Independent legislator for Norton, Temba Mliswa, has urged church leaders to tell President Emmerson Mnangagwa the truth about the state of public affairs instead of misleading him.
Mliswa told ZiFM stereo recently that church leaders are better positioned to have the president’s ear and must use their proximity to tell him the truth for the transformation of communities. He said the masses were suffering, therefore, church leaders must not mislead the president into believing that all is well.
Mliswa made the remarks on the sidelines of a ZANU PF rally held in Norton recently. He attended the rally in ZANU PF regalia but was ejected by party supporters who accused him of criticising the president.
Mliswa later posted on Twitter after the ejection calling upon the police to be swift and fair when dealing with ZANU PF officials who would have committed acts of violence. He said:
I was manhandled at a ZANU-PF rally and had to defend myself. Despite reporting to the ZRP the culprits haven’t been arrested. I also have supporters who love & support me & are very much able to revenge but we don’t want that. The police should just do their job.
It will not be good. It reminds me of 2008 elections when some Zanu PF members had their homes burnt after people began to retaliate and Mugabe had to call for peace. We don’t need to go back there as a people. As I always say we remain the same people& neighbors after elections.
Temba Mliswa’s recent call for church leaders to honestly advise President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not the first of its kind. In May this year, the leader of Johanne the Fifth of Africa, Madzibaba Andby Makururu, also cautioned churches against exaggerating the number of congregants who would vote for Mnangagwa in the upcoming elections. VaPostori for Economic Development (VaPostori4ED) had claimed they would mobilise over two million members to vote for President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Makururu warned against lying to the president about the number of ZANU PF supporters.
Religion, particularly Christianity, has a significant influence on the political landscape in Zimbabwe, and churches have played a role in shaping the country’s direction since the colonial era. However, the relationship between the church and politics has been complicated, with concerns about religious leaders holding political positions and accusations of partisanship.
Source Pindula News
