EFZ Slams Speaker’s Role in recalls

The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) has critisized Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda for facilitating “unconstitutional” recalls of elected opposition lawmakers.

 Self-proclaimedCCC interim secretary general (SG),Sengezo Tshabangu wrote to Mudenda to recall 15 party MPs and 9 senators, saying they had ceased to be members of the party. He also wrote to the Local Government Minister Winston Chitando, purportedly recalling 17 CCC councillors.

The CCC has argued that Tshabangu is not a member and hence has no business recalling elected officials.

In a pastoral letter, the EFZ board bemoaned the Speaker’s role in the recalls.

“In the aftermath of the elections, we prayerfully register EFZ’s concern, regret and disappointment at the potential threats to democracy, justice delivery, social order and national peace that the entertainment and legitimisation by the Speaker of Parliament and the Senate President of various questionable recalls, are likely to foster.

“This has the potential to undermine the trust of Zimbabweans towards the ruling party (Zanu PF), government and the entire political establishment,” said EFZ.

“The elections of the 23rd and 24th of August 2023 have come and gone and yet again have left behind controversy, dispute and division. Despite this, the EFZ commends the church and the nation of Zimbabwe, for the generally peaceful and quiet manner in which the elections were conducted, notwithstanding the concerns that we will address hereafter.

“Among these was the isolated but saddening and needless loss of lives due to election-related violence reported ahead of the polls, the arrests and prosecution of ordinary Zimbabweans on election day, and the arrest and prosecution of duly elected and sworn-in opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) and councillors after the elections.

“As believers, we firmly believe that the peace and restraint witnessed in the election period is attributable to the Lord Jesus Christ and the influence and presence of followers of Jesus Christ in Zimbabwe.

“In the aftermath of the elections and the divisions that often accompany political contestation in Zimbabwe, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must rise to its high calling and promote justice, reconciliation, peace and unity in order to build the Zimbabwe God wants.”

“As the church, we followed the electoral processes and activities before, during and after elections. It is common knowledge that there were a number of shortcomings that were noted throughout the electoral process.

“Although the list is not exhaustive, below are some of the concerns we have registered. These include, the challenges that were raised in relation to the delimitation exercise, the lack of voter education in the period leading up to the elections, the uneven playing field for political parties to campaign freely, including the bias of mainstream media coverage, or lack thereof, of the various campaigns.”

EFZ says it is taking immediate steps to facilitate and partner in engagement and dialogue to bring transformation to the immediate challenges arising from the election.

“As part of this, the need to restore and uphold the integrity, independence and public confidence of ZEC, the courts and other national institutions, is imperative.

“We therefore urge you, our members to continue to stand in prayer for our nation during this time, as you have always done; and call the nation to prayerful engagement in the pursuit of justice, fairness, peace, reconciliation, unity and shared prosperity, in order to build the Zimbabwe God wants.”