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The JTF communities and churches have campaigned in recent months to ensure that peace prevails before and during Zimbabwe's national elections on Monday.
When polling stations closed on Monday night, 70 percent of registered voters had voted, often queuing for hours. Observers say the elections were peaceful, free and fair. Past elections have often been marred by violence around polling stations and vote rigging.
"The contribution of the Church has been incredible: we have really succeeded in influencing the political landscape of Zimbabwe and we hope that peace will win" the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Churches Council (ZCC) , Reverend Kenneth Mtata, said Tuesday morning
"We are grateful that we have led this campaign, and we are grateful that we have had a very peaceful election.I think it is also something to celebrate "
The ZCC ran a campaign," iPray, iVote ", urging people to vote without violence and to dialogue.
Over the last few months, church leaders have been holding the ZCC, preaching reconciliation in his country and encouraging dialogue among the pulpits, while trying to obtain international and local support. attract influential international observers from ecclesiastical organizations.
It was the largest election since 1980, when the country became independent. United Kingdom, and it is the first election since 2002 when international observers of churches, civic organizations and NGOs have been allowed as observers. CAFOD, Christian Aid, and other international ecclesiastical bodies such as the World Council of Churches, were on the ground in Zimbabwe.
Before the elections, Dadirai Chikwengo, a Zimbabwean advisor to CAFOD, said: "It is the most important election in the lives of many Zimbabweans, and they must be free, just, credible and peaceful. "
The Interregional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA), and the Zimbabwe Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCBC) A Comprehensive Electoral Report Will be Produced by International Observers
While the Polling stations were closed, Dr. Mtata, a Lutheran pastor from Harare, used Facebook and Twitter to ask people to wait patiently for official results to be announced. and "prevent violence".
He wrote: "1. We prayed 2. We mobilized 3. We voted 4. We have to wait for the official announcement of the results 5. We have to get closer as a people to build our nation for peace, unity, justice and prosperity for all. "
As Zimbabweans waited for the results Tuesday, Dr. Mtata said:" We are continually pressuring all political actors to ensure that they maintain this peace, until the final results are announced. "
The ZCC issued a pastoral letter in July that called the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ( ZEC) to "trust and trust in asserting its independence and in fulfilling its duties faithfully in accordance with the constitution."
In another pre-election statement, the ZCC stated: "We know that in the context of political competition, much p of words are used and messages exchanged to promote one party or candidate in relation to the other. When all is said and done, we pray that our political leaders will meet and work together for the prosperity of all Zimbabweans. "
In Zimbabwe, 85% of the population are regular practitioners, and pastors have enormous influence, and often at election rallies or peace marches, people stop to pray. who followed the military action that chased Robert Mugabe after 37 years of presidency, last November (News, November 24, 2017), the churches spoke of the hope of "the birth of a new nation. "
" We consider that the present situation is not simply a crisis in which we are defenseless. We view the current arrangement as an opportunity for the birth of a new nation. Our God has created everything in chaos, and we believe that something new could emerge from our situation. "
Behind the scenes, they were consulted to find a peaceful solution for Mugabe, while being careful not to be partisan
Dr. Mtata, last November, called on all political and civil actors to rebuild a "Broken Society." On the same day that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was inaugurated in November (News, December 1), churches organized a National People's Convention, in collaboration with civil society actors, who advocate for a national dialogue. "The current situation gives us an opportunity to get closer to each other. . . We are in a new situation. But our common future will only come through dialogue, "the following statement later stated:
Earlier in July, before the elections, bishops and pastors of ZCC churches ran an ecumenical service at the cathedral Anglican Church of St. Mary. All Saints, Harare, to pray for election observers. The retired judge, Judge Selo Masole Nare, who chairs the new National Commission for Peace and Reconciliation, attended this service. This body was created to ensure "justice, healing and post-conflict reconciliation" and to "develop and implement programs to promote healing, national unity and cohesion in Zimbabwe and the settlement peaceful disputes ".
Zimbabwe's election will face the task of rebuilding a divided nation after Mugabe's 37 years of post-colonial rule. Once called "Africa's bread basket", it was increasingly stained by the brutal use of force against all opposition, and by widespread corruption and mismanagement in the former. years of his reign. This led, during the last two decades of his reign, to increasing international isolation and sanctions, high unemployment and a declining economy. Many skilled workers have left the country
The new president and his government will need to create an environment to attract investment and donor funding into a cash-strapped economy, where the barter system has become a means daily adaptation. window.fbAsyncInit = function () {
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