The recent media reports that UNESCO has given the University of Zambia USD 340,000 to develop a degree program to safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage has been received with mixed reactions.
According to the Zambia Commission for UNESCO, an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Comprises practices such as Witchcraft, social practices such as expression through music, knowledge, Skills, as well as the Instruments, Objects, artifacts and rituals.
And speaking in separate interviews with Komboni Radio News, some stakeholders have condemned while others are in support of the reported development of a degree program to safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Those who are against this study have argued that the introduction of such a degree program is against the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation especially that it will include the study of Witchcraft among other cultural practices.
The residents have since appealed to government to halt the reported introduction of a degree Program in Intangible Cultural Heritage, saying it will be viewed as the promotion of witchcraft practices in the country.
But former Copperbelt University Students Union (COBUSU) President Humphrey Milandile Mwenya, who is for the idea, has appealed to Zambians to be sober minded as they debate this issue.
Mr Mwenya has charged that the country is currently unable to prosecute suspected witchcraft cases in the courts of law due to lack of knowledge and legislation to prove it.
He has therefore argued that there is absolutely nothing wrong in introducing research and studies in Witchcraft as part of Anthropology.
Mr Mwenya has charged that the country should by now be able to classify witchcraft as one of the major problems that affects human beings instead of focusing all resources researching the already researched.
He stressed that anything that affects humanity is subject to studies and is not a contradiction to Christian Values and the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation.
Ends/SK