Binwell blasts ‘lawfare’ against church
By Thandizo Banda
THE Catholic Church cannot be prosecuted for receiving a donation, Movement for Good Governance leader Binwell Mpundu has said.
Mpundu, a Nkana member of Parliament has since urged the government to stop using “lawfare” to stifle critical voices.
Speaking in an interview with The Mast, Mpundu said the law should not be administered without using logic and common sense.
“Receiving a gift, in itself, does not constitute a crime. The Church’s life and mission depend on offerings and donations made in good faith by the faithful and well-wishers. If pastors are now expected to investigate the full legal and economic history of every donation before accepting it, the Church would be forced to abandon its primary pastoral work and become an investigative body,” he said.
Mpundu wondered how different the donation of a Toyota Hilux to the Lusaka Archdiocese, Archbishop Dr Alick Banda, by the previous administration was from the several donations President Hakainde Hichilema had continued making to churches and charities without similar scrutiny by recipients.
“If there were procedural irregularities in disposing of public property, accountability should rest first with those officials responsible for that process, not with Church leaders who received a donation in good faith. Singling out one Archbishop for such treatment inevitably raises questions about motive,” he said.
He said confidence in the impartiality of those in authority was weakened when law‑enforcement bodies focus on clergy and critics while appearing less visible in tackling large-scale corruption and economic crimes by those close to power.
“This creates a climate of fear, shifts attention away from pressing national issues, and undermines belief that the fight against corruption is genuine rather than selective. When the Church’s prophetic voice is intimidated, the poorest, who rely on that voice, are the most harmed,” Mpundu said.
Mpundu said he had since petitioned the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) on the need to issue a statement affirming the right and duty of the Church and its leaders to receive legitimate gifts in good faith and to speak openly on governance, justice, and human dignity without fear of reprisal.
“The Church must state a united pastoral stance declaring that the harassment or selective targeting of one bishop on account of his moral teaching or pastoral witness is an attack on the Church’s mission as a whole,” he SAID.
Mpundu also proposed a High‑level engagement between the church and State to express concern over the treatment of Archbishop Banda and to urge that investigative institutions act with impartiality, proportionality, and respect for the Church’s work.
