Vapostori for ED call for lifting of sanctions

AN initiative that seeks to bring together apostolic and Zion church members to actively participate in the country's economic development programmes dubbed the Vapostori for Economic Development (Vapostori for ED) will launch its Bulawayo Chapter in the first week of November.

Apostle Livingstone Chikuni said the organisation's main mission was to mobilise apostolic members to come out of the political and economic periphery that they had confined themselves over the years to be active in economic developmental programmes. He said it was high time their voices were heard as they call for the lifting for sanctions against the country by the West.

"As apostolic churches, we have been known as people who are always in their churches and shrines praying but this time we are saying let's rise up and participate in the economic development initiatives. We want to mobilise millions of apostolic church membership to unite and build our nation by calling for the removal of sanctions that are stifling development and our livelihoods," he said.

Provincial pastor for Zion Jerusalem Tobias Gama said their vision was to bring a number of apostolic members both men and women to take charge of socio-economic developments in their communities.

"Our vision is to bring apostolic sects, communities and membership to support the economic vision of the Second Republic. We are saying there is strength in numbers so we are saying let's rally behind the President's nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo philosophy and help in the reconstruction of our great country. We are also saying it is within us religious sects to pray for our country so that there is peace and prosperity. We have also been inspired to say, nyika inonamatirwa nevene vayo (a country is prayed for by its owners) so that we continue having the freedom to worship," he said.

He added that it was encouraging that the apostolic churches  were moving in the tide of development and promoting women and children's rights in support of all government initiatives.

"We don't want to be left out in economic programmes as the country strains towards vision 2030, we want to be part of that vision. We therefore continue to develop ourselves and we continue to move out of the tag of being backward with some of our churches having gotten land to build very nice churches," said Pastor Gama.

Bishop Kuziva Norman Makahwi said as Vapostori for ED they were in support of the country's development programmes and were against sanctions imposed by the West, the EU and the US as they were a hindrance to the development of the nation.

"As Vapostori for ED we are supporting the country's progressive forces as led by President Mnangagwa. We are against sanctions which were imposed on Zimbabwe, because as apostolic sects, most of us are self-employed so we need raw materials which we may not readily get because of sanctions but we are willing and able to work hard and raise the flag of Zimbabwe," he said.