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Women's Coalition launches the praying and weeping for Zimbabwe campaign
Women's Coalition
May 10, 2008

"Women Arise and defy fear. No more docility, no more inactivity. Lets pray, weep and fast." Bishop Magaya

WCoZ successfully launched the, "Praying and Weeping for Peace in Zimbabwe Campaign" at the Church of Nazarene in Glen Norah. The launch event was attended by an impressive 100 people from NGOs, FBOs, WCoZ members and Christians in Glen Norah. Rita Nyampinga was the director of ceremony at the event and narrated how women had launched the, "Vote in Peace, Vote For Peace Campaign" on International Women's Day. However the violence that women had feared erupted two days after voting and the release of the results was long delayed. She implored everyone present to spread the word about the campaign. Rita revealed that Zimbabwe's crisis was so huge that it now needed divine intervention for normalization of the situation.

Next to speak was Netsai Mushonga, the National Co-ordinator of WCoZ who introduced the organization. She said that women had borne the brunt of the crisis in Zimbabwe as the health, education and judiciary sectors had collapsed. As the violence and terror spreads in Zimbabwe, women could not run away from homes like men did. Women left behind to face their attackers every day, cook for them and take food to the bases and be raped in the process. Netsai said that among other rights, women had a right to peace and Zimbabwean women were set on the nonviolent campaign, Praying and Weeping for Peace in Zimbabwe to secure this. She cited several examples in Africa were women had successfully pushed for a resolution of crises in their states.

The Prophetic Bishop Magaya took to the stage to deliver a sermon on praying and mourning to God. He cited several examples from the bible when believers, living in bondage cried out to God and he delivered them and set them free from oppressors. Bishop Magaya warned that as Zimbabweans we were beginning to accept what was not acceptable eg killing and torturing of people for voting for a party of their own choice. He had noted the huge number of female survivors of violence and demanded that women and girls be respected in their own country.

He urged women to participate actively in the campaign by defying their fear. The crisis in Zimbabwe demanded that its citizens be out on the street to protest actively. He advocated prayer sessions in central Harare as a way to raise awareness of the desperate levels we have sunk to. The prayers ended with WCoZ being invited to preach about the Praying and Weeping for Peace in Zimbabwe in different churches around the country.

WCoZ thanks Bishop Mukome, Christian Alliance, National Pastors Conference, Bishop Magaya, WCoZ members, Christians in Glen Norah and other civic society groups for making this event a success.

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