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Zanu PF orders churches in Mashonaland East to suspend services for party meeting
6 hrs ago |
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Zanu PF Mashonaland East Province has written to church leaders in the Mudzi Administrative District instructing them to suspend Sunday services to allow congregants to attend a ruling‑party meeting.
In a letter dated 25 March 2026, addressed to pastors, the party said an inter‑district meeting would be held on 29 March 2026 at Kotwa High School, to be addressed by provincial chairperson Cde Daniel Garwe.
“Please be advised that on Sunday 29 March 2026, there will be an Inter‑District meeting to be addressed by the Mashonaland East Provincial Chairman Cde Daniel Garwe at Kotwa High School,” the letter reads.
“In light of this important meeting, you are kindly encouraged to suspend church services on that day to allow congregants to attend. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.”
The directive has sparked criticism, with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono describing it as an abuse of power, especially at a time when citizens opposing Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 are reportedly being arrested for holding meetings.
“It is tragic that while those opposed to Constitutional Amendment No. 3 are being arrested for simply meeting, Zanu PF is shutting down churches to advance its campaign,” Chin’ono said.
He argued that the outreach process must be “fair, transparent and free from coercion,” adding that it cannot be considered a national process when one side is criminalised while the other “commandeers churches”.
“If President Emmerson Mnangagwa is confident that he has the support of the people, he should not allow this process to be driven by the abuse of state power through fear, arrests and detentions, as we have witnessed over the past week,” he said.
Chin’ono urged progressives to condemn what he described as an abuse of authority by Zanu PF officials such as Garwe.
“You cannot stop people from attending church for political reasons, nor can you weaponise state institutions to silence dissent and manipulate a national process that should be free, fair and democratic,” he said.
In a letter dated 25 March 2026, addressed to pastors, the party said an inter‑district meeting would be held on 29 March 2026 at Kotwa High School, to be addressed by provincial chairperson Cde Daniel Garwe.
“Please be advised that on Sunday 29 March 2026, there will be an Inter‑District meeting to be addressed by the Mashonaland East Provincial Chairman Cde Daniel Garwe at Kotwa High School,” the letter reads.
“In light of this important meeting, you are kindly encouraged to suspend church services on that day to allow congregants to attend. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.”
The directive has sparked criticism, with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono describing it as an abuse of power, especially at a time when citizens opposing Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 are reportedly being arrested for holding meetings.
“It is tragic that while those opposed to Constitutional Amendment No. 3 are being arrested for simply meeting, Zanu PF is shutting down churches to advance its campaign,” Chin’ono said.
He argued that the outreach process must be “fair, transparent and free from coercion,” adding that it cannot be considered a national process when one side is criminalised while the other “commandeers churches”.
“If President Emmerson Mnangagwa is confident that he has the support of the people, he should not allow this process to be driven by the abuse of state power through fear, arrests and detentions, as we have witnessed over the past week,” he said.
Chin’ono urged progressives to condemn what he described as an abuse of authority by Zanu PF officials such as Garwe.
“You cannot stop people from attending church for political reasons, nor can you weaponise state institutions to silence dissent and manipulate a national process that should be free, fair and democratic,” he said.
Source - Byo24news
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