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6.4.1 In Lusaka - Matero CCAP 1967

Many people in Lusaka believe that CCAP is a Guru lopatuka ku matero ARC (“breakaway” from African Reformed Church), which is now the Reformed Church in Zambia. Some believe that the CCAP was started by the three missionary activities of Livingstonia, Nkhoma and Blantyre, which were later turned into Synods. On the other hand, some people assume that CCAP started in Zambia after it “broke away” from the RCZ in George compound in Lusaka and Chifubu in Ndola respectively (Oral interview: Zulu, 17-01-05; Oral interview: Lungu, 11-09-03).

One should ask exactly what happened for the members to separate themselves from these denominations. In 1967 Rev. Edwin M. Zulu was transferred from Matero RCZ Congregation to Madzimoyo Lay Training centre to be a lecturer (Correspondence: Phiri, A. M. Rev. 1967, 22nd October). Some members of the Church Council did not approve of Rev. Zulu’s successor, Rev. Jackson G. Phiri, whom they doubted as an ordained minister, for they knew

him as some one who used to sell books at Madzimoyo bookshop. In addition, some elders questioned his move from Madzimoyo to Matero because he did not have a disjunction certificate - Kalata ya cimasuro (letter of disjunction) as required by the rule - Lamulo 14 of the ARCZ (Correspondence: Phiri, A. M. Rev. 1967, 22nd September; Correspondence: Phiri, A.M. Rev. 1969, 22nd October).

According to Mr. James Tembo (Oral interview: 20-08-03), one of the people who were suspended after continued resistance, the Synod threatened to give them nthawi yo sachura - indefinite suspension. Tembo (Oral interview: 20-08-03) added that the minister who carried this order was Rev. J.B. Veitch without the elders council meeting to discuss their grievances (Minutes: ARCZ Synod of Lusaka, 9th - 12th August 1968: 11; Oral interview: Zulu, 17-01- 05).

The sad part of it was that the letters of suspension were being served door to door during the night and were found at their doorsteps in the morning. They tried to seek audience with Rev. J.B. Veitch for clarification but to no avail (Oral interview: Tembo, 20-08-03).

Murandu wa apilu-akulu aku Matero (Case of appeal from Elders from Matero) is the

heading of minute No 74(F1) in the minutes of the Synod meeting of the Afrcian Reformed Church meeting in 1968. After the Synod heard their case of appeal, they found that there were two reasons for appeal. These were:

i. The group was dissatisfied with calling them individually to answer the charges against them.

ii. The group was not satisfied with the indefinite suspension given to them without the Church council meeting.

However, the Synod held at Kamwala ARCZ in 1968, after a lengthy discussion, following the zolamulira pa ndime (215) upheld the penalty given to these people by the presbytery in 1967, namely nthawi yosa chula (indefinite suspension). The Synod considered their reaction as disobedience and the appeal was null and void. In view of this, the fifteen elders were all given nthawi yosa chula (indefinite suspension) for their uncompromising decision (Minutes: ARCZ Synod, 9th-12th August 1968: 11; Oral interview: Banda, 20-08-03).

After the resolution at the meeting they decided not to fight it, but to organise themselves and start meeting under the name of the CCAP, which was their original church. The following are the names of the elders who were suspended; Messrs. Sadoki Tembo, Jeremiah Kamanga, Elliot Daka, James Tembo, Anderson Mbewe, Lighten Chisale, Patson Tembo, Luka Phiri, Maloni Lungu, Potifa Banda, Justine G. Mwanza, H. Mlauzi, Kezias Banda, A. Nkhoma and L. Dzonzi (Minutes: RCZ Presbytery of Lusaka, 11th - 13th July 1969:2: Minutes: ARCZ Synod, 9th-12th August 1968: 11; Oral interview: Tembo, 20-08-03).

The group had many roots. Some members were from the CCAP Blantyre Synod, the CCAP Nkhoma Synod, the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia, which included Chasefu/Loudon Presbytery, and the CCAP Synod of Harare (Oral interview: Tembo, 20-08-03, Oral interview: Banda, 20-08-03). Mr. Ozia Banda was one of them but later went back to the RCZ. Within a short period, people started following this new church. Those who were first to join were the already CCAP members from Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe who had remained behind at the RCZ. The number rapidly increased and many people started hearing about the establishment of this church at George in Lusaka and Ndola in Chifubu. This was the beginning of the CCAP Church in urban areas (Minutes: CCAP Gen Syn Standing Committee, 9th November 1973: 1,2, 3; Oral interview: Banda, 14-10-04; Oral interview: Nkhoma, 14-10-04).

This group, which was known by the RCZ as a “break away”, started growing at a very fast rate. This threatened the leadership of the Reformed Church in Zambia. Tembo (Oral interview: 20-08-03) stated that the situation was so bad that the new church was nick named “zoipa chitani mulungu azaweruza church” or “mupatuko church”, which means a sect. This nickname can still be heard from some Christians in and out of the country. In a true sense, they were not a sect because most of them joined the RCZ as full members of the CCAP in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Chasefu in Eastern Province. Rev. Nkhoma, commenting on the CCAP being called a “breakaway”, totally denied the allegation and said that CCAP only separated itself from ARCZ after receiving the nthawi yosachula- Indefinite suspension (Oral interview: Nkhoma, 14-10-04). The group that separated itself from the ARCZ joined the already existing CCAP in Lusaka (Minutes: RCZ Presbytery of Lusaka, 11th - 13th July 1969: 2; Constitution of the Synod of Lusaka of the church of Central Africa Presbyterian, 1965:1, 8; Oral interview: Lungu, 11-09-03).

The more people called the CCAP a “breakaway” or zoipa chitani, the more the CCAP members drifted from the RCZ to this church and it was clear that there was life in this new church. The news started spreading to other townships and towns and many CCAP members who were in the RCZ, the PCZ and the UCZ started leaving these churches. They sought advice from political leaders in George compound where there was a small grass thatched church building where midweek prayers were being held. The purpose for seeking advice and help was to be allowed to use that building as a CCAP praying point since some members of RCZ were still using it during the week. It wasn’t easy for them to surrender it. After hearing from both sides, the political leaders gave the CCAP members a mandate to start congregating at George on 24th August 1968 (Oral interview: Tembo 20-08-03). Because of the increasing numbers, the elders decided to look for a minister who could baptise their children and also new converts who were going through catechumen and hearing classes. Within a short period of time, membership had exceeded 600 (Minutes: CCAP Gen Syn Standing Committee, 9th November 1973:1, 2, 3).

Fortunately, there was a minister at the Army Barracks, Rev. Daniel George Limani who was a chaplain. Apart from being an Army chaplain, he was a CCAP member from Malawi. He met three members of the CCAP at Libala namely Mr. A. Mkhoma, Mr. Mwale and Mr. D. Mtambo. These members together with Rev. Limani were meeting at Mkandawire Primary School with their families, but many CCAP members in sister churches did not know it. This came to end when Rev. Limani returned to Malawi when his contract came to an end (Correspondence: Mwale, S. Mr. 1961, 7th November).

The great day came on 24 August 1968 when Rev. Limani baptised adults and young ones ending up with the Holy Communion. This was celebrated and made known to most of the people that the CCAP was there in urban areas and even in Lusaka. Since then, 24 August has been commemorated every year as an anniversary of the CCAP in Lusaka (Oral interview: Tembo, 20-08-03).

Rev. Limani’s contract as Army Chaplain at Arakan had ended and he had to leave. The members could not maintain him due to government regulations and especially that his serving in the CCAP was just part time (Oral interview: Phiri, 20-08-03; Oral interview: Tembo, 20-08-03).

The elders decided to look for another minister. Unfortunately, they found a minister who was suspended in RCZ due to immoral life (Oral interview: Banda, 20-08-03). The minister, Rev. Zerubabele Mbewe agreed to serve the CCAP and came to Lusaka (Oral interview: Zulu, 20-08-3). He was accommodated at George where elders bought a house as a residence for the minister. This house still exists there today, though CCAP members do not occupy it. Later on, George prayer house came into existence as the number of converts and those who left CCAP sister churches grew bigger. By and large, this trend was also experienced in Ndola where Mr. Masinja at Masala and Genesis Phiri were shepherds respectively (Oral interview: Banda, 20-08-03; Oral interview: Zulu, 20-08-03; Oral interview: Limani, 30-04- 06).

6.4.2 In the Copperberlt - Ndola Chifubu CCAP Congregation 1967

The CCAP Ndola prayer house had a very humble beginning. The CCAP members mainly of CCAP Blantyre origin moved out from sister churches like RCZ, PCZ and UCZ together with the Zambezi Mission and formed CCAP Ndola congregation.

This group at Ndola began as a Church of the Zambezi Industrial mission. Their pastors came from Malawi. Many of the Christians found in the Zambezi Industrial Mission were from Malawi (Selfridge, 1979:65, 66). When misunderstandings took place between them, the pastors failed to reconcile them and it resulted into a splint. The other group which separated itself called themselves CCAP. The group got registered by the government in January 1972 and were visited by Blantyre Synod after their request in September 1972 (Minutes: CCAP Gen Syn Standing Committee, Appendix v: The Report of the Delegation to the CCAP Lusaka and Ndola, 1972:2, 3). Many of them were Chewa speaking people from Blantyre and Nkhoma Synods before joining the Zambezi Industrial Mission. Some members who joined them came from the United Church of Zambia. They were sent away from the UCZ by one minister. This minister was assisted by his fellow Zambian members after they misunderstood one another. The Synod had not invited any ministers to help them but asked Malawi to send them a minister (Minutes: CCAP Gen Syn Standing Committee Appendix v - The Report of the delegation to the CCAP Lusaka and Ndola, 1972:2, 3).

The delegation that visited this group and comprised of the Right Rev. K.G. Mgawi (Leader), Mr D.D. Mlaika, Mr J.J. Mbuka and the Rev. S.A. Faiti Phiri (senior clerk) reported that this

group was in great need of help as soon as possible. Rev. Phiri reported that the group was very frank when visited by the delegation from CCAP General Synod. They stated the reasons for being separated from the sister churches. The reasons included the following:

i. Segregation practised by the sister churches.

ii. They were dissatisfied with the discipline, immorality and liturgy, which was not checked in the sister churches.

iii. Identity – wanting their Presbyterian way of worship.

iv. Worries about their properties, which were in other churches’ hands. (Minutes: CCAP Gen Syn Standing Committee, 1973. Appendix v - the Report of the Delegation to the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Lusaka and Ndola, 1973:2, 3; Oral interview: Banda, 14- 10-04).

In 1975 this prayer house was joined into one congregation with the Lusaka group to form the Lusaka/Ndola congregation.