A group of pastors, who claim to be spearheading President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2023 re-election campaign, are accused of ambushing church leaders across the country as they seek to recruit them to their movement.
The outfit known as Pastors 4ED is led by Zibagwe Rural
District Council (RDC) ward 30 councillor and evangelist Idirashe Dongo.
Zibagwe is Mnangagwa’s home district. In a wide ranging
interview, Dongo who is currently in Sweden, said they wanted every pastor in
the country to join the grouping in support of Mnangagwa.
“It consists of all pastors, even those in the diaspora
irrespective of their churches,” Dongo told The Standard.
“We don’t want to leave any pastor or church behind from
the Pentecostal, Protestants, apostolic sects and reformed churches.”
She said they have a duty to campaign for Mnangagwa.
“It was inspired by the president himself.When we saw him visiting churches, building up relationships we said to ourselves, can we take it up and reach out to every head of church or administrators.
“He can’t go to every church in Zimbabwe.”
Mnangagwa has been visiting various churches as he targets
the votes of the clergy in 2023.
“We have finished organising national structures and
provincial structures are almost complete,” Dongo said.
“Manicaland Province finished with the districts and is now
going to constituencies.
“Until we reach ward level, we want to account for every
pastor. We want to understand their relationship with the president.
“If you read Romans 13: 1 to 6 says everyone including the
church are subjects to the kings of the land.
“We want to create that relationship. The king and the
prophets must walk hand in hand.”
Some pastors speaking on condition of anonymity told The
Standard that they were being added into Pastors 4ED WhatsApp platforms without
their consent.
“I found myself being added to a group Pastors 4ED Midlands
Province.
“Anyone known to be a church leader is added unknowingly
and instructed to tell congregants to support Mnangagwa in the forthcoming 2023
elections,” a United Methodist Church pastor from Gweru said.
“Their target is to have more than 1 600 church leaders who
should campaign for Mnangagwa in churches.
“If you exit, they come to your inbox and eventually you’re
forcibly added back. They ask for your details and it seems a lot will follow.”
Zanu PF political commissar Mike Bimha was coy when
contacted for a comment on the alleged parallel structures spearheading
Mnangagwa’s re-election campaign.
“I don’t know where that (concern over parallel structures)
is coming from and those are not parallel structures,” Bhima said.
“These are movements and associations, not structures of
the party. Our structures are main wing, women’s league, youth league and war
veterans.” Standard
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