CHIEF Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni has challenged the Christian Council of Zambia (CCZ) to provide evidence to prove allegations that the Patriotic Front abused Government resources during the Mufumbwe by-election campaigns.

"It will be appropriate that CCZ names the culprits involved in the allegations or everything else will fall away as mere political talk which unfortunately is emanating from the Church," Mr Sakeni said.

He said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday in reaction to a pastoral letter issued by the CCZ that their letter had a lot of political undertones which were not pleasant for a respectable and revered institution like the CCZ.

Mr Sakeni said Government's humble appeal was that if by any regrettable circumstance there were individuals within CCZ with political ambitions and inclinations, they needed to come out in the open.

"Let them come out in the open and declare interest, if not joining the world of politics so that those of us from this side are not restrained like we are currently from disagreeing with them especially when they don't tell the truth," he said.

Mr Sakeni who is Information and Broadcasting Services minister said Government remained open to advice and criticism but that it would not permit what he termed as a culture of rumour mongering, distortions and speculation particularly from the Church.