PRESSURE is mounting on the government over the proposed Medical Services Amendment Bill, with major Christian bodies intensifying opposition and warning lawmakers against voting for what they describe as a fundamental threat to the sanctity of life.
The Bill seeks to significantly broaden access to abortion in Zimbabwe, including allowing termination on request up to 20 weeks, permitting minors to undergo the procedure without parental consent, removing spousal notification requirement and authorising a single medical practitioner to approve the procedure — changes that critics say amount to the most far-reaching overhaul of the country’s abortion law since independence.
The legislation, which is awaiting a Senate vote, has sparked intense national debate, with church leaders warning that it threatens Zimbabwe’s moral foundations and undermines constitutional protections for unborn children.
The Catholic Church has in recent weeks mounted a coordinated nationwide campaign urging lawmakers to reject the Bill.
Parish priests across Zimbabwe have used Sunday sermons and pastoral engagements to mobilise congregants against the proposed law, with some clerics issuing strong warnings to Senators whom they say bear moral responsibility should the Bill pass.
The Catholic Church has described the proposals as a direct assault on the sanctity of life and family structures, arguing that they amount to a de facto liberalisation of abortion law.
The opposition has translated to widespread preaching against the Bill by parish priests across the country, reflecting what church leaders describe as a moral emergency requiring urgent action by both believers and legislators.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) and the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) have also released pastoral communications urging congregants and legislators to oppose the Bill.
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In the EFZ pastoral letter, Bishop Never Muparutsa called on believers to pray, mobilise and engage Senators ahead of parliamentary consideration of the Bill.
“As we stand at this crossroads, we reaffirm our hope for the Zimbabwe we want, a nation where life is honoured, families are strengthened and children are welcomed as blessings, not burdens.
“Our Constitution, cultural heritage, and shared spiritual values affirm the sanctity of human life. In choosing life, we choose the future. Beyond Sunday 8 February 2026, we call upon believers to continuously engage their respective Senators to vote on the principle of the sanctity and dignity of all life, including that of the unborn,” the pastors said.
ZHOCD, an umbrella body bringing together EFZ, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe, also raised alarm over the proposed amendment.
In its pastoral letter, ZHOCD said the amendment risk creating abortion “on request” in practice, contrary to the spirit of Zimbabwe’s Constitution.
The body argued that section 48 of the Constitution protects the right to life and recognises the unborn child as deserving legal protection, cautioning lawmakers against introducing sweeping changes without wide public consultation.
“Every country that has legalised abortion has seen a subsequent increase in abortions,” part of the letter read. “In Ethiopia, for example, legal abortions massively increased following the legalisation of abortion — and illegal backstreet abortions continued at the same rate as before.
“Research shows that when abortion is legalised, people have more promiscuous behaviour because they see abortion as a backup option.
“More unwanted pregnancies are a result of increased promiscuity, causing many psychological, social and economic problems.”
The Christian body also warned of increased sexually transmitted diseases if the Bill is passed.
“Research shows that women having abortions have a higher risk of anxiety, alcohol abuse, drug abuse and suicidal behaviour,” the letter read.
“Research shows a massive increase in family breakdown, single motherhood and subsequent poverty for women after the legalisation of abortion.
“Most countries outside Africa are suffering severe economic consequences of underpopulation and, in some cases, even an existential threat.
“The latest research shows that legalised abortion can worsen maternal mortality. Despite debunked claims that legal abortion was a success in South Africa, the latest research shows maternal deaths massively increased after legalisation, as did deaths from abortion specifically.”
