Current Zimbabwean Situation & What The Church Can Do

What The Church Can Do In The Current Zimbabwean Situation

As a nation of Zimbabwe, we are in crisis which is now so evident and obvious that even those that were denying it cannot convince anybody otherwise. We are having a political, economical, social, education, health, justice (& human rights) and even spiritual crisis.

That our current political leaders, in government and the opposition have failed us cannot be hidden and denied by any sane and average thinking person. Robert Mugabe, Morgan Tsangirai, Author Mutambara and other political leaders at various levels have failed us. They themselves should honor up and confess that whether directly or indirectly they somehow contributed to the current crisis. The crisis among other things is because of failed leadership, wrong policies, corruption, greediness, selfishness, power hunger, pride, arrogance, political immaturity, political intolerance and strained international relations.

The significance and magnitude of the crisis and sufferings that many Zimbabweans are facing is more than we realize and have seen.

Political. We had elections on March 29 and by now we still do not have a government. There was an agreement for Government of National Unity signed on 11 and 15 September by leaders of the current major political leaders which up to November they have failed to implement. It is amazing that our current political leaders failed to agree on sharing cabinet posts! I cannot describe that in anyway than to say they have failed us. There is political immaturity and intolerance that is all political parties have acknowledged. In a small country like Zimbabwe with probably around 15 million people, we are failing to coexist and grasp diversity in our political views!. Before we were colonized by the British, we were divided, after 1980, we failed again to live together in peace. We all know about the 80’ atrocities up to the 1987 Zanu Pf and Pf Zapu unity accord. From 1999 after the formation of the MDC, there was no peace with Zanu Pf. There has been violence ever since. MDC on its own failed to stand until it split into two parties in less than 8 years. There are other political parties that have been there but have failed to have any meaningful influence. The current political parties and leaders have failed to realize that having a different political view or policy does not make you an enemy. If you refuse something and speak against Zanu Pf, you are labeled being used by the British & Americans, if you disagree with MDC and particularly Tsvangirai, you are labeled a Zanu Pf person. Even Zanu Pf itself seems to be divided, you read in news papers that some are complaining about being marginalized (former Zapu). But if we are to progress and mature in our politics, we need to realize that Zimbabwe and Zimbabwean politics goes far beyond Zanu PF, MDC, Mugabe Tsvangirai and Mutambara. We need political renewal and a new breed of political leaders beyond the current. I do not see the current political leaders taking us far as a nation. Some of them have outlived their political and leadership usefulness. Some are literally too old to be in office! We need fresh, up-to-date and relevant political leaders who will grow beyond blame games, those that will give principled and seasoned policies and not spend time attacking and insulting each other. Leaders who will be servants to the people and not seek personal names. Leaders who will not personalize the struggle and sacrifices they may have made. Leaders who will not say because they suffered or made sacrifices at one point that makes them the ones deserving certain positions or treatment. Leaders who will admit when and where they fail or make mistakes. Leaders who will know the time to get in and out of office or leadership. Leaders who will know when to groom and hand over to successors!

Economy. Our economy has collapsed. We have within few years removed 13 zeros from our currency. Currently our money is “valueless”. Inflation is over 231 million though others predict it is over a trillion. Most of our industries are closed. Many people are jobless. It is said that unemployment is over 80%. Many of those that are employed cannot meet their basic needs. People cannot get their money from the banks. Most people are revalued poor trillionaries, if you add back 13 zeros, I do want to waste time on what the figures will be. Formal shops do not have products. There is not adequate electricity. There is not adequate clean water. Our roads and other infrastructure are run down. We are failing to grow and or produce enough food for ourselves and others. Those who have been entrusted to lead and be custodians of our economy in any level should understand that we do not deserve the mess that they have done to our economy. They should realize that they owe this nation an apology, accountability and admittance of their failure. It is our right as citizens of Zimbabwe that our economy be restored and that the resources in this land be equally accessible to all. It is our right to have competent, transparent and honest people being the custodians of our economy.

Social. It is clear that because of the political, economical and other challenges, our social lives as Zimbabwean has been compromised. We live in fear of many things that include but are not limited to: victimization, poverty and political intolerance. We have lost our social values and care for one another as we used to. We no longer live together, share things together as before. Families are literally separated. Many of our relatives and friends have let the country for various reasons but the major being the crisis in Zimbabwe. You find children being raised by maids or grand parents because parents are in the Diaspora. What kind of society will we be in the next generation without proper parenting? Who will put family values in our children and young generation?

Education. Our education system has also collapsed. This year we can say our schools literally or partly did not offer teaching or proper education. As I write this letter, some schools are not offering any lessons; some boarding schools have sent pupils back home. Teachers were or still on strike or not at work. I wonder what will come out of the exams that are being written! We deserve better for our children and dependants. This year that has been lost by many students will be difficult if not impossible to compensate. Are we saying that it will be like after independence in the 80’s where the education system will start being effective after our leaders find the political solution?

Healthy. Our health system has collapsed. We do not have drugs and other equipment in our health service departments. Most doctors, nurses and other health professionals have left the country. Some are not working or on strike. Those that cannot afford to seek private medical care are left to die. Our medical aid cannot work anymore. We contribute subscriptions to medical aid societies but medical service providers do not want it anymore. I am convinced that we have lost some of our relatives and friends who should not have died but died because of failed medical system. I have a relative of mine who lost a 5 day old baby who was due an operation but the public hospital could not do the operation. The private doctor wanted a certain amount of cash which my relative did not have. I also could not help to raise the cash and the child died!

