A clergyman of Presbyterian Church of Zambia (PCZ), in Chipata commune (a city in the Eastern part of Zambia), was recently charged with an affray for allegedly brawling in church, Lusaka Times reported.
Eastern Province Police Commissioner, Luckson Sakala, said Reverend Sonye Banda of Mchini congregation along with four other church congregants are reported to have fought in church after some church members blocked the reverend from entering the church. He said Reverend Banda was barred from entering the church due to alleged mismanagement of the church finances.
Comm. Sakala explained that the incident occurred on Sunday but was reported to police on Monday leading to the arrest of the five.
Mr Sakala however, disclosed that all the five were released after they paid an admission of guilt.
The Presbyterian Church has since issued a statement, affirming that the affray which happened at their parish resulted from misunderstandings between a few members of the church and the Rev Banda, and ultimately shot down in flames the claim that it was never about mismanagement of funds.
Here is the full statement;
Press Release from the Presbyterian Church
We the Elders and members of The Uniting Presbyterian Church at St Peters congregation hereby affirm that the affray which happened at our Congregation on 28th October 2018 was as result of misunderstandings between a few members of the church and the Reverend Sonye Banda. The Misunderstandings were not about mismanagement of funds.
We also affirm that the Reverend did not participate in the affray that took place on the said date. The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa aims at bearing witness to the serving love of Jesus Christ, building vital, reforming congregations for worship, Ministry and discipleship. The church also aims at visibly proclaiming the kingdom of God through Unity Justice, Peace and Love.
We therefore regret…
Meanwhile, the scandal has given the digitally savvy folks some fodder to ruminate on.
One named Analyser satirically insinuated that Rev. Banda’s alleged conduct of purloining church funds and squabbling over it with fellow congregants makes him a great feat to run for the highest office in Zambia.
He wrote:
“Over funds? He will be president of Zambia some day. People who either steal from unsuspecting clients or fight over funds have some potential. People in the diaspora being negative? No, factual and speculative with evidence, in State House!”
Kapoko blamed the Zambian president for giving church grants to clerics who misspent them.
“Fighting over the funds that Lungu distributed to several churches by the President. Now Mr. Lungu you are causing problems in these churches because of the money you recently gave out to these good for nothing pastors.”
“This is where the church mother bodies should show their “teeth”. Unfortunately, the church mother bodies have joined politics and functionality like NGOs. No wonder god is sad, in Copperbelt Province, Catholic synagogues, as well as other churches, are blown out of heavy rains. Churches and political parties are just the same in facts sooner they will be nightclubs,” wrote another named Mr P.
Ndanje Khakis even went a further in highlighting how greediness is ruining the church, saying at one parish a treasurer was bewitched to death for failing to approbate bank withdrawal.
He said;
“At one of the congregations, a treasurer was killed using witchcraft because he had refused to authorize withdraw of the church. This church must be watched.”
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