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Lawlessness, violence destroying Zimbabwe: bishop
Nqobizitha Khumalo, ZimOnline
February 26, 2008

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2774

Harare - Lawlessness and violence perpetrated by those entrusted with ensuring law and order are destroying Zimbabwe, a prominent bishop told church, civic and opposition leaders who gathered in Harare on Monday to pray for peaceful elections next month. Zimbabweans choose a new president, parliament and local councils on March 29 but observers say a repressive environment marked by intimidation and organised violence against perceived government opponents renders the polls unlikely to be free and fair. Acting Anglican Bishop of Harare Sebastian Bakare said chaos in the run-up to the polls was promoting anarchy in the country and called on Zimbabweans to pray for an end to the violence and lawlessness. "We are experiencing chaos in the country which is promoting anarchy. The environment of lawlessness is destroying us," who was part of three-member committee of senior bishops that met President Robert Mugabe and main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai last year in a bid to broker dialogue between the political rivals. The clergymen have said they will step up their bid to facilitate dialogue especially in view of the evident failure of South African President Thabo Mbeki's bid to broker a lasting solution to Zimbabwe's deepening political and economic crisis.

Bakare, who was among four individuals who received awards during the prayer meeting for championing justice and peace in the country, said violence that is prevalent in the country had undermined respect for human rights. He said: "The country has no respect for individuals. Those who are supposed to bring peace to the country are the ones perpetrating violence . . . we as Christians should pray for an end to all this." Others to receive awards from the Christian Alliance that convened the prayer meeting were Father Nigel Johnson of community radio station, Radio Dialogue, South African Women's Institute for Migration Affairs Joyce Dube and Bishop Paul Verryn of the Methodist Church in Johannesburg. Dube and Verryn have played a prominent role in helping shelter and feed thousands of homeless Zimbabwean immigrants in South Africa. Zimbabwe is in the grip of a debilitating economic crisis critics blame on misrule by Mugabe and that is seen in the world's highest inflation rate of more than 100 000 percent and shortages of foreign currency, food and fuel. Mugabe - in power since Zimbabwe's 1980 independence from Britain and seeking another five-year term that could take his rule to more than three decades - denies ruining the economy and has promised a landslide victory in March to prove he still enjoys the support of ordinary Zimbabweans.

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