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Kasama Catholic, Archbishop Ignatius Chama, has expressed concern over what he described as a “sour” relationship between the Church and government, following the recent summoning of Lusaka Archbishop Alick Banda by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).
Archbishop Chama also criticised the prolonged delays by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in paying farmers who supplied maize, saying many were now stranded and unable to prepare for the current farming season.
Speaking on Lutanda Catholic Radio during his weekly Wednesday programme Ishiwi Lyakwa Kachema (Voice of the Shepherd), Archbishop Chama said the ongoing tension between the Church and government was harmful to ordinary citizens.
He likened the situation to an African proverb, stating: “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”
“Things need to change in this country,” he said. “The events of January 5, 2026, when the Lusaka Archbishop (Banda) was dragged to DEC, are all because he has not been going along well with those in government.”
Archbishop Chama recalled that when some Cabinet Ministers visited him in the past, they complained that the two leaders were not getting along.
He warned that misunderstandings of this nature should not be allowed to escalate, drawing a comparison to the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, where a prolonged conflict led to tragedy.
Turning to the delayed FRA payments, Archbishop Chama said the failure to pay farmers on time was “counterproductive,” especially at the peak of the rainy season when farmers urgently need funds to purchase inputs.
“We are in the middle of the rains. Farmers who supplied maize to the FRA are yet to be paid. We need to care for the downtrodden. How can they buy fertilizer if they are not paid?” he said.
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