The ManicaPost
Nyore Madzianike Senior Reporter
THE democratic electoral processes cannot be achieved without preaching the gospel of peace which can be achieved through engaging churches.
There is therefore a need for church leaders and politicians to engage each, share problems and find ways of preaching peace to the nation during the elections period.
This was said on Tuesday by Minister of State for Manicaland provincial affairs Cde Monica Mutsvangwa during a meeting she held with church leaders in Mutare.
“Democracy does not require violence,” she said.
“I want you as churches to share with us where we go wrong. I also look forward to solutions to those problems from you. I am not here to detect things for you but to listen to your challenges and also hear your solutions,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa also said a violence free elections can only be achieved if churches preaches peace.
She urged church leaders to spread the word of peace during the elections period.
“I beg you to teach peace from where ever you are coming from. Please identify potential perpetrators of violence and immediately report them because we do not want violence,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe would on show other nations that it is a democratic nation by holding a violence free elections. “We have invited some countries to come and monitor our elections. We want them to see how mature Zimbabweans are. We do not want those who promote violence. Churches should come in and we say let us work together,” she said.
The minister said the smooth transition of power in November last year should stand as an indicator of how this nation loves peace.
“The period of elections only come once and it is important to preach peace. We should show the world that we are peaceful people looking at the November transformation of power which occurred peacefully,” she said.
She told the church leaders that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was a listening leader who was prepared to attend to every citizen’s concerns.
She said churches should work with local authorities in their respective areas for them to acquire land to built their churches.
The minister also urged churches to utilise land allocated to them saying it helps in poverty eradication.
Various church representatives assured the provincial minister of spreading the gospel of peace during the elections period.
More than 30 churches drawn from Manicaland were represented by their leaders at the meeting.