Justice and Human Rights. We also have a justice system collapse. As I said above, we now live in fear and oppression. We are not free as we ought to as citizens on Zimbabwe. We are not free to express ourselves. We are not free to gather and discuss political views if we exceed a certain number without a police clearance. Even if you want to have a crusade or other public gathering, you need a police clearance! We are not free to express our grievances and censure our leaders. We are not free to march, demonstrate and do petitions to those that are supposed to be our leaders. At this day and age should we be discussing such? As citizens of Zimbabwe we are all equal and should be accorded same protection by our justice system. We are afraid of CIO, war vets, the police, etc. The same people that should be protecting us are the very people we are afraid of. We deserve better than this. We should be free to express ourselves, we should be free to censure those in public office including the president if need be. We should be free to join or start any political party without fear and without any intimidation from anybody. Those that demonstrate and do marches we hear are arrested and beaten. That should stop.

Spiritual. With all the crisis that we are in as a nation, the church is not exempt. All the above affect us as Christians and spiritual or church leaders, because we also eat and drink. The church is faced with temptations for compromise, lack of resources because of economic challenges. The church is also affected by brain drain. The church is also affected by HIV and Aids and current failure in our health system, etc. Above all, we have some confusion in church. There are questions like, should Christians be involved in politics? Should pastors and other church leaders be involved in politics? Should Christians, Pastors and other Church leaders speak against ills and wrongs done by the political leaders and government? How should pastors handle the issue of different political represented in their congregations? What is the role and place of the spiritual leaders in the nation?

The above questions and many more are making some people, Christians and non Christians have confusions about the role and place of the church in the nation. (I will limit my contribution to Christians or Christian leaders because I am a pastor and that is what I know and understand)

In the bible, if you read the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, all the prophets and some of Jesus’ messages in the gospels, you will find that God is not silent about governments and political leaders. Some of the biblical spiritual leaders were also political leaders and government employees. Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Daniel are examples of those that were either political leaders or spiritual leaders or both. The prophets in the bible would reprove leaders in Israel and outside that oppressed people or did other wrongs against God or His people. We know of course that some of the prophets who rebuked leaders were jailed, tortured and some killed by those the bible call evil rulers or leaders!

In Zimbabwe, politics has been demonized or made to appear as a non Christian activity that Christians should not be involved in. This has been a misconception that has been brought by ignorant Christians and some political leaders who have made the impression that if you speak against their doings then you are going beyond your duty as a pastor. Some have even told pastors that were speaking against wrong doings to go to politics and leave pastoring! Some political leaders have successfully silenced the church and stopped the spiritual leaders from having a voice in these issues. For the above reasons, for too long the church has been silent on political and government issues.

This is the time to break the silence and tradition and say enough is enough. We cannot keep quite when our political leaders are practicing all sorts of evil and injustice. We cannot keep quite when we bury our flock sometimes premartually. We cannot keep silent when we see and are confronted with the sufferings of our fellow citizens. We cannot keep any more silent when we see the rights of people being taken away from them. We cannot keep silent when we see incompetence, corruption, greediness and failure by our political leaders and custodians of our government. We cannot keep any more silent when we see many orphans and many children whose parents have left them for the Diaspora. We cannot keep silent when we see families disintegrate because of the crisis in our nation. We cannot keep silent when our children and those we lead are not getting their rights to good standard of education. We cannot keep silent when we are forced to go to neighboring countries to look for food and other basic products when we know our nation should produce and provide that. We cannot keep silent when we see the next generation and future of our nation being destroyed and compromised by selfish, short sighted and visionless leaders and policies.

I have heard those who speak against the government and Zanu pf being labeled MDC. I have heard those who speak good about Zanu pf or against MDC being labeled Zanu pf sympathizers. I have heard some “pastors” preach about Robert Mugabe being a “Moses” sent by God to Zimbabwe. I have also heard some “Pastors” saying Morgan Tsvangirai is a “Moses” sent by God to Zimbabwe. I do not subscribe to any of the above. I believe that pastors should be balanced and neutral in regards to preaching about political affiliation because we lead different people from different political parties and we should be fair to all. But that does not mean that when we see wrong we should keep quite.

Yes I believe and advocate for Christians to be involved in politics. I am calling to Christians to pursue political leadership. I am calling for Christians to pursue positions in councils, senate, parliament and even presidency of Zimbabwe. The bible says when the righteous are in authority people rejoice but when the wicked rule, people groan or sigh. We need to go beyond praying for our nation to positively getting involved and influencing the direction of our politics, government and leadership. We need to leave our comfort zone and risk being labeled and called names to stand for the truth. We also need to live right so that those who may want to silence and stop us will not find faulty in us, our lives and what we do.

Collectively as Zimbabwean people we need to work on restoring our lost “pride.” We need to work on restoring and building our nation. We need to work together, pursue nation building. Stand against any form of corruption and anything that will impact negatively to the development of our nation. We need to able to stand up if it means having peaceful marches and petitions let us do so. Sometimes freedom and breakthrough comes with the price. Sometimes the price is loss in many things to even our lives. All the sacrifices are worth paying for the good of our land, future and our children. Ask yourself, “What am I contributing which is positive for building my nation and future of the next generation?” Are you going to passively watch? There are examples of those that refused to be content and accept the status core. We have the likes of Martin Luther King, Joshua Nkomo, Robert Mugabe, Nelson Mandela, Levy Mwanawasa, Barack Obama, Morgan Tsvangirai, etc. The list is long. There are many leaders that stood up and challenged the status core and brought positive change. Some of the people I mentioned above were consistent in standing for the right, some later compromised or changed some are still trying!

What are you going to contribute? Can we count on you?

By Pastor H.