By Mohammed Zaheer II MUNSHI
MAKENI IS NOT A RELIGIOUS BATTLEGROUND.. IT IS HOME TO FELLOW ZAMBIANS..!
A Call for Evidence, Justice, Coexistence & Moral Responsibility..
Wether or not, with or maybe without due respect to Rev. Bruce Kaumba, the question before us is not whether Muslims are becoming more visible in Makeni.. The real question is why the lawful presence, property ownership, businesses, schools, clinics, mosques & community initiatives of fellow Zambians should suddenly be portrayed as evidence of a sinister religious agenda..!
I grew up among a vast number of Christian friends who till date, have treated us with respect, warmth & brotherhood.. They did not look at every Muslim with suspicion or interpret our conduct thru the lens of fear. They judged us by our character, our actions & how we treated others.. That is what genuine coexistence looks like..!
When did another person’s development become a threat to our own existence..? When did a neighbour’s faith become evidence against their patriotism..?
If there is evidence of unlawful land acquisition, corruption, fraudulent transactions or breaches of planning regulations in Makeni, let it be investigated impartially.. No individual, company, religious institution or investor should be above the law, yes..
But allegations of whatsoever maybe, 35 to 50-year religious or political takeover, a future caliphate or coordinated domination require credible evidence.. not assumptions based on ethnicity, appearance, religion or property ownership..!
A Mosque is not proof of a conspiracy, just as a church is not proof of political domination.. (Tho to much of an extent, do willfully & tactically participate).. A school is not an instrument of subversion simply because it is established by people of another faith.. These institutions should be judged by their conduct, compliance with the law & contribution to society..!
And if land ownership is the concern, let us ask the same questions of every buyer, regardless of whether they are Muslim, Christian, Asian, African, foreign or Zambian-born. Who owns the land..? Was it acquired lawfully..? Were the relevant regulations followed..? Are local communities being treated fairly..? Is there evidence of corruption or abuse..? Justice must be consistent or it ceases to be justice..
As a Muslim, I believe that Islam calls us to justice, compassion, peaceful conduct & responsibility towards our neighbours.. The Qur’an teaches that Almighty Allah commands justice & excellence & reminds humanity that differences among peoples are an opportunity to know one another, not a licence to despise one another..! NoO..! NoO way..!
These principles do not require Muslims to surrender their faith…
Nor do they require Christians to abandon theirs.. They require all of us to uphold the dignity of our fellow human beings..!
Rev. Kaumba, U have spoken about Ur decades in Makeni & challenged the Church to invest in future generations.. On that point, there is an important conversation to be had.. But after so many years in the community, what concrete initiatives have U personally championed to create employment, establish educational or vocational opportunities, support vulnerable families or build sustainable community institutions..? What have we collectively done to improve people’s lives..?
These are fair questions for any public voice calling others to account.. They are not accusations.. they are an invitation to measure leadership by service, practical contribution & results rather than rhetoric..!
If Muslim organisations have established facilities that benefit both Muslims & Christians, those contributions deserve fair assessment. If Christian institutions provide education, healthcare & social support to people of every background, their contributions deserve the same recognition.. Zambia gains whenever responsible institutions improve people’s lives..!
Development is not a religious competition.. It is a public good..!
The Makeni Islamic Vocational Institute & the Makeni Orphanage stand as compelling examples of institutional development, visionary planning & investment in future generations.. They reflect the value of well-organised institutions, sustained commitment to education, care for vulnerable children, community advancement & the creation of opportunities that can benefit society for generations to come..! Rather than viewing such institutions thru the lens of religious suspicion, we should assess them fairly on their actual contributions to education, social welfare, human development & the wellbeing of the wider community.. When institutions are established to educate, empower, support & uplift people, their value should be recognised thru the positive impact they make.. not diminished by the religious identity of those who establish or manage them..! Ultimately, this is the kind of long-term vision, responsible stewardship & commitment to humanity that communities everywhere should encourage & learn from..!
