EIGHT CHURCH MOTHER BODIES CLARIFIES UN ROLE IN MUNDUBILE, MAKEBI ZULU HANDOVER, RULES OUT POLITICAL DEAL

CHURCH CLARIFIES UN ROLE IN MUNDUBILE, MAKEBI ZULU HANDOVER, RULES OUT POLITICAL DEALBy Victoria Kayeye YambaniThe Eight Church Mother Bodies have moved to clarify their role in the recent handover of opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, following their stay at the United Nations premises in Lusaka. Speaking on behalf of the Eight Church […]

CHURCH CLARIFIES UN ROLE IN MUNDUBILE, MAKEBI ZULU HANDOVER, RULES OUT POLITICAL DEAL
By Victoria Kayeye Yambani
The Eight Church Mother Bodies have moved to clarify their role in the recent handover of opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, following their stay at the United Nations premises in Lusaka.

Speaking on behalf of the Eight Church Mother Bodies, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia Executive Director Reverend Allan Kasungami says the Church was engaged by the United Nations as a trusted and neutral Third Party to facilitate the safe, orderly and dignified transition of the two opposition leaders from the UN premises to their legal representatives.

Reverend Kasungami explained that the United Nations premises are inviolable and that the presence of the two opposition leaders there did not amount to refugee status or diplomatic asylum.

He says the Church was therefore requested, with the agreement of both the Government and the two opposition leaders, to facilitate their departure and ensure that they were handed over to their lawyers so that any subsequent legal processes could proceed with access to legal counsel.

The Church Mother Bodies stressed that their mandate was not to determine the guilt or innocence of the two opposition leaders, interfere with lawful institutions, or negotiate a political settlement between the Government and the opposition.
Instead, their responsibility was limited to ensuring a peaceful and dignified transition and supporting the observance of due process, fairness and human rights.

The Church further disclosed that consultations with Government authorities, the two opposition leaders, their lawyers and the United Nations were cordial and constructive, with assurances that the legal processes would be conducted in accordance with the law, due process and human dignity.

The clarification comes amid what the Church described as misinformation and misrepresentation surrounding the circumstances of the handover.

The Eight Church Mother Bodies says suggestions that the United Nations and the Church had failed to broker a political deal were misplaced, as no such mandate had been given to either institution.
Reverend Kasungami says the Church would, however, continue to monitor the implementation of assurances made concerning the treatment of the two opposition leaders.

Beyond the immediate handover, the Church Mother Bodies say they are now considering a broader national healing and reconciliation process aimed at creating space for dialogue, justice, truth and the rebuilding of trust across Zambia’s political and social divides.
They have also appealed to political actors and the public to lower the political temperature, avoid inflammatory social media messages and allow institutions to perform their respective roles as Zambia seeks peace, unity, stability and renewed national cohesion.