ED's divine strategy: Prayer rally at State House slammed as misplaced focus

President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently led a national prayer session with members of the Johane Masowe weChishanu church at State House, sparking mixed reactions from the public. Critics questioned the sincerity of the gesture, arguing that prayer and leadership style appear at odds.

The event was first revealed by X (formerly Twitter) user Snowball Tongogara, who posted:

"President ED Mnangagwa prays for the nation. H.E. President @edmnangagwa prays with the Johane Masowe weChishanu church at State House."

According to Tongogara, the President expressed gratitude for the large turnout, describing the gathering as a moment to share ideas and pray for Zimbabwe. He commended the government for upholding constitutional guarantees of religious freedom for Christians and other faith groups.

Another user, C.H. Mukungunu, praised Mnangagwa's spiritual engagement, attributing his political resilience to divine consultation:

"Have you noticed that H.E. President @edmnangagwa is always winning against all odds? The secret is simple - he constantly engages with the church and puts God first."

Mukungunu added that the President thanked the congregation for standing in prayer for Zimbabwe, reiterating that freedom of worship is a pillar of unity and peace. He concluded with the phrase, "Nyika inonamatirwa nevene vayo" - a country is prayed for by its own people.

However, not all responses were supportive. Another X user, posting under the handle Truthofthematter, criticized the event as a misplaced priority:

"At a time when the economy is collapsing, inflation is out of control, unemployment is at record levels, and basic services are failing, the President is choosing to host a prayer session with 5,000 church members instead of convening the brightest minds to map a way forward."

The user argued that while spirituality and unity are important, they cannot replace sound policy, strategic planning, and technical expertise:

"Other nations in crisis call in economists, industrialists, scientists, and engineers to design recovery blueprints. Here, we are watching resources being poured into spectacles that do nothing to address bread-and-butter issues."

They concluded with a sharp critique:

"It reflects a leadership more concerned with optics and political allegiance than with problem-solving. What Zimbabwe needs is a national think tank of credible experts to craft a survival and revival strategy - not another round of 'nguwo chena' pageantry."