By Takura Zhangazha*
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 (takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com )
(takurazhangazha.com)
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