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Bulawayo Bureau
VICE President Emmerson Mnangagwa has commended churches that foster unity, peace and development in the country.
VP Mnangagwa made the remarks yesterday when he was addressing more than 100 000 Zion Christian Church (ZCC) members gathered for the 2015 Easter conference at the church located some 40km east of Masvingo.
“Churches like ZCC play a pivotal role in fostering peace, unity and development and this is as it should be,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa said ZCC’s leader Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi had been steadfast in supporting the Government’s empowerment programmes through infrastructural development.
He said Zimbabweans fought to remove the settler regime with assistance from leaders of churches such as ZCC.
The VP said his wisdom to lead and survive the protracted war of liberation could have been as a result of meeting ZCC’s founder, Bishop Samuel Mutendi who prayed for him.
VP Mnangagwa, who received a rapturous welcome from ZCC members, said he visited the late Bishop Mutendi during the liberation struggle and the bishop prayed for him and an unnamed friend and they went on to survive many atrocities.
He said during his latest visit to Masvingo, he had visited, together with the provincial leadership the scene where he blew up a train in 1964 in the then Fort Victoria.
The VP was sentenced to death for the alleged crime, only to be saved from the capital punishment by his young age.
This is probably the reason why he is opposed to hanging murder convicts though capital punishment is provided for in the country’s statutes.
“As a soldier, I used to destroy by shooting here in Masvingo during the war of liberation.
“However, I have stopped talking about destruction but I am now into building.
“Those who are still living in my past, are very unfortunate. I have since changed into a progressive leader who is after building in place of destroying,” said Cde Mnangagwa.
He said politics originated from the biblical Solomon who had his own cabinet.
He said when King Solomon was asked what he expected from God he asked for wisdom to lead his people and received more than what he had asked for.
VP Mnangagwa said some politicians were more concerned with the present, yet Christians work for eternal life adding that it was refreshing to see congregates thronging the church venue voluntarily without being forced.
“We normally have big crowds during national congress because members will be hoping to get positions. As politicians we are found wanting on issues of eternal life,” he said.
The conference was also attended by Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeremayi; the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial affairs Cde Shuvai Mahofa; the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development responsible for Cropping Cde Davison Marapira as well as acting Zanu-PF Midlands chairman Kizito Chivamba and Masvingo Zanu-PF acting Chairman Cde Paradzai Chakona, among others.
Online Reporter