125th Anniversary of the Reformed Church in Zambia

The Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ) marked its 125th year on 7 July, with the celebrations held at the Lusaka Showgrounds. The church was founded under a tree in 1899.

The RCZ has grown its membership from 20,000 to 800,000, and has worked to establish hospitals, schools, and other social support mechanisms, reinforcing the government’s efforts in improving social infrastructures.

At the celebrations, President Hichilema made the important point that the church and the government should never be competitors since they work to serve the same nation with the same motivations, and he called on the church to embrace initiatives such as water harvesting and use of solar power, to help build resilience against the drought.

Respects were paid to the founders of the church, including the late C.M. Cronje, Reverend Hofmeyer and Reverend Justo Mwale whose legacies live on, and Hichilema urged all Zambians to enact their humility and commitment especially during challenging periods in time.

The President expressed his hopes for working closely with the church as the country continues its journey to overcome the drought and its devastating impacts. On Twitter/X, he said, “May we build on this legacy, for a brighter future built on a platform of love, unity & mutual respect.”