• It is not new that government is trying to get the fund to assist Churches.
• Government has been rendering support to the Churches especially involving social services.
• The Church has been regarded as development partners of government.

Independent Churches of Zambia (ICOZ) has called on members of the Public not to politicize Government’s empowerment Fund for Churches.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Board Chairperson Bishop David Masupa noted that this is not the first time government is coming out to support the Church’s activities because Churches have been regarded as partners in development.
Bishop Masupa, who is also Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Board Chairperson explained that Churches too have not been spared by the negative effects of Covid-19 just like other sectors of the economy, hence the need for government to support them financially.
“Government has been rendering support to the Churches especially involving social services. It is not new that government is trying to get the fund to assist Churches. It’s not the first time that government has supported the Church; the Church has been regarded as development partners of government.”
“So let’s not politicize this issue because it’s not the first sector in the country that government has said it will help, they have helped the youth, they have helped the musicians, who have been affected with the Covid-19 pandemic,” Bishop Masupa observed.
He said Government has been rendering support to the Churches especially involving social services, therefore there is nothing wrong to empower places of worship as it is not the first sector in the country that government has been helping.
“What is wrong for government to realize that the Churches have been affected? Let the Church be supported because this Covid-19 has affected all sectors of the economy. This Covid has known no colour, has known no religion, has known no Church, has known no sector, so let’s not politicize this,” he stated.
Recently, Minister of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili encouraged the Church, Religious and Faith-Based organizations to apply for the COVID-19 empowerment fund which he Ministry has rolled out.
However, the initiative has been widely criticized by several stakeholders especially politicians, who have asked government to consider channeling the money to needy areas such as payment of salaries for Council workers and procurement of essential drugs among others.