By CIC
The Archdiocese of Lusaka stands at a critical historical crossroads just a day before the August 13, 2026 General Election. Long revered as Zambia’s unyielding moral compass, the Catholic Church risks compromising its sacred legacy by blurring the lines between spiritual devotion and partisan optics.
The recent controversy surrounding the Marian Shrine in Chelstone where a planned candlelight prayer service on the eve of the polls drew immediate petition from the United Party for National Development (UPND) to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is a stark reminder of what happens when the church compromises its neutrality. 
When religious symbols mirror political campaign logos, the salt loses its savor. It is time for the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) to pull the clergy back to their true foundations.
Compounding this crisis is a growing internal disconnect:, many priests within the Zambian Catholic Church seem entirely disinterested in what is happening within their own institution today. While the hierarchy engages in high stakes political maneuvers, a significant portion of the clergy has become detached from the core administrative and spiritual realities facing the modern church.
Apathy among local priests leaves parish communities without strong, cohesive leadership. When priests switch off from institutional affairs, they fail to hold leadership accountable to the Gospel.
This indifference allows the church’s public image to be hijacked by political theater rather than guided by a united pastoral vision.
The primary authority of the Church lies in its absolute separation from partisan machinery. Launching nationwide “candlelight prayers for peace” on the literal eve of a highly tense election where a candle or lamp happens to double as a political party symbol is a profound misstep in local context.
Whether intentional or accidental, it creates unnecessary political theater. By leaning into actions that trigger partisan pushback and polarize the flock, the hierarchy risks a dangerous role reversal, the Bishops are beginning to follow the volatile emotions of the political season rather than anchoring their people in objective gospel truth.
If the Catholic Church is to remain an effective arbiter of peace, it cannot afford even the perception of bias. The pulpit must never be exploited as a proxy campaign platform or used to agitate electoral tensions.
The Catholic Church’s voice carries weight only when it defends the poor and condemns political violence uniformly, regardless of who holds power at State House. Clergy must focus on de-escalation, electoral integrity, and spiritual stewardship rather than hosting events that invite secular.
Zambia does not need its spiritual shepherds to behave like a parallel political opposition, nor can it afford a clergy that stands by in passive indifference. To safeguard the nation’s fragile peace and retain its historic moral authority, the Catholic Bishops must actively distance its sacred rituals from the immediate battleground of the ballot box and re-engage its internal priesthood.
The Church belongs to all Zambians both ruling party and opposition alike. The salt must be reclaimed, and it can only happen if both the Bishops and their priests rise entirely above the partisan fray, casting light from the heavens rather than lighting fires in the trenches.
The Vatican’s stance on politics is simple: the Church must never be a partisan player, but it can never be a silent bystander. By banning clergy from political office and refusing to endorse specific parties, the Vatican protects its moral authority from the compromises of partisan warfare. It recognizes that when the Church ties itself to a single political flag, it compromises its universal mission. However, political neutrality does not mean moral neutrality. The Vatican expects lay Catholics to enter the political arena to advocate for human dignity, protect the vulnerable, and pursue the common good. The Church’s role is not to govern, but to act as a moral compass—insisting that laws and policies be judged by how they treat the least among us.
One Zambia, One Nation.
Emmanuel Chiluba Chanda a concerned Catholic.