There is also a painful inconsistency in preaching national unity while describing fellow citizens as potential agents of a foreign agenda without substantiated evidence. Such rhetoric risks encouraging suspicion, discrimination & hostility towards ordinary people whose only apparent offence is their religion, ancestry or economic activity..!?
A person can be Zambian & Muslim.. A person can be Zambian & Christian. A person can be Zambian & of Asian descent.. Our Constitution’s recognition of Zambia as a Christian nation does not erase the rights & dignity of citizens of other faiths..! Never..! National belonging must not become conditional upon religious conformity or ethnic origin..!
And at a time when civilians continue to endure devastating conflicts & humanitarian suffering in places including Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo & South Sudan or Somalia & Eritrea, should we not be more careful about the language we use to describe one another..? These crises differ in their causes & circumstances, but they remind us of the human cost of dehumanisation, division & indifference.. We should not manufacture new lines of hostility where neighbours have the opportunity to live peacefully together..!
For a Christian minister or an administrator, this also raises an important question of moral consistency.. how can the message of love for one’s neighbour be reconciled with rhetoric that may cause an entire religious community to be viewed with fear & suspicion..? How so very suddenly..? NoO..! And for Muslims, the same standard applies.. our faith must be reflected in justice, honesty, respect & service..!
The answer is not to silence legitimate concerns.. It is to demand evidence, reject prejudice, enforce the law fairly & hold every leader to the same standard of accountability..!
Makeni does not need a manufactured religious confrontation.. It needs affordable housing, decent employment, good schools, healthcare, responsible investment, transparent land administration & leaders who bring people together..!!
Let Christians build..! Let Muslims build..! Let Zambians of every background contribute.. Let the law determine what is lawful & let evidence determine what is true..!
The real threat to our future is not a neighbour building a school, a clinic, a business or a place of worship.. It is the possibility that fear will make us enemies before facts have established any wrongdoing..!
We can protect Zambia’s national interests without sacrificing our humanity.. We can safeguard land rights without discriminating against a people.. And we can remain faithful to our respective religions without turning our differences into weapons against one another..!
A CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY..!
Rev. Bruce Kaumba must be prepared to take responsibility for the implications of his public statements.. When a religious leader publicly speaks of a supposed religious takeover, a future caliphate & a long-term agenda of domination without presenting verifiable evidence, he must expect legitimate questions about the basis & consequences of those claims.. Freedom of expression does not exempt anyone from accountability for the potential harm their words may cause.. I therefore challenge the Reverend to substantiate his allegations with credible evidence, clarify statements that may unfairly cast suspicion upon an entire religious community & demonstrate the same commitment to truth, justice & peaceful coexistence that he expects of others.. If his concerns are genuine, let them be addressed thru evidence, lawful investigation & constructive dialogue.. not speculation that risks dividing fellow Zambians..! NoO..!
Religious leadership should unite communities thru moral example, not leave them questioning whether their neighbours are friends or enemies..!
ACCOUNTABILITY MUST BE GROUNDED IN JUSTICE..!
Let it be clear that this is not a call to silence Rev. Bruce Kaumba or deny him his freedom of expression.. It is a call for him to exercise that freedom responsibly & to substantiate serious public allegations with credible evidence.. He should be prepared to answer legitimate questions about the basis of his claims & their potential implications for peaceful coexistence in Makeni.. Where evidence establishes unlawful conduct or a breach of applicable law, the appropriate authorities should act impartially & in accordance with due process.. No religious leader should be above scrutiny, just as no individual or community should be condemned without evidence..! Accountability must protect truth, uphold justice & preserve the dignity of every Zambian..!
Rev. Kaumba, the question is not whether Makeni will belong to one religious community or another. The question is whether we will leave behind a community in which justice, dignity & opportunity belong to everyone..
I choose coexistence over suspicion, evidence over speculation, service over slogans & brotherhood over division..!
Makeni is home.. Zambia is home.. And no fellow citizen should have to live under suspicion simply because of the faith they practise or the background from which they come..!
We are proudly Zambian, proudly Makenians & united in our diversity..!
One Zambia, One Nation. Different faiths, equal dignity, one shared future..!