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Southern African churches praise conduct of polls, urge calm as vote counting begins
Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC)
August 01, 2013

Southern African church leaders have praised Zimbabweans for the generally peaceful conduct of the country’s elections and called for calm as the nation awaits the poll results.

The church leaders are part of a team of 30 leaders drawn from the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa (FOCCISA) who are in Zimbabwe at the invitation of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC).

ZCC President Bishop Ishmael Mukuwanda said the reports received from the regional observers were that despite the long queues at some polling stations, people waited peacefully for their turn to vote. The processing of voters in some polling stations visited by observers was however slow.

“The people of Zimbabwe have to be praised for participating in the elections in a largely peaceful manner. We would like to urge all Zimbabweans to respect the official election results that will be announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. We appeal to all candidates and political parties that have any concerns to follow the legal route for the resolution of any disputes related to this electoral process. We encourage all the political parties to this process to continue to abide by the conditions set out in the Political Parties Code of Conduct which they agreed to adhere to. We are hopeful that the full results will be available within the time required under the laws of the country,” Bishop Mukuwanda said.

The regional church leaders include:

Rev. Mmachakga Mpho Moruakgomo - Botswana (Head of delegation), Dr Alfred Kalembo - Zambia, (Deputy Head of delegation), Rev. Lucas Amosse and Jose Tembe - Mozambique, Rev. Pearson Banda - Zambia, Rev. Chizason Chunda - Zambia, Bishop Mbuyazwe Mnis i- Swaziland, Mr Godfrey Mkandawire - Malawi, Rev. Rupert Isaac Hambira - Botswana, Bishop Gilford Immanuel Matonga - Malawi, Gosiame Goodenough Choabi and Peter Moerane - South Africa, Ms Elma Dienda and Mr Alfret Beukes - Namibia, Mrs Masara Idlette Mathaha , Mr Stephen Mokobori and Archbishop Gerard Tlali - Lesotho, Gloria Mafole and Gabriel Urio - Tanzania

View the Zimbabwe Council of Churches fact sheet

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