ZAMBIA: Pan African Alcohol Abstinence to be held in the Country next year
Zambia will host the Pan African Pioneer Congress on the Alcohol Abstinence in Lusaka from 21st to 27th August, 2017.
According to the National Director of the Association in Zambia, Fr Charles Searson, SJ the congress is expected to attract Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart of Jesus delegates from African countries where the association is active and for people in those countries who are interested in reducing alcohol related harm.
“The delegates of the Congress will come from Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and the host Country-Zambia,” he said adding that “We shall discuss alcohol related harm as you know there is too much harmful related alcohol consumption in Africa. Actually in the world, Zambian women top in beer drinking at 41.2% according to 2014 WHO statistics which is very worrying.”
“We want to address this issue with the sacred heart of Jesus. We shall also speak prophetically to the government of Zambia so that the draft Alcohol Policy is actualised if by next year August it will not be in place” he said.
Fr Searson also said other delegates will be drawn from schools, health sector and other spheres of society that are concerned and want to address the harms of alcohol consumption.
The 2017 Pan African Pioneer Congress on the harms of Alcohol consumption will be held under the theme; Working together to make Africa sober.
Pan African Pioneer Congress on the harms of Alcohol consumption in Africa was last held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2014.
Fr Searson, has expressed worry at the way Alcohol is being sold in Zambia. He said, “The laws are there but the government is not regulating this development. You can buy beer by the road side at any time.” He wished that there could be some regulations on how Alcohol can be sold in the country.
Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Catholic Association of Laity, Religious and Priests. It has been in Zambia since 1958 and is approved both by the Zambia Episcopal Conference and by the eleven dioceses in Zambia with the primary of inviting the general public to sobriety and temperance in the consumption of alcohol.
The Pioneer members take on themselves four commitments first, to pray twice daily for the conversion of excessive drinkers; second to make this prayer concrete by offering to God total abstinence from alcohol for life; thirdly to make it public and as an encouragement for others to openly wearing the pioneer pin and the last one to educate adults, youth and children about the dangers of alcohol by going to schools, Parishes, Small Christian Communities and by means of the media.
By Mwenya Mukuka, ZEC Communications Office.
