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Zimbabwe's Elections 2013 - Index of Articles
Churches
cannot keep mum on polls
NewsDay
July 17, 2013
http://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/07/17/churches-cannot-keep-mum-on-polls/
The Fellowship
of Christian Councils in Southern Africa says the church should
speak out on matters relating to the conduct of elections in Zimbabwe.
In a statement
issued yesterday, the ecumenical delegation headed by Reverend
Mmachakga Mpho Moruakgomo from Botswana called on the church to
pray
for peace ahead of the crucial election.
“We would
like to see a free and fair election which is held according to
the laws of the country, reflects the will of the people of Zimbabwe
and meets international standards for democratic elections,”
the statement reads in part. “We urge the church to speak
out clearly on all issues that relate to the conduct of free and
fair elections and the well being of the country.”
The 12-member
delegation, which was invited by the Zimbabwe
Council of Churches and was in the country from July 7 to 10,
said it was aware that there had been challenges in the run up to
the elections.
“There
remain justifiable concerns about the threat of violence and the
resurgence of political violence which has marred previous elections
and which could threaten national peace and security.
Civic society
players and church leaders we met during the course of our visit
spoke of the need for political commitment to the political parties’
code of conduct,” said the delegation.
The clergy visited
places in Harare, Chinhoyi, Bindura, Masvingo, Mutare, Gweru, and
Bulawayo and met with church leaders, government officials and other
stakeholders. The delegation expressed concern over the challenges
“aliens” faced in trying to obtain identity documents
and the long distances people had to travel to registration centres
in rural areas which they said had a high risk of disenfranchising
voters.
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