The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Today is Tuesday, August 29th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga.
Zimbabwe and the Biblical Basis for Free Elections
Recent presidential elections in Zimbabwe have once again been encumbered by accusations of blatant and gigantic fraud. The official polls have declared Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner, making him president for another five years. This will be his second term in office.
On Saturday, Zimbabwe’s Information Ministry stated the following: “The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has announced the 2023 presidential election results. His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner with 2,350,711 votes, consisting of 52.6% of the vote, followed by Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party who scored 1,906,734, which is 44% of the vote.”
In 1980, Zimbabwe