Oppressive Mugabe regime strengthens Church in Zimbabwe

The Rt Revd Sebastian Bakare, Bishop of Harare, Zimbabwe


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Published: 24 July 2008

The Bishop of Harare has spoken movingly of the persecution of Christians in Zimbabwe and said the experience has only served to strengthen the Church there. He expressed fears and a ‘little bit of hope’ following the announcement that Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai are to hold talks which could lead to the formation of a power-sharing government in Zimbabwe.

The Rt Revd Sebastian Bakare told reporters at the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury that the Church in Zimbabwe continues to endure persecution and is denied the right to worship in their own buildings. He told reporters that Zimbabwe was ‘at a crossroad’ following the run-off election, ‘not knowing where to go or which direction to take.’

But he added: ’Having received some news this morning that the two fighting parties have agreed to go into some discussion has sort of given us a little bit of hope on what is likely to happen.

‘It is too early to say what the chances of a sustainable solution are. For the ordinary person on the street the most urgent issues that need to be addressed are to live in a peaceful environment with a deep sense of security and without fear for one's life; to make basic necessities of life available and affordable, especially food and medicine; to live in a country where the rule of law is observed and human dignity respected.’

He added: ‘I want to believe that those on the opposition side are aware of the fact that Mugabe is not there just to hand in power.’

He spoke movingly and passionately about operating as a church under Mugabe’s regime; where Christians are routinely intimidated and prevented from worshipping.

He said: ‘We have been living under a system that has been so oppressive and denied people their human rights, including religious freedom. As I speak now, my diocese, the Anglican Diocese of Harare, continues to suffer persecution and is denied freedom to worship as enshrined in our constitution.

‘We have not been allowed to worship in our church buildings every Sunday since November last year. Police surround our churches every morning to refuse us to enter into our buildings. Our buildings are locked up and we have to look for alternative places to have our services every Sunday.

‘This is the context in which the church has to bear witness to the Gospel: Where people are denied to worship freely, preaching the Good News becomes a challenge because of the instruments of intimidation.

The Bishop added: ‘It is in this context I feel that many people are beginning to see the centrality of the Gospel.

‘Having been forbidden, or disallowed, to worship in our churches, the preaching of the Gospel of Good News has now become the responsibility of every Christian in my diocese. Wherever they meet they express their anger. Wherever they meet they pray. Wherever they meet they share some hope that one day our churches will be opened once more.

‘That has also given our lay people a sense of ownership of their church. It is their church they are fighting for. Our people have stood in front of riot police with their guns. That is the courage our people have developed since last November.

‘What then is Good News to the nation of Zimbabwe? How does the church promise a sense of hope where people are hungry, no food on the shelves, where people are dying with no medication, where people's homes have been destroyed, where 80 per cent of our people are unemployed, where there is no money anymore. What is the Good News?

‘The Good News we preach, or I preach, is that earthly powers come and go but people remain.

‘And this is what we are saying to our people: pray that God may intervene, may take charge of his own creation and redeem, liberate the people of Zimbabwe.’

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