 Honarebo member for Nkana. Madam Speaker, I want to thank you for this opportunity and allow me to put this conversation into context. Let me start by stating that I fully support the motion that has been introduced by the Abo Member of Parliament from Petauke. Madam Speaker, just a brief fact so that everybody is in tune with what we are talking about. In December 1991, President, the late President Frederick Chuluba declared Zambia as a Christian nation. Madam Speaker, in 1996 we amended our constitution to put this declaration into a preambo. The preambo of a constitution is what defines number one, who we are, what defines what our aspirations are, what defines what we envisage to be. Madam Speaker, who we are as Zambian people is defined explicitly in our preambo. So we unanimously agree that 95 plus percent of us are Christians. But we are not jealous. We have allowed others to also profess their professions or rather their religious affiliation. Madam Speaker, the idea of the ministry of religious affairs has not started today. It was birthed in 1997. The late President Frederick Chuluba introduced a desk in charge of affairs of the church and it was headed by a deputy minister. In 1996, the then president, Edgar Chagwalungu created a full ministry. 2006, 2016 rather, Madam Speaker. Thank you Madam Speaker. So I can see that everyone is following. It's important to have this conversation followed through. Now, let me, Madam Speaker, state this. The church and government cannot be separated. The church and government are like Siamese twins because the church and government serves the same interest. The work of the church is to take care of the soul, the needs of the soul. The work of government is to take care of the needs of the flesh, the body. The two are supposed to complement each other. That is why, and I want to borrow my elder brother Onibokafuaya, who says, why do we create a ministry? A ministry is created to enhance governance. A ministry is created to forget an interest and a common interest such as the one that has been enshrined in the prehambu of our constitution is too huge to be neglected or reduced to a mere department. Madam Speaker, the church, the idea behind the creation of a ministry was to create a platform in which to be interfacing with government. In the wisdom of the late president, Michael Sata, he saw the gap between government and traditional leaders. He created the ministry of chiefs and traditional affairs. If we are students of history, you will agree with me that in that period of the existence of that ministry, the issues of conflict between government and traditional leaders were reduced. Last week, Madam Speaker, member for Nalolo brought an issue that is so aloof in western province. Madam Speaker, I am driving this parliament to understand where we are coming from. I think that I am permitted to bring in issues that helps us understand. Madam Speaker, when the ministry of religious affairs was created, it created a platform where the church could not speak on the until. The church had a platform to air their grievances in as far as what government was doing in taking care of the needs of the people's flesh. What is happening today, Madam Speaker, because this ministry is nonexistent, almost, because it has been reduced to a mayor department, the gap between government and the church has widened. The results, Madam Speaker, are glaring in the public. Today, after a very long period of time, the church seemingly is fighting with government and not at a very low level, at a very high level. Madam Speaker, facts are here. Madam Speaker, facts are here, and if you permit me, I can lay myself and my phone on the table to show you that government and the church have been fighting in the newspapers unless we want to play death or blind to these facts. The fact, Madam Speaker, is that we've created that vacuum where the church does not have a platform to speak on issues they observe, government is airing. The insistence by the Honorable Member of Parliament from Petauke is that if we bring back this ministry, we are barely calling for the establishment of a channel of communication between these two critical entities that's the same common interest, taking care of the needs of the flesh, taking care of the needs of the soul. The church has been prominent, Madam Speaker, the church has been prominent in being a partner to government. Not only does the church preach the Word of God, the church has complimented government in addressing social issues. The church has established schools, the church has established hospitals, the church is there as an all-weather partner to government. What is sinister in asking that this church is recognized? What is sinister about that request? This is not strength. This is not new. It started in 1997. There was a deputy minister not sitting in a ministry, sitting in state house. This is not strange. Madam Speaker, for the first time, this is not about political UPND, political PF, this is about our aspirations, our subscription as a Zambian people to Christian values. The absence of this ministry has seen bad vices. Today, people can go and march and chant and raise flags. Not long ago, the president came here to address us about the progress made on principles and values. Our values have gone into the drain. Madam Speaker, today, homosexuals can walk very free. Nobody cares. Nobody can question. Today, even if they say question, they are aware that our values have gone by with the wind. Madam Speaker, we ask this, Madam Speaker. Your time is up. Thank you. We need a ministry. I thank you, Madam Speaker.