Zambia is officially a Christian country by constitution. Christianity is the state religion in Zambia according to the 1996 constitution, and the vast majority of Zambians (95.5%) are Christians of various denominations, but many other religious traditions are present. Traditional religious thought blends easily with Christian beliefs in many of the country's syncretic churches. Other religions include the Baháʼí Faith, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Judaism. Ismaili Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities exist owing to the Indian and Pakistani diasporic community. The 2010 census found that 75.3% of Zambians were Protestant, 20.2% were Catholic, 0.5% were Muslim, 2.0% followed other religions, and 1.8% had no religion. However, according to the World Christian Database 82.3% of the population were Christian, 10.4% were indigenous religions, 0.5% were Baháʼí, 2.2% were Muslim, 4.6% were agnostic, and all other groups including Hindu were counted as 0.2%, in 2015. Background Zambia gained independence in 1964 from the British Empire. Post independence, Pentecostal and charismatic missionaries from the United States were met with a wide audience in the 1970s. The growth of the religion suffered during the 80s and 90s on account of increased economic turmoil. After Frederick Chiluba (a Pentecostal Christian) became President in 1991, Pentecostal congregations expanded considerably around the country. While the initial constitution did not specify religion, the amendment in 1996 declared the nation as "a Christian nation while upholding the right of every person to enjoy the person's freedom of conscience and religion". As per Article 1 of the constitution, the nation is a Sovereign Secular Republic and as per Article 25, citizens free to express thoughts and practice any religion. In September 2021 the newly elected president, Hakainde Hichilema, disbanded the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs and put regulating religions under the control of the Office of the Vice President. Organization The government requires religious groups to affiliate with a "mother body" which in 2021 were 14 in number. The Christian ones were Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), and Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), Independent Churches of Zambia, Apostles Council of Churches, Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Christian Missions in Many Lands. The non-Christian ones were Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia, Hindu Association of Zambia, Guru Nanak Council of Zambia, Jewish Board of Deputies Zambia, Rastafarians, Council for Zambia Jewry, and Baha’i Faith in Zambia. Christianity Christianity is believed to have arrived in