Govt. commends Church for promoting education, health sectors

Government has commended the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) for supplementing its efforts in the provision of quality health care, education and other social services to Zambians.

And Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) Matero Congregation Resident Minister Anderson Banda pledged that the church continue to offer wise counsel to government in order to better the welfare of Zambians.

Minister of Gender and Child Development Inonge Wina said the Patriotic Front (PF) government appreciates the church’s quality social services and spiritual growth to the underprivileged people across the country.

Ms. Wina noted that the church has also been partnering with government in various programmes such as running of schools, hospitals and the promotion of human rights.

The Minister said this in a speech read on her behalf by Ministry of Gender and Child Development Director, Victor Mbumwai at this year’s renewal of vows by 187 RCZ Women’s Fellowship at Lusaka’s Matero Congregation.

She commended the church for initiating various income generating programmes aimed at supplementing government efforts in poverty reduction and improving the status of women in the country.

Ms. Wina urged the church to assist government address issues of corruption, tribalism, lack of respect for the rule of law and other social evils that were threatening the political and socio-economic development of Zambia.

And Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) Matero Congregation Resident Minister Anderson Banda said the church will continue to advise government on how to better the welfare of Zambians.

Reverend Banda said his church will offer constructive criticism to government as opposed to engaging in partisan politics.

He said both the church and government were partners in national development because they serve the same people.

He said the church will further enhance its prophetic voice so that politicians and the general citizenry could see the need for co-existence in order to eradicate poverty and other social ills in the country.

Earlier, Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) Matero Congregation Women Fellowship Representative, Elizabeth Chulu implored women in the country to embrace government’s empowerment programmes in order to be self-reliant.

Mrs. Chulu said the emphasis that the government was attaching to various women affairs in Zambia was a welcome move that all progressive women should embrace regardless of their religious faith, political and ethnical affiliations.

The renewal of vows by RCZ Women’s Fellowship is an annual event aimed at strengthening women fellowship to the wok of Jesus Christ in line with Biblical teachings from the Book of Psalms 116 Verse 14.

This year’s event attracted 187 women at Lusaka’s RCZ Matero Congregation who pledged to continue their fellowship to serve God by being faith to the Church and the Zambian government.