WHEN the race for the presidential post got into home stretch last week — with leading contenders President Robert Mugabe (Zanu PF) and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC–T) addressing their final rallies ahead of yesterday’s harmonised elections — the marathon assumed a spiritual dimension.
REPORT BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI/MOSES MATENGA
First Lady Grace Mugabe and the Premier’s wife, Elizabeth Macheka, told their party supporters that after all the campaigning and canvassing for votes their husbands had done across the length and breadth of Zimbabwe, it was God’s will that was going to prevail.
Grace used the Zanu PF final rally in Harare to claim that God had chosen her husband to lead this country and saluted Zanu PF-aligned clerics that had endorsed his leadership.
“I want to thank (Reverend Andrew) Wutawunashe and Archbishop (Johannes) Ndanga for their words, but there are people who don’t know that leadership is made in heaven,” she said.
Grace’s remarks were probably culled from Daniel 2:21, which says God “removes kings and sets up other kings”. But the scripture can be true either way.
The First Lady further claimed that the Holy Spirit functioned in her husband whom she said was ordained to lead the nation.
“If we see Mugabe’s leadership, we see it’s not of his making. Sometimes you see it’s God’s Spirit speaking through him,” she said quoting Jeremiah 1:5. “This means before He made Mbuya Bona carry him in her womb, God knew he was going to be the leader. You can’t just wake up one day and say I think I can rule because Mugabe can. That is why he said it was better to rest, but realised the people don’t know how to protect the country.”
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She attributed Mugabe’s political longevity to God’s divine protection and his own “honest” character.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s wife, Elizabeth, in turn told the thousands that thronged her husband’s “cross–over” rally that yesterday’s elections were a spiritual battle for Zimbabwe, pitting forces of good against forces of evil.
“Go and vote in peace. This election is not about Tsvangirai or Mugabe, but is spiritual warfare. God has heard your cries and is about to deliver you. Let’s go and vote for a good future,” she said. “Women, I will be with you to ensure that what you were promised is done. When God’s time comes, no one can say no.”
Since campaigning began, the MDC–T was starting and closing their rallies with prayers.
The MDC-T said its leadership was aware that this was a spiritual battle and to that end, they had been praying and fasting for these make–or–break elections in the past three years.
“Everything is in God’s hands. We have been praying and fasting for the country and the elections,” said the party’s organising secretary Nelson Chamisa.
