Apostolic churches endorse Mnangagwa

Council of Apostolic Churches  (CACZ) in Zimbabwe has endorsed the just-ended harmonised elections as free, fair and credible and have since sent their congratulatory message to President Emmerson Mnangagwa for winning the presidential elections.

President Mnangagwa beat his closest rival Mr Nelson Chamisa of the MDC-Alliance after he garnered 50,8 percent of the votes cast, with the opposition leader getting 44,3 percent.

In his congratulatory message, CACZ president Bishop Clement Chisango said they were excited by the peaceful environment that characterised the election, which saw President Mnangagwa winning the polls. "CACZ is an umbrella body of indigenous apostolic and Zion Christian churches founded in 1993 and is led by its president Bishop Clement Karikoga Chisango," he said.

"Bishop Chisango hereby congratulates His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa for winning the July 30, 2018 presidential election. We wish you and your party, Zanu-PF, a successful and progressive five-year mandate bestowed upon you in accordance with the Constitution of Zimbabwe by the people of Zimbabwe."

In an interview yesterday, Bishop Chisango said he was encouraged by President Mnangagwa's humility during a meeting of churches and other religious leaders that the Head of State and Government convened in March this year. Bishop Chisango was one of those church leaders who delivered a speech during the interaction with President Mnangagwa.

"We had a fruitful engagement with President Mnangagwa in Harare when he invited us as church leaders where we exchanged important information aimed at building the nation," he said.

"He is indeed a listening President and as a church we are proud to have such a President who is God fearing."

In his contribution during the meeting with the President, Bishop Chisango said they wanted to participate in the formulation of laws. He said it was critical that churches equally played an integral role in formulation of laws before they were promulgated. During the meeting, churches endorsed the new dispensation led by President Mnangagwa, saying Zimbabwe is not a militarised State, as key institutions are not manned by serving military personnel.

The religious leaders pledged to rally behind President Mnangagwa, saying he was capable of transforming Zimbabwe into a prosperous nation.

The indaba, organised by the National Elders Forum, was attended by heads of the Catholic Church, Evangelical/Pentecostal churches, Apostolic and other main line churches, which included United Methodist Church (UMC), Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ), Methodist Church in Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Christian Church (ZCC).