Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Churches seek God's hand to stop Kenya-style violence
Lizwe Sebatha, ZimOnline
March 24, 2008

http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2915

Zimbabwean churches hold a mass prayer meeting today to seek divine intervention to ensure peace during and after next Saturday's presidential and general elections.

Analysts have warned the March 29 polls could degenerate into Kenya-style violence, with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) last week urging the African Union (AU) to have contingency plans ready to intervene should a rigged poll spark off violence in Zimbabwe.

The leaders of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) and the Catholics Bishops Conference (CBC) said in addition to peace, they would also pray that elections deliver a"leadership that will not put people into bondage and suffering as is happening now."

The three organisations are the main representative bodies for Christians in Zimbabwe. The prayer meeting is scheduled for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in the second largest city of Bulawayo.

"The three-fold prayer meeting is focused on the elections. We want to dedicate this country in the hands of God and prevent a repeat of the Kenyan situation," said Bishop Trust Sinjoji, who is co-ordinating the prayer meeting.

At least 1 500 people died and tens of thousands were displaced when post-election violence erupted in Kenya after allegations of vote rigging.

Sinjoji said: "We are praying for an election of a leadership that will not be selfish and will not put people into bondage and suffering as is happening now.

"We will also pray for peace to prevail during and after the elections and for the wishes of the people to prevail in the voting process. We will also pray for national reconstruction as there is so much that is dilapidated on several fronts."

Zimbabwe's elections come as the country grapples with its worst ever economic recession blamed on mismanagement by President Robert Mugabe and marked by the world's highest inflation of more than 100 000 percent, rising poverty, shortages of food and every basic survival commodity.

The ICG - an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation working to prevent and resolve deadly conflict across the globe - said while Mugabe was under mounting pressure from the opposition, he still retained the means to rig elections which could spark off a violent reaction by a populace desperate for change.

It urged the AU and the rest of the international community to stand ready to intervene in Zimbabwe should polls lead to violent conflict.

Mugabe -- who has promised a thunderous victory against the opposition despite some opinion polls showing him lagging way behind main challenger Morgan Tsvangirai -- has rejected charges he plans to rig the ballot.

The veteran leader, in power since Zimbabwe's 1980 independence from Britain and seeking another five-year term, has told the opposition to accept the election result, warning that security forces were ready to crush any Kenya-style post-election upheaval.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP