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Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent
Churches have congratulated President Mnangagwa for his victory in last week’s harmonised elections.
In a joint statement, Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi, patron of the Zimbabwe Indigenous Interdenominational Council of Churches (ZIICC) and leader of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) and Reverend Andrew Wutawunashe, chairman of the Zimbabwe Indigenous Inter-denominational Council of Churches (ZIIC), overseer of the Worldwide Family of God Churches (FOG) and chairman of the Faith for the Nation Campaign (FANA), said they will continue to pray for the President.
“On behalf of the churches, the ZIICC council of bishops, church leaders and the millions of citizens of Zimbabwe who are adherents of FANA and ZIICC, as well as in our own personal capacities, we are truly blessed and thankful to God as we congratulate His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa on his re-election to the high office of President of the Republic of Zimbabwe during the harmonised elections held on the 23rd and 24th of August, 2023,” they said.
“We continue to pray for the President that God will grant him long life, the heart and the wisdom to continue leading the nation on the laudable trajectory of remarkable restoration, reconstruction and development that have been the hallmark of his servant leadership throughout his last term of office.
“We, likewise, congratulate all legislators and councillors who were chosen by the people of Zimbabwe in this exceptionally peaceful plebiscite during which the commendable, orderly and dignified conduct of the people of Zimbabwe clearly demonstrated that Zimbabwean democracy has come of age.”
The churches said they pray that the Almighty God will grant President Mnangagwa the power and wisdom to represent the people in “the Godly, patriotic and responsible spirit of service and unity in diversity which was their expectation when they voted you into office”.
They said as churches, they were encouraged to observe that all political parties and candidates honoured the pledge they signed before the harmonised elections to conduct themselves peacefully and tolerantly and to earnestly foster the same spirit in their supporters.
Churches commended the people of Zimbabwe for their peaceful, tolerant and dignified conduct during the polls.
“It is our well-witnessed and informed observation that the elections were conducted in an undeniably free, fair and transparent manner,” they said.
“We also commend the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for doing everything possible to ensure, in the face of unexpected logistical problems that everyone who so desired voted by adding through Presidential authority an extra voting day in places where shortage of voting materials had occurred.
“It is also our observation that everyone who participated in the harmonised elections, including the political parties, candidates and guest observers, involved themselves in this process fully aware of its legitimacy and bona fide, without which the candidates, who had only recently signed before the churches their commitment to peaceful participation without alleging any illegitimacy, would not have participated in the exercise.”
The churches, who deployed observers countrywide, encouraged Zimbabweans not to be misled by misguided utterances of the country’s enemies.
Churches praised the observers who have publicly confirmed the correct position of what transpired during the elections, as opposed to the lies written by some observers.
“Our country has the enviable opportunity at this juncture to affirm and embrace the culture of peace, freedom and fairness that its citizens enjoyed during the August 23-24 harmonised election,” they said.
“The integrity of the process has rendered its outcome fully credible, and the churches welcome and applaud this. We continue to pray for peace, unity and progress of our nation, and to say to the people of Zimbabwe, it is time to unite, look ahead, march forward and build our nation together.
“In that regard, we are greatly encouraged by His Excellency President Mnangagwa’s reaffirmation of his commitment to inclusiveness as he embarks on his second term, and we pray that all legislators and members of local authorities who were elected during these elections will embrace the President’s readiness to work with all of them as all branches of Government preserve and protect Zimbabwe’s sovereignty.”
Meanwhile, African Christian Council International (ACCI) grand president Archbishop Johannes Ndanga has applauded the police for maintaining peace and security before, during and after the polls.
“The ACCI also applauds the police in effecting the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA), which ensured that criminal elements were thwarted and peace prevailed. The recent amendment to the Criminal Law (Codification Reform) Act is applauded as it encourages Zimbabweans to remain Zimbabwean,” he said.
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