Clergy warned against political abuse

The clergy has been warned against abuse by politicians by the Provincial Chairperson of the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe, Tonderai Chitaguda.

In an interview with The Zimbabwean, Chitaguda said politicians and governments were mere agents of God's rule and had to be kept under check by the church, which had a watchdog role to play and should help protect the interests of the poor.

He said the Church should strive to ensure equality among citizens, always working to promote the equitable distribution of resources.

"God prescribes that everyone should have enough resources to live on and does not take kindly to a situation whereby some individuals amass wealth for themselves at the expense of others. Where there is inequitable distribution of resources or an oppressive type of government, the Church should operate as a pressure group and influence the adoption of corrective measures," said Chitaguda.

The veteran church leader took a swipe at some church leaders who allowed themselves to be corrupted by power hungry individuals seeking political gain. He suggested the church should have apolitical representation in Parliament, saying this would help unify and standardise the role of the Church in society.