The Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) recently issued a statement on an issue which essentially waded into a Zanu Pf debate around extending the current president E.D Mnangagwa’s term of office from 2028-2030.
I deliberately mention Zanu Pf here because this issue of 2030 is essentially a ruling party one. It obviously has national connotations but it remains the prerogative of the ruling party. With or without some sort of resistance to its intentions by existent opposition political parties and broader civil society (churches included).
This blog however is not an analysis about Zanu Pf’s newfound political controversy around seeking an extended term for its president and by dint of the same its two-thirds majority in Parliament.
It is about the role of religion (or if you want, the church) in Zimbabwean society and how that assumed role must be observed with caution on political matters that essentially should be beyond its purview or mandate.
To begin with, religion is essentially functional to Zimbabwean (or any other society). Be it African tradition, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Judaism or in any other format.
It helps stabilize and give some form of morality as to how we interact as human beings on a day to day basis. Based on one’s own preferred history but also with the comfort of knowing that belief systems essentially help prevent us from being perpetually at war with one another.
Even though ironically it has also historically been the major cause of many regional and world wars.
The ‘functionality’ of religion is also based on the fact that it is, in a stable and somewhat democratic country, not expected to over reach the parameters of its political influence. It may have done so in the past but in the contemporary and also secular societies, religion is generally expected to ‘give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar’. As once stated by Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament bible.
In Zimbabwe while we have the right to freedom of worship, there is still a general assumption that religion and its religious leaders also understand the basic need not to ‘over reach’ from the spiritual to the political. Especially because we are a majority Christian country with a highly African traditional background. With the latter having been key to how we waged our liberation struggles against colonialism. A reality that is evidenced by the fact of our Mbuya Nehanda statue in the heart of Harare’s central business district.
As it is however our dominant Christian faith leaders have found it easier to wade into our national politics. Something which is debatable given the economic hardships that many Zimbabweans are facing. Even as they pray. (No I will not mention Marx’s dictum about religion being an opium of the masses)
Be that as it may, a little bit or immediate history of electoral politics and the church may be necessary.
In 2019, ZHOCD issued a statement calling for the postponement of the then anticipated 2023 elections.
It stated through its spokesperson Reverend Kenneth Mutata, that given the history of disputed elections,
“We are calling the nation to Sabbath to all political contestations for a period of seven years for rebuilding of trust and confidence, reset our politics, and chart a shared way forward towards a comprehensive economic recovery path in an non-competitive political environment.”
It was a good thing that the statement was largely ignored by the state as it was patently undemocratic in meaning and intent. And that we still went on to have the general election in 2023, disputed as it was after the event as is the norm in many African countries now.
Where we fast forward to 2025, ZHOCD appears to want elections as prescribed by the constitution. In a statement issued last week Christian leaders said,
“The call to extend the presidential term limits and postpone the 2028 elections is an invitation for the president to be a co-conspirator in overthrowing the constitution of the country which the president is elected to uphold, respect and defend.”
This is an important volte farce/turn-around from the ZHOCD. They appear to have come full circle to understanding the significance of constitutional democracy and its principles surrounding the necessity of holding regular, free and fair elections.
The reasons for this change in their attitude are not clearly outlined but within the current context of the Zanu PF debates, at least the Christian church leaders are now more democratically grounded than in 2019.
And this is where my more controversial point comes in. Any attempts to exert the influence of religion over the state or politics is never revolutionary in the progressive sense of the term. Churches, mosques, synagogues, ‘krawas’ , ‘gungano’, amphitheaters and ‘crossovers’ are places of worship not politics.
In the same vein, pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, svikiro were not sent to save the country but to save souls.
Indeed any religion can get you electoral votes. But it is not the core or Zimbabwean political activity. If there is a promised land as outlined in the bible or elsewhere it remains elsewhere.
Here we have with the reality of political economy and the class and cultural divisions that are increasingly evident in our society. And in order to do this diligently religion must not over reach its influence. Not only because it is functional and by default part of the establishment that protects it. But mainly because Zimbabwe is a secular state. Warts and all. And long may it remain so.
Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity.
Leave a Reply