It is believed that Zanu PF forcibly obtained most signatures for its anti-sanctions petition from apostolic sect church members. Recently state media reported that at least 2,2 million people had signed the anti-sanctions petition.
Association of Evangelicals in Africa’s Director of Ethics, Peace and Justice Commission in Southern Africa Patson Netha said the church should be a place of uniting the people from different political parties.
He said the chanting of political slogans which have characterised gatherings of some apostolic sects in recent months was illegal and must be stopped.Such activities are not only offending to some people but to God as well, he said.
“The church must be for everyone so that it can deal with issues of injustice,” said Netha. “The Church must not take sides on any party politics.”Netha said the church must speak against the perpetuation of injustice no matter which political party is responsible. The Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) executive director Useni Sibanda said the “invasion” of the independent Apostolic Faith sects by Zanu PF was an unfortunate development that would infringe on the freedom of religion.
“We call upon the church leaders to maintain their credibility by not allowing themselves to be manipulated by politicians,” said Sibanda. “There is need to maintain a critical prophetic distance between the Church and the State. We also call upon Copac to respect the views of the Church and the Christian community on the separation of the state and the church.”
The Christian community emphasised during the constitutional outreach that the church needed to independently handle its issues through the relevant Church umbrella structures without the interference from the state.
Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo dismissed accusations by church organisations saying they were nothing but a manifestation of jealousy over his party’s cordial relations with the apostolic sects.
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“Any church is free to associate with any party. There is no one who should come between God and churches. We know they support opposition parties and the West. Is that what God told them to do?” asked Gumbo cynically.
President Robert Mugabe, Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Zanu PF ministers Webster Shamu, Nicholas Goche and former minister Amos Midzi have been featured on national television attending Apostolic and Zion churches services, where they are said to have preached their party mantra.Zanu PF politicians have been featured in the media wearing apostolic sect regalia, a move which other churches described as “blasphemous and an abuse of the sect’s regalia and misuse of avenues meant for worshiping God.”
Some of the church leaders have been seen chanting anti-sanctions slogans and encouraging their members to sign the petition. Efforts to get a comment from the Johanne Masowe, Johanne Marange, Zion and other apostolic churches were fruitless.
