The Eight Church Mother Bodies have facilitated the handover of opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu to their legal representatives, in a process witnessed by the Office of the Special Assistant to the UN Secretary-General and the UN Resident Coordinator in Zambia.
The handover took place today at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
In a joint statement after the engagement, the Church leaders said they acted in their “limited but important role as a neutral Third Party” to ensure the transition to legal processes happens peacefully. 
The Church said its intervention was consistent with its biblical mandate of peace-making and reconciliation. “Blessed are the peacemakers” and “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of God’s throne” were cited as the basis for its involvement.
The Mother Bodies EFZ, CCZ, ZCCB, ICOZ, ACOC, CMML, SDA and NAC said they appreciated the confidence of the United Nations, the trust of the State, and the acceptance by the two opposition leaders for the Church to facilitate the brief transition.
The Church has appealed to the State to uphold assurances given “at the highest level.”
The Church clarified that its role was not to determine guilt or innocence, nor to interfere with lawful institutions. “It is to help ensure that this transition takes place peacefully, responsibly and with respect for all parties.”
The statement concluded with a call for “truth, justice and restraint” to guide all steps, and urged Zambians to place “the country’s continued peace, unity and stability above every other consideration.”
