The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) issued a statement raising concerns on the state of the nation on 30 September 2026. The concerns raised included growing political polarisation as well as the manipulation of ethnic identities and tribal sentiments for political purposes. The bishops called for responsible action to be taken in order to promote peace and justice.
The statement was issued in the week that Archbishop Alick Banda, the Catholic Archbishop of Lusaka, appeared before the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) after being arrested and charged over a Toyota Hilux allegedly linked to the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). The timing of the proceedings gave immediate context to the bishops’ concerns, but the statement also raised broader questions about Zambia’s political and civic environment.
On 1 October 2026, the Government of Zambia responded through State House and rejected significant aspects of the bishops’ assessment, arguing that claims of widespread fear and a narrowing democratic space required substantiation. The Presidency also stressed that lawful accountability should not be equated with political persecution.