By Clara Chisenga | Lusaka
With less than 30 days before Zambia goes to the polls, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has urged citizens to elect leaders based on integrity, competence and commitment to the common good rather than on tribe, region, campaign slogans or material inducements.
The appeal is contained in a pastoral letter issued on 16 July 2026 at Kapingila House in Lusaka and signed by ZCCB President Archbishop Ignatius Chama of the Archdiocese of Kasama, Archbishop Alick Banda of Lusaka, Archbishop Benjamin Phiri of Ndola, and several Catholic bishops from dioceses across the country.
The signatories include Bishops Charles Kasonde (Solwezi), Edwin Mulandu (Mpika), George Lungu (Chipata), Evans Chinyemba (Mongu), Clement Mulenga (Kabwe), Patrick Chisanga (Mansa), Valentine Kalumba (Livingstone), Raphael Mweempwa (Monze), and Gabriel Phiri, Auxiliary Bishop of Chipata.
The pastoral letter comes as political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the 13 August 2026 General Election, with candidates traversing the country seeking support for the presidency, parliamentary seats and local government positions. The bishops said the elections present an important opportunity for citizens to choose leaders who will serve the nation with integrity, justice and accountability.
In the pastoral letter, the bishops urged voters to examine the character and conduct of candidates over time rather than judging them solely by promises made during the election campaign.
“It would be important to consider the candidate’s commitment to the common good of the whole nation rather than to self, family or faction; their record on justice for the poor and vulnerable, including the unemployed, the indebted and those struggling with the rising cost of living; and their respect for the family, for human life, and for freedom of worship and conscience,” the bishops said.
They also called on voters to assess whether candidates have promoted national unity rather than tribal or regional divisions and whether they possess the competence to govern responsibly.
Acknowledging that no candidate is perfect, the bishops reminded voters that elections involve choosing among human beings, not angels.
“However, where a real difference exists between candidates on these points, conscience obliges us to prefer the common good over bribes, personal gain, convenience, kinship or ethnicity,” they said.
Quoting Deuteronomy 16:19-20, the bishops warned against vote buying, reminding citizens that: “You shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.”
The bishops also stressed that Zambia’s ethnic, regional and linguistic diversity should be celebrated as a national strength rather than exploited for political advantage.
“We reject, without qualification, every attempt by any political actor to divide citizens along these lines, and we ask every citizen to reject such appeals, as well as those who make them,” the pastoral letter states.
As the country enters the final weeks before the election, the bishops called on Zambians to pray for a peaceful, credible and just electoral process, urging every voter to approach the ballot with wisdom, integrity and a conscience guided by truth rather than manipulation.
The Catholic Church has traditionally issued pastoral letters ahead of major elections, using its moral voice to encourage peaceful participation, ethical leadership and informed voting, while urging political leaders and citizens alike to uphold democratic values and work for the common good.
The bishops also appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to reject violence in all its forms.
“Retaliation to violence must never be an option, and political violence, whether committed in the heat of the moment or planned in advance, must not be tolerated under any circumstances, by anyone, on any side,” the bishops said.
They warned that no electoral victory or political grievance could ever justify aggression, intimidation or the shedding of blood, urging all stakeholders to safeguard peace before, during and after the13 August General Election.
Clara Chisenga is a journalist from Radio Icengelo in Kitwe. She is currently undertaking a three-month internship at MakanDay after earning third place in the 2025 MakanDay Awards for Investigative Journalism.
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