By ZR Reporter
The Council of Bishops of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God Zambia (PAOGZ) has strongly defended Presiding Bishop Professor Joshua H.K. Banda against what it terms a wave of politically aligned rhetoric, misinformation, and insults.
In a comprehensive statement issued from the PAOGZ headquarters on September 7, 2026, General Secretary Bishop Dr. Lenson Bwalya addressed controversies surrounding the recent engagement involving opposition leaders at the United Nations premises.
The Council clarified that the involvement of church leadership was not an independent initiative by Bishop Banda, PAOGZ, or the Northmead Assembly. Rather, it was a collective assignment undertaken by the Eight Church Mother Bodies following an engagement initiated by the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Addressing the circumstances at the UN premises, the Council noted that because UN facilities are inviolable and the presence of the political leaders did not constitute refugee status or diplomatic asylum, safe and orderly departure arrangements became necessary. The opposition leaders themselves reportedly proposed and settled on the Church as a neutral, trusted third party to facilitate the process a choice agreed upon and supported by the government.
The statement emphasized that the church leadership did not hand the opposition figures over to the police but rather to their own legal representatives to ensure access to counsel and due process.
The Council of Bishops firmly rebuked diaspora-based social media commentators and other actors attempting to isolate Bishop Banda and drag the church into partisan controversy.
Highlighting Bishop Banda’s extensive track record in mediation, conflict resolution, and his role as Vice Chair of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, the Council reiterated that PAOGZ and Northmead Assembly remain strictly non-partisan Christian spaces committed to peace, justice, and national reconciliation.
© Zambia Reports | September 2026