Lusaka — Many people have accused Nevers Mumba of using the church as a stepping stone for his political ambitions. But what his critics fail to ask is: who hasn't?

Even 2001 presidential aspirant, Anderson Mazoka has already realised that in Zambian politics, you cannot by-pass the Christian platform, especially after knowing that even the founding father, Kenneth Kaunda, once started off very well with his links to the church.

And still linked to the church is his successor. At independence and the few years following, Dr Kaunda confessed to a very rich Christian background.

Dating back to his boyhood days at Lubwa mission in Chinsali, where, it appears, his missionary parents from Malawi must have been genuinely born again Christians. It is not at all strange considering that his father was one of the first African missionaries sent by the Church of Scotland from the then Nyasaland.

In those years, for the Church of Scotland to send you as a missionary, you must have truly attested to new birth in Christ. The influence of the Scottish revival and great missionaries like Dr David Livingstone, notwithstanding.

Zambia's first president does not at all deny the profound influence Christianity has had in his life. In his book, Letter to my children, he confesses that, ". . .the earliest form of power I encountered and which had a lasting effect upon my life was the power of the Gospel".

The older generation and those that knew him very closely do not doubt his Christianity. Especially so that the vast majority of them were brought up in traditional churches where to be a Christian is synonymous with church going.

However, even an evangelical Christian would still not know where exactly to place Dr Kaunda if they discovered that he in fact is the first to have declared this country a "Christian nation". This is evidenced in his October 24, 1966 independence anniversary speech to the nation.

In that speech, he urges the people of Zambia to read the Bible consistently. He further exhorts, ". . . from these homes, we can show the world that as a Christian nation, God is all-powerful in our family life." In that historic address he concludes by saying, "some time ago I read the following words, 'I want to see nations governed by God.

Why not let God run the whole world?' Let us make a start here in our beloved Zambia." This is not all. Those who worked under him will tell you that he was to them a standard of morality.

That is why at one point during his reign, he threatened to resign if his ministers did not stop being drunkards. As a matter of fact, he is on record as dismissing some on that account.

By 1990, the vast majority of the younger generation and evangelical Christians had serious doubts about the genuineness of his Christianity. Even those who attended the 1982 University of Zambia Christian Fellowship (UCF) meeting at State House where he confessed that he had accepted Jesus Christ as his personal saviour were no longer sure.

How did these doubts come about? To begin with, the white missionaries started doubting Dr Kaunda's Christianity because of his philosophy of Humanism, involvement in politics and support for the liberation movements in the Southern African region. In the book, Kaunda on Violence he laments that some people had gone so far as to suggest that he should be ex-communicated from the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) for supporting arms struggle in the sub-region.

For the evangelical Christian, the doubt came about when he was seen to embrace all religions of the world. A matter which he defended himself by saying then that as head of State, he had to accept invitations from people of different religions as well.

However, even those whose opinions about Dr Kaunda's Christianity were on the fence no longer did when he called a Hindu guru, Ranganathan as his religious adviser. He even declared that he felt comfortable in "a mosque, a Hindu temple and everywhere." From that time, one could count on one hand the few times he ever attended services at UCZ since he had even built David Universal Temple.

(By the way, the Church of Scotland was the forerunner of UCZ). Even the non-Christian who had no serious quarrel with Christianity now thought "the man" had gone too far when the terrible, demonic, occultic and oriental Maharish Yogi "heaven on earth" put up an advertisement of Dr Kaunda during the run-up to the 1991 presidential and general elections.

Then, the eyes of many Zambians were opened as to the involvement of KK in the occuLt. This made everyone ask: "Is KK a true Christian or not?" Dr Kaunda betrayed himself when he once stated that "Jesus gave me faith but Gandhi gave me hope". Between 1965 and 1985, evangelical Christianity was well-defined in this country.

Those who were prominent in society and had turned to the Lord Jesus Christ in true repentance and faith could not go unnoticed. It is in the year 1981 that President Chiluba says he became a born-again Christian.

He was still a very prominent figure as chairman- general of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). In 1990, the political scenario began to change.

Some Press even carried out an opinion poll in which it was asked as to who was more godly between Dr Kaunda and Mr Chiluba. Obviously, since the Maharish Yogi had already done a blow to Dr Kaunda's Christian image, Mr Chiluba took the lead.

As the race was getting hotter, a number of evangelical Christians intensified their prayers for Mr Chiluba to win and get to Plot One. Overnight prayer meetings were even conducted at Mr Chiluba's Ndola home.

Evangelical pastors visited and gave counsel. After Mr Chiluba took over office, the vast majority of evangelical Christians were very certain that the man at Plot One is a brother in the Lord.

It remains to be seen whether it is still the case or even for him it might one day turn out that Christianity was used for political expedience? Well, Holy writ tells us that only God can tell. "The Lord knows those that are His.

The person who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." Humanly speaking, on the question of whether Mr Chiluba has also at times used Christianity for political expedience, the answers vary. To some, they felt he somewhat betrayed the cause of the Gospel just by the people he appointed in his first Cabinet.

They had hoped anyone with a dent on his life should not have been part of it. Some were not satisfied with the few believers he put in his Cabinet.

A matter that was prominent on the agenda of NCC. When they started off as a pressure group, a coalition, although now they appear to have strayed too and it may seem they no longer care much as top priority, about issues of morality.

So even on President Chiluba, as well as on others, the question is now asked, was it for political expedience or genuine Christianity? Eternity will judge. He obviously gets top marks for standing up for the faith boldly and publicly.

He also looks one not confused by the deity of Christ as the only saviour. It's commendable for Mr Chiluba that not only has he hurdled all opposition to his faith in Christ, buthe has also publicly declared this nation Christian.

He has repeated his desire to place this nation under the rule of Christ. But he has also exhibited glaring errors in the eyes of some who feel injured by, at times, his "slowness in dealing with some corrupt colleagues in leadership." Then comes presidential aspirant, Anderson Mazoka.

The man is at great pains to remove the stigma of being a Mason. About Freemasonry, Dr Robert A. Morey in the book, The Origins and Teachings of Freemasonry states that, ". . . we should not deny that Freemasonry has been influenced by various political and religious groups down through the years. The facts of history would be against any such denials".

Make no bones about it, freemasonry is devilish. They hardly ever quit and live to tell the story. The higher degrees of the craft are especially bloody. As confirmed by Mr Chiluba recently who warned that some levels of freemasonry were blood-curdling - they even drink human blood.

That is why, one who has been a mason needs total deliverance by fervent prayer. Mr Mazoka needs to show true conversion and not for political expedience.

Zambia does not need a man who will go into State House after Mr Chiluba and resume his craft of masonry. Persecuting the church.

Even though at the recent Kitwe rally for his UPND, Mazoka said that he is a Christian with a Seventh Day Adventist background, and only joined Masonry as a club, the truth of the matter is that in Freemasonry, ". . . the Christians in the craft are made to feel like second class citizens who are told to keep quiet about what they believe and not to use the name of Jesus Christ in the lodge! They are supposed to sit, quietly while Christianity is attacked, ridiculed and vilified. If Freemasonry has been influenced by various political and religious groups in the past, is it its turn in Zambia to reverse the trend? Only Mazoka can answer that! But for the evangelical Christian, it is time to open our eyes and discern.

Every ambitious politician now knows that you cannot dub into politics without courting and seen to be courting Christianity. Ernest Chelelwa, the overseer of Jesus Ministries, is right in saying that the clergy must assist whoever is seeking spiritual help regardless of their political affiliations.

But should it also be regardless of their political motives? I beg to differ. It is time for evangelicals to stop the name of our Lord Jesus Christ being used for political expedience. This calls for discernment. Christianity must not be taken for a ride by people vying for political office.

It is a serious lifetime commitment for one to truly surrender his life to Christ and fruit must be seen. The true fruit of repentance, a turning away from all known sin in one's life to totally surrender to Christ and be given newness of heart and life which only Christ gives.

We are sick and tired of mere professions of faith - let there be fruit of repentance by the Mazokas of this world. Will the next president be a clearly defined Christian or will it be a case of Christianity for political expedience?