ZCC appeals for peace
Mxolisi Ngwenya
The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) has encouraged Zimbabweans to vote in peace as the country fast approaches the harmonised elections slated for 23 August.
ZCC is an organisation that comprises local churches who envision a strong Christian fellowship for a united, peaceful, just, and prosperous nation, allowing all citizens to experience holistic salvation.
In a pastoral letter, ZCC said it is in full force in terms of practicing it’ duty to preach peace and unity in the election season.
The organisation also encouraged people to exercise their rights in peace, which include freedom of association, assembly, and expression, to achieve a multi-party democracy.
“As the country approaches the 2023 harmonised elections, the ZCC takes its role seriously, in accompanying the country towards achieving a peaceful, free, and fair election.
The country is now fully in the electoral mode, and we call upon all Zimbabweans, as responsible citizens, to prioritise the sanctity of life and respect the exercise of human rights as enshrined in our national constitution,” reads part of the pastoral letter.
The churches acknowledged the progress that political parties are doing in maintaining peace as demonstrated by the by-elections held in 2022 and 2023, political party internal candidate selection processes, as well as peace maintained in the ongoing relatively peaceful election campaign.
The organisation said their long-term election observation processes have shown that the current political environment remains relatively peaceful when compared to the previous electoral processes.
“This season reported political violence cases are much lower, but there are violent cases that have emerged and ZCC is not in support of such actions.”
Early this month, a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) member identified as Tinashe Chitsunge died following an attack by a group of suspected ZANU PF activists in Harare.
According to CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, the ‘thugs’ ambushed their youth members, who were heading to a rally in Harare’s Glen View suburb.
Apart from violence occurrences, ZCC also raised concerned on different issues including the notable decline in women participation in electoral processes as well as the involvement of children at political gatherings.
“The environment has been characterized by continued hate speech and derogatory language across the political divide. We are also concerned about the decline in women participation in electoral processes.”
“According to statistics released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), women’s participation as candidates has declined to 11% as compared to 14.4%, in 2018. We therefore encourage women to participate in electoral processes to be well represented in the parliament.
“Children must be protected especially against the violence that sometimes characterises elections. We are worried with the involvement of children in political gatherings that have been witnessed so far this year, as that compromises their safety and limits them from enjoying their rights such as education and play,” said ZCC.
Meanwhile, at the Salvation Army Zimbabwe, Botswana and Madagascar Territorial Congress that was held at Glamis Arena in Harare in July, the church’s General Brian Peddle said Zimbabwe was in the church’s prayers as the country approaches elections.
“I follow the story of ZCC through the media which reminds me to pray for Zimbabwe. While we are facing another chapter in the history of this nation, we are promising to pray. We are praying for Zimbabwe. God bless Zimbabwe,” Peddle said.
