Church a true partner of Government, says President Hichilema

President Hakainde Hichilema says the church is a true partner of Government in delivering services to the people of Zambia.

He was speaking during a meeting with the local and regional leaderships of the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church at State House today.

Southern Africa Indian Ocean president Harrington Akombwa and Adventist Health – Hospital System USA former chief executive Officer and Advisor Terry Shaw were among the leaders of the SDA Church who attended the meeting.

The president extolled the church for its remarkable role of evangelising and saving souls over the years.

“The SDA Church and other churches have done this work tremendously well. But it is also important to acknowledge other things the church has done like in the education and health sectors. 

“This church, like other churches in this country and elsewhere, has been engaged in delivering educational services to our people,” President Hichilema said.

The President is elated that the church has been providing education at both lower and top levels in Zambia.

“We are grateful for all the schools scattered around the country. We also appreciate the health services delivery that the church has been engaged in,” he said.

The president recalled that the SDA Church, like other churches, worked with Government to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Hichilema also praised the Dorcas Workers in the SDA Church for their exceptional voluntary works in communities.

“Sometimes we don’t remember the work that they (Dorcas Workers) do to serve the communities. They go out to homes to deliver requisites to the sick and the old.

“We are glad that the church has come alive to do more community work. It is important to be part of society to serve the mind, the body and the soul,” he said.

Dr Akombwa said Rusangu University in Monze, which started from the establishment of Rusangu Mission in 1905, has been the beacon of the SDA Church.

“There were 10 church members who came in 1905. But today Zambia is the second largest in membership worldwide. We are only second to Brazil.

“Our membership now is getting towards 1.5 million SDA Church members who are baptised. If we include those who are not baptised, we have gone well beyond three million,” Dr Akombwa said.

He added that the SDA Church wants to support President Hichilema not only because he is an elder in the church but: “every country would do well to have a cadre of people that mean well.”

“We symbolise the best virtues in hardwork, refraining from vices that destroy health and helping young people to espouse good values,” he said.