By Liz Dlodlo
The Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP) has rallied its full support on the catholic bishops who are under attack from the state for speaking out on the humanitarian situation in the country.
In a media statement, the party urged the church leaders to remain firm on their position and also called on Zimbabweans to protect the church institution.
“As Communists, our revolutionary mandate is to be in solidarity with the weak against the powerful. We stand in solidarity with the church and call on millions of Zimbabweans to protect the church leadership from the bloody and brutal power mongers masquerading as our rulers.
“We further call on church leaders to stand firm and refuse to be intimidated by the regime whose leadership is today turning its back against the very church that built schools, hospitals as part of its pastoral work,” said the party.
The party also implored on the church to remain united and resist the attempt of dividing it along tribal lines as demonstrated by Minister Monica Mutsvangwa when she singled out Bishop Ndlovu and even trivialised a very sore subject to a section of the Zimbabwean community which she mocks as a “righteous minority”
According to the statement, the church and society as a whole must reject the attempt to divide society along ethnic lines.
“Society as a whole must reject the legacy of the founder of ZANU, David Stirling, to divide the people of Zimbabwe along ethnic lines.
“When the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference came under attack from the Minister of Information Monica Mutsvangwa following the pastoral letter to government, we had hoped that President Mnangagwa was going to extend a hand of conciliation to the church. Unfortunately, he has declared war against the man of the cloth,” said the statement.
ZCP added that the church was home to millions of the working class and peasants and hence the Government must stop the unwarranted attacks.
It said majority of people find solace at places of worship particularly under these economic challenges and that church leaders were finding it difficult to do their pastoral work when their congregates have no water, no electricity, no food, no shelter and other basics.
“The people look up to the church to provide for their daily needs in a society like ours where the political elite has not only abandoned citizens but is conspicuously displaying ill-gotten wealth.
“While the church is genuinely calling on government to meet the needs of society as a whole, the regime thinks the church must at all times sing its praises, give out false prophets to the nation.
