Some members of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) have differed with their top leadership over the stance taken by the Oasis Forum on the constitutional review process.
The members charged at a Press briefing at Sams Sports Cafe in Lusaka yesterday that the views taken by the EFZ under the auspices of the Oasis Forum were not representative of those held by Evangelical churches.
They also challenged their leadership to sit on the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) to ensure all legal impediments were removed.
Spokesperson for the group comprising bishops and a prophet, Bilon Kalumbinga of Agape Ministries announced when he read a letter addressed to EFZ secretary general Bishop Paul Mususu that the membership was not consulted on the matter.
When contacted, Bishop Mususu said he could not immediately comment but expressed ignorance about the group and the purported letter.
But Bishop Kalumbinga who was flanked by Bishop Joseph Masuka of Apostolic Revival Ministries and Prophet Hastings Mzumara of Christ Impact Ministries said the top leadership should state whose interests they were representing because they did not consult the members.
He said the top EFZ leadership during the third term debate consulted widely and wondered why they had adopted a "new mode" of airing people's views without consulting them.
"We feel concerned that the current position taken by the EFZ leadership on the ongoing debate, on how the Constitution should be adopted does not represent our views as members of the Evangelical community.
We have not been consulted on this matter and we feel that their views do not reflect the views of the people."
Bishop Kalumbinga said the new Constitution would not be for the MMD or Government but for the people of Zambia hence need for dialogue between all concerned parties.
"The role of the EFZ in this particular instance should have been to facilitate between various stakeholders and not incite confusion and mistrust as has been insinuated by the Oasis Forum," he said.
And Prophet Mzumara said the EFZ membership was also of the view that the Constitution be adopted through a constituent assembly but were not happy with the way their leadership was championing the cause.
He also said President Mwanawasa should fire the corrupt ministers he identified in his Cabinet to remove the current suspicions.
Bishop Masuka said the EFZ should sit on the commission as a first step to ensure that all legal impediments were addressed because "it is better to from fight inside instead of outside."
And the Oasis Forum has written to Government restating its demand for quick amendment to Section five of the Inquiries Act and commitment to the constituent assembly.
Forum spokesperson Lucy Muyoyeta said yesterday the Forum was still committed to provisions for the draft report to be presented to Government, civil society and other stakeholders simultaneously.
This was as opposed to the presentation of the draft report to the President before adoption.
Ms Muyoyeta said the Forum had insisted on the constituent assembly as the most appropriate mode of adopting the Constitution.
The Forum had indicated to Government the issues raised and expected the Government to respond quickly.
But Legal Affairs Minister George Kunda said he had not yet received the correspondence as he was out for the presidential petition case yesterday.