Government has abolished the 18 October National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation as a public holiday and merged it with the 29 December commemoration of Zambia’s declaration as a Christian Nation. Former National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister…

Government has abolished the 18 October National Day of Prayer, Fasting, Repentance and Reconciliation as a public holiday and merged it with the 29 December commemoration of Zambia’s declaration as a Christian Nation. Former National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Reverend Godfridah Sumaili has condemned the change, calling it a serious betrayal of Christians and an affront to God.

Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa announced the change in a statement issued in Lusaka. He said Government has revoked Statutory Instrument Number 78 of 2015, which declared 18 October a public holiday every year. Government has also issued Statutory Instrument Number 73 of 2026, which makes 29 December a public holiday to be known as the National Day of Prayer and Christian Heritage.

Mr Kangwa said the merger was agreed after consultations between Government and the church mother bodies. The first combined commemoration will be held on 29 December this year, which means the holiday that would have fallen in eight days’ time will not be observed.

“Accordingly, the 2026 public holidays in Zambia have been amended. Subsequently, 18th October, 2026 will not be observed as a public holiday,” Mr Kangwa said.

Rev Sumaili rejected both the decision and the way it was reached. She said the day was a sacred occasion on which the nation humbled itself before God, not simply a day off work, and that removing it for any reason amounted to telling God that Zambia no longer needs Him.

“The cancellation of the 18th October National Day of Prayer, Fasting and Reconciliation by government in consultation with some church mother bodies is a serious betrayal to Zambian Christian believers,” she said.

She also questioned the consultation Government relied on. Rev Sumaili asked which churches the mother body leaders had consulted before recommending the change, and said Government should have acted with the utmost responsibility on a matter of such public interest.

“We do not know who those church mother body leaders consulted, which is why Zambia’s identity, values and aspirations have been taken away,” she said.

At the heart of her objection is the difference between the two occasions. Rev Sumaili said 18 October was a solemn day of repentance, fasting and seeking forgiveness, while 29 December is a day of celebration marking Zambia’s declaration as a Christian Nation. Merging the two, she said, was misleading because they serve completely different spiritual needs.

“I am wondering how a day of weeping and repentance could be combined with a day of celebration. This move shows a lack of spiritual understanding by those involved,” Rev Sumaili said.

She urged citizens to condemn the decision, saying it affects every Christian believer in the country.

The October holiday was created under Statutory Instrument Number 78 of 2015 and has been observed every year since. It was set aside for national prayer, fasting, repentance and reconciliation, with churches and Government leaders gathering for services across the country.

Government’s position is that the two observances belong together. Under the new instrument, 29 December will carry both the prayer element of the old October day and the commemoration of the Christian Nation declaration, under the single name National Day of Prayer and Christian Heritage.

The statement did not name the church mother bodies that took part in the consultations, and it did not say what the merged commemoration will involve. Those details are expected as Government prepares for the first combined observance.

Workers and employers now have formal notice that 18 October will be a normal day this year, and that the 29 December holiday is now part of the official calendar under the new statutory instrument.