EIGHT CHURCH MOTHER BODIES CLARIFIES UN ROLE IN MUNDUBILE, MAKEBI ZULU HANDOVER, RULES OUT POLITICAL DEAL

The Eight Church Mother Bodies in Zambia have moved to firmly address public speculation and correct widespread misrepresentations surrounding their involvement in the recent transition of opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu. Speaking at a media briefing, church leaders explained that their intervention was strictly restricted to serving as a neutral third party to facilitate a peaceful, orderly, and dignified handover from the United Nations offices in Lusaka to the politicians' legal representatives. Addressing journalists, representatives of the church groupings—which include the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, the Council of Churches in Zambia, and the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops—emphasized that the presence of Mr. Mundubile and Mr. Zulu at the UN premises did not equate to official diplomatic asylum or refugee status. Rather, following cordial consultations involving state authorities, the UN, and the legal teams, the church was requested to assist in managing a smooth transition so that proper domestic legal processes could commence without friction. The church leadership explicitly ruled out any notion of a backroom political deal or negotiations aimed at securing an executive pardon or settlement. They underscored that they hold no mandate to determine the guilt or innocence of any citizen, nor do they possess the authority to interfere with the operations of statutory law enforcement and judicial institutions. Instead, their primary objective was to ensure that the opposition figures were safely transferred into the hands of their counsel while upholding the principles of transparency and human dignity. In light of the developments, the mother bodies called upon the Zambian government to honor high-level assurances that the legal proceedings would strictly adhere to due process, fairness, and absolute respect for human rights. They appealed directly to state authorities to guarantee that both opposition leaders are treated huma