THE SDA & DANIEL’S COURAGE: Where Is The Church When Zambia Needs It The Most?
THE SDA & DANIEL’S COURAGE: Where Is The Church When Zambia Needs It The Most?
24th September, 2026
The General Conference President
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, Maryland 20904
United States of America
ATTENTION: ELDER ERTON KÖHLER
RE: THE SILENCE OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AND ITS PROPHETIC RESPONSIBILITY AMID ZAMBIA’S POST-ELECTION CRISIS
Dear Elder Köhler,
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
My name is Augustine Mukoka, a Zambian native and global citizen currently residing in the USA. I hereby seek your guidance and assistance with respect to events in our country. As you are fully aware, Zambia is transitioning a concerning period following the August 2026 general elections.
A lot of things have occurred since August 13, 2026 including the death of an elder in the body of Christ Hon. Mutotwe Kafwaya who was killed after the Zambia Army Special Forces invaded the private home of opposition leader Hon. Brian Mundubile on August 14, 2026. Then came the subsequent incarceration of 18 people, including Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance presidential candidate Hon. Mundubile, his running-mate Hon. Makebi Zulu, Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Counsel George Chisanga SC., Mr. Patrick Mwansa and others, on what the United Nations (UN) have concluded are concocted treason charges of political opponents.
I write to the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists concerning this situation particularly because of the troubling silence displayed by yourselves when those who claim to be members of your flock are in charge of the country.
Therefore, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church can’t choose silence amidst serious mischief such as arbitrary detentions, trumped up treason charges, political violence, due-process violations and the conduct of state security institutions.
This is more so that the man who has imposed himself as President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, publicly identifies with the Seventh-day Adventist Church as an elder – a senior position in the church.
Thus, the church has the prophetic responsibility and voice when the conduct of one of its prominent members in public office becomes the subject of serious allegations concerning justice, human rights and the treatment of political opponents.
Or does the Seventh-day Adventist Church look elsewhere when its flock is responsible for atrocities against humanity?
Other Christian bodies have entered Zambia’s public and political discourse. Some evangelical leaders have made statements which, in my assessment, have been too cautious or lukewarm given the gravity of the circumstances.
The Catholic leadership has nevertheless contributed publicly to the national debate, raising concerns about the electoral and post-election environment. The Anglican leadership in Southern Africa and Africa at large has similarly spoken publicly about the detention of opposition figures including its former clergy, 68-year-old Bishop Mwamba, and appealed for due process, humane treatment, dialogue and reconciliation.
Against that background, the apparent silence of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is increasingly difficult to understand.
Scripture does not present the Church merely as an institution that comforts those who suffer. It also calls God’s people to speak for justice.
Proverbs 31:8–9 instructs believers to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and to defend the rights of the vulnerable.
Micah 6:8 requires God’s people to “do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly” with God.
Isaiah 1:17 commands believers to seek justice and defend the oppressed.
These principles become especially important when political power is exercised by someone who publicly identifies himself with the Church.
The biblical parallel of 2 Samuel 12 is instructive. When King David abused his authority in the matter involving Uriah, the prophet Nathan did not remain silent because David was God’s anointed king. Nathan confronted him.
That is the prophetic responsibility I believe confronts the Seventh-day Adventist Church today.
This is not about the Church becoming an opposition political party or endorsing any candidate but consistency matters when preaching justice, mercy, human dignity and accountability.
Or is the church remaining publicly silent because serious allegations of violations of those principles are being made against a government headed by one of its most prominent members?
I am particularly concerned that the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Zambia risks creating the perception that proximity to political authority has compromised its willingness to speak prophetically. That perception is damaging to the Church.
Before the election, President Hichilema addressed an SDA-organised Sabbath Music Fellowship and publicly assured Zambians that the elections would be peaceful and credible. The Church therefore cannot reasonably present itself as entirely detached from the national conversation when serious questions subsequently arise concerning the post-election environment.
The issue is larger than President Hichilema.
It concerns the institutional integrity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. You will recall that members of the SDA Church in the USA were key to Mr. Hichilema when in opposition including rendering financial support.
That should also give you and your church impetus to provide oversight.
And this is the more reason that if an SDA elder occupies the highest political office in the country, the Church should be particularly careful to demonstrate that membership, status, political influence or proximity to Church leadership does not exempt anyone from the biblical principles of justice and accountability.
The most important message is demanding the Seventh-day Adventist Church speak when justice itself is in question.
Nathan did not overthrow David. Nathan did not become a politician. Nathan simply refused to allow proximity to power to silence the prophetic voice.
The SDA Church cannot credibly preach Daniel’s courage before kings, Nathan’s confrontation of David, Elijah’s confrontation of Ahab, or John the Baptist’s willingness to challenge Herod, while appearing reluctant to speak when allegations of injustice involve one of its own prominent members.
Silence in such circumstances risks being interpreted not as neutrality, but as acquiescence.
I wish to appeal to the General Conference, particularly you sir, Mr. Köhler, to engage its leadership in Zambia urgently and to demonstrate that the biblical principles upon which the Seventh-day Adventist Church stands apply equally to the powerful and the powerless, government and the governed, the ruler and the citizen.
I look forward to your considered response.
Yours faithfully,
Augustine Mukoka
Good governance advocate | journalist | Political Activist