues, without any righteousness because they didn’t have any before they got there.”
“So my argument really is that if we don’t put a Christian, a real professed Christian leader in government this year and we continue to call ourselves a Christian nation we are paralysing our prospects for prosperity. So all I can say is that the Zambian voter will be responsible for the outcome of August 12,” pastor Mumba said. “And if we are a Christian nation the outcome of the election must look Christian. If it doesn’t look Christian then on the 13th, 14th of August we are going to know whether we are a Christian Nation or we are a heathen nation. So the Bible says you shall know them by their fruit. So the fruit of the Christian nation is to birth a Christian leader.”
Pastor Mumba said people should judge him, and the two front runners, President Lungu and Hichilema, including their history and what their fruit was in terms of Christianity.
“It’s not just the question of talking about God. It’s a question of a lifestyle that lines up with biblical requirements. That will be a decision made by Zambians on the basis of how they have observed them, how they understand Christianity and how they understand who a Christian is,” he said.
Asked if he was being realistic with winning this election or he was targeting a strong finish even if he did not win, pastor Mumba argued that he was in it to win and was counting on the Church.
“And I am saying if the Church is gonna vote as a Church I stand a great chance because then they can upset this election and it has been done in other countries where there were two front runners and they were really having fun, occupying the first place, but once the Church decides to vote as a Church they have always upset the status quo,” pastor Mumba said. “And I am hoping and praying that this time around the Church could become the Church and make a decision in a Christian nation. So we are in this thing to win like anyone else and we will go to the finish line with God’s grace and with your prayers and with you vote.”
Pastor Mumba said it was difficult for someone who was not a true Christian to fight corruption, saying values are the ones which guide one’s fight against such vices, and those values were supposed to be inherently inside one’s heart.
He said someone with a corrupt mind could not fight corruption.
“You can try to put programmes in place…but it’s not coming from your heart and you are not fighting it…It’s not for me to point fingers at who is a Christian and who is not, Zambians must assess who a Christian is and make their determination,” pastor Mumba said.
He described Phiri’s utterances as unfortunate, saying one should choose what to say in public life.
“Those are all signs (of what I’m talking about), and it’s up to to the people to make that determination on the 12th of August,” said pastor Mumba.
