By Concerned Christian | Lusaka, Zambia

As the race to Plot 1 intensifies over the next six months, I wish to address this to the presidential candidates who have offered themselves to run for office. First and foremost, congratulations. However, you should be cautioned adequately to observe that leadership is not merely a career milestone; it is Divine Calling. And in a nation dedicated to God, it is Sacred Stewardship. As you seek the highest office in the land, the Zambian people do not just ask for your manifesto. They demand an account of your soul.

You may have observed how some of our politicians have used Zambia’s identity as a Christian nation as a political slogan or a convenient tool for mobilisation. It is neither a slogan nor a mobilisation tool. It is Covenant.

Realignment, therefore, must begin with you as a leader. You must ask yourself whether you view this declaration as a spiritual responsibility or as a political asset. True realignment requires a leader who treats the vulnerable with the dignity they are afforded in scripture, not one who uses faith as a façade for power. Every leader aspiring for the highest seat must realise that the Presidency is sacred and divine. It has the power to accept you or reject you.

Within a nation that claims Christian heritage, words must still carry weight. “Yes” should mean “Yes” and “No” should mean “No.” The erosion of trust in our politics has not happened overnight. It has come through broken promises, convenient silences and shifting allegiances. Before you ask for the people’s vote, examine your own history. Is your campaign built on the foundation of truth, or on the clever manipulation of facts? Does your private life reflect the values you intend to project from State House? Are you prepared to sacrifice “self” in order to realign Zambia to its Christian heritage?

The Christian call to leadership is, fundamentally, the call to be a servant leader. Our nation faces economic and social hurdles that require more than strategy. They require a shepherd’s heart. You must ask yourself whether you are seeking the presidency to be served, or to serve. Do you understand that a Kingdom government is about Kingship and Priesthood? Will you have the courage to dismantle systems of corruption, even those that benefit your allies, to ensure that the least of these in our compounds and villages are fed? Will you prioritise the completion of the National House of Prayer and the restoration of the Ministry of National Guidance and Christian Affairs? Will you wholeheartedly hold sacred the National Day of Repentance, Prayer and Reconciliation, ensuring that the Day is kept Holy?

Further still, do you have the boldness to ensure that your policies align with the 10 Commandments and the Covenants that God made with His people? Do you have an understanding of what God’s purposes and mandate over Zambia are? Who is Zambia? What is her mandate and purpose? Do you appreciate the importance of knowing and understanding the times and seasons under God’s calendar, in order to know what to do?

A nation realigned to its Christian heritage is one where justice flows like a river. It is a nation where the judiciary is independent, where the police are fair, and where the economy does not favour only the elite. We demand leaders who fear God more than they fear losing an election. We need leaders who will act with mercy toward their opponents and justice toward the oppressed.

Power has a way of magnifying who you already are. If you are greedy in small things, you will be predatory in large ones. If you are divisive now, you will fracture the nation later. Therefore, before the rallies, before the endorsements, before the noise of applause, withdraw for a moment into quiet reflection. Consider the gravity of governing a people who look to the Heavens for hope.

Our prayer is simple. Lord, do not give us a leader who merely quotes the Bible. Give us a leader whose life is a testament to its principles. Zambia does not need a Christian politician. Zambia needs a statesman whose heart is surrendered to the ethics of Christ and the Covenants that God made with His people.

By Concerned Christian | Lusaka, Zambia

As the race to Plot 1 intensifies over the next six months, I wish to address this to the presidential candidates who have offered themselves to run for office. First and foremost, congratulations. However, you should be cautioned adequately to observe that leadership is not merely a career milestone; it is Divine Calling. And in a nation dedicated to God, it is Sacred Stewardship. As you seek the highest office in the land, the Zambian people do not just ask for your manifesto. They demand an account of your soul.

You may have observed how some of our politicians have used Zambia’s identity as a Christian nation as a political slogan or a convenient tool for mobilisation. It is neither a slogan nor a mobilisation tool. It is Covenant.

Realignment, therefore, must begin with you as a leader. You must ask yourself whether you view this declaration as a spiritual responsibility or as a political asset. True realignment requires a leader who treats the vulnerable with the dignity they are afforded in scripture, not one who uses faith as a façade for power. Every leader aspiring for the highest seat must realise that the Presidency is sacred and divine. It has the power to accept you or reject you.

Within a nation that claims Christian heritage, words must still carry weight. “Yes” should mean “Yes” and “No” should mean “No.” The erosion of trust in our politics has not happened overnight. It has come through broken promises, convenient silences and shifting allegiances. Before you ask for the people’s vote, examine your own history. Is your campaign built on the foundation of truth, or on the clever manipulation of facts? Does your private life reflect the values you intend to project from State House? Are you prepared to sacrifice “self” in order to realign Zambia to its Christian heritage?

The Christian call to leadership is, fundamentally, the call to be a servant leader. Our nation faces economic and social hurdles that require more than strategy. They require a shepherd’s heart. You must ask yourself whether you are seeking the presidency to be served, or to serve. Do you understand that a Kingdom government is about Kingship and Priesthood? Will you have the courage to dismantle systems of corruption, even those that benefit your allies, to ensure that the least of these in our compounds and villages are fed? Will you prioritise the completion of the National House of Prayer and the restoration of the Ministry of National Guidance and Christian Affairs? Will you wholeheartedly hold sacred the National Day of Repentance, Prayer and Reconciliation, ensuring that the Day is kept Holy?

Further still, do you have the boldness to ensure that your policies align with the 10 Commandments and the Covenants that God made with His people? Do you have an understanding of what God’s purposes and mandate over Zambia are? Who is Zambia? What is her mandate and purpose? Do you appreciate the importance of knowing and understanding the times and seasons under God’s calendar, in order to know what to do?

A nation realigned to its Christian heritage is one where justice flows like a river. It is a nation where the judiciary is independent, where the police are fair, and where the economy does not favour only the elite. We demand leaders who fear God more than they fear losing an election. We need leaders who will act with mercy toward their opponents and justice toward the oppressed.

Power has a way of magnifying who you already are. If you are greedy in small things, you will be predatory in large ones. If you are divisive now, you will fracture the nation later. Therefore, before the rallies, before the endorsements, before the noise of applause, withdraw for a moment into quiet reflection. Consider the gravity of governing a people who look to the Heavens for hope.

Our prayer is simple. Lord, do not give us a leader who merely quotes the Bible. Give us a leader whose life is a testament to its principles. Zambia does not need a Christian politician. Zambia needs a statesman whose heart is surrendered to the ethics of Christ and the Covenants that God made with His people.