'Pray for Mnangagwa'

CHRISTIANS have a mandate to pray for the country's leaders to ensure that they get guidance from God to improve the lives and well-being of the people, a top cleric has said.

Speaking at the church gathering that was attended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and more than 100 000 Zion Christian Church congregants during the annual Easter Conference at Mbungo in Masvingo's Bikita District yesterday, ZCC Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi said churches should not be shy to pray for the new leadership which came into office after Operation Restore Legacy in November last year.

President Mnangagwa was accompanied to the conference by Vice-President Retired General Dr Constantino Chiwenga.

Bishop Dr Mutendi said his church has always supported the country's leadership, despite facing criticism from some people.

"Zionists are taken as stupid people who are always accused of bootlicking Government leaders. We have accepted the charge and we are happy because God loves us," said Bishop Dr Mutendi.

He said there was no way the church could pray for the country without praying for its leadership, hence inviting President Mnangagwa to all ZCC conferences.

"We will keep praying for President Mnangagwa because it is God who inaugurated him to be the new President of the country. Like the resurrection of Jesus Christ that we are celebrating tomorrow (today), this country has been born anew, it is a new creation. We must respect the new dispensation and Operation Restore Legacy which has brought new things to the country," he said.

"We should pray for each other. Apart from praying for the leadership, we also worship with the leaders. As a church, we advise our leaders so that they love, respect and preach peace to the people they lead.

"We had initially invited him (President Mnangagwa) to grace our Easter Conference on Sunday (today) but he said there was a busy schedule and he won't be able to be here. I then asked him to squeeze even one hour of his time to come here despite his busy schedule and he came."

Bishop Dr Mutendi praised President Mnangagwa for embracing the spirit of political tolerance resulting in the number of opposition parties topping 100 and still able to sell their ideas freely without an incidents of intimidation or violence.

Bishop Dr Mutendi also said opposition parties were enjoying fair coverage from the media.

This, he said, showed that there was democracy in the country buttressing the fact that President Mnangagwa was a man of peace, love and unity.

"In church, we call all opposing forces, Satan, but our President has a soft spot for opposition parties in the country. As Jesus is a great leader, we should also pray for the President to be a great warrior as great warriors are good leaders."

He urged the church to support the new Government as it was led by a God fearing man.

"We know that opposition parties will develop stomach bugs in the forthcoming harmonised elections expected in July because the ruling party, Zanu-PF leader is God fearing. I tell you that go and fight but you should give a good fight," he said.

The conference ends today.