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Zimbabwe: Bishops call for credible electoral process in 2005
Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA)
October 05, 2004

http://allafrica.com/stories/200410050658.html

Nairobi - The Catholic bishops in Zimbabwe have called on the government to ensure a credible electoral Process in order to achieve free and fair elections in 2005.

In a pastoral letter, titled 'A Credible Electoral Process for a Responsible and Accountable Leadership', dated August 6, 2004, the bishops lament that past elections in the country have been marred by claims of rigging, intimidation and violence.

"The way elections have been conducted in our country since 2000 has been controversial and marked by serious violence," the bishops said in their statement that was only released on Saturday, October 2, 2004.

Saying that the Church is not partisan, the bishops said that the Church looks beyond the parties and derives its ethos from the eternal Kingdom of God, a kingdom of love, truth, justice, freedom and peace.

"Individual Christians can make their own decisions as to which party comes closest to the Christian ethos and their aspirations in this life and vote accordingly," the bishops said adding that "The Church respects each individual decision and this reality is evident in all our congregations composed of members belonging to all existing parties".

The bishops allowed Christians to freely join any political party of their choice, as long as they upheld the moral teachings of Christianity.

"They have a right to join a particular party of their choice and to promote its policies and activities (campaigning, recruitment of new members, fund raising, etc.) & however, they must act as salt and light.

There must be "a firm commitment to justice and solidarity by each member of the people of God," the bishops reiterated.

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