. . . churches urge citizens to participate in polls

CHURCHES should encourage congregants to exercise their constitutional right to vote, an Anglican cleric has said.

Speaking at the launch of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) Ecumenical Election Covenant recently, Anglican Diocese of Manicaland Bishop Eric Ruwona urged citizens to be active participants in the country’s electoral process.

“We are encouraging members of the public to register as voters and vote, to participate as contenders and also to observe all election processes,” he said.

Bishop Ruwona said ZCC had adopted a proactive approach to ensure that polls were just, transparent, free and fair.

“As churches, it is our mandate to make sure that all stakeholders create an enabling environment and that the polls are done in an environment that is conducive, transparent and safe for observers and participants,” he said.

The church, he said, continued to play critical roles as an arbitrator, observer and facilitator of justice during the election period.

“The church is an influential stakeholder in politics and can be an important block in peace keeping and peace building,” said Bishop Ruwona.

“From time immemorial, the church has managed to influence the course of politics and it continues to do so by ensuring that people influence decision-making at all levels.”

ZCC programmes officer Mr Tinashe Gumbo said as a council, they had since shifted their approach from being reactive to proactive to enhance participation and to realise equity, justice and tolerance during elections.

“Previously, we were called to monitor the polls, endorse politicians, settle political disputes and provide relief, but we have since adopted a proactive approach in which we take the lead during this transition into the elective period,” he said.

“We are in the process of mobilising our members so that they participate fully and effectively during this elective period. We adopted a campaign strategy known as ‘I pray, I vote’ in order to conscientise and sensitise members of the public on the importance of exercising their constitutional right to vote.”

Mr Gumbo went on to outline the essential role of the church in setting the pace for stakeholders, especially ahead of the national plebiscite.

“We realised that there is a need for our politicians to contextualise their content during this period and we hope this year’s process will be a departure from the previous years where politicians delivered abstract components to citizens instead of trying to address their practical needs,” he said.

Mr Gumbo said after the elections, the church would take a leading role in peace building, national healing and reconciliation.

“We are planning to mobilise 1 000 people to go and vote on voting day,” he said. ‘At the local level, we are going to observe participants. After election, we are going to take the lead in peace building, national healing and reconciliation.”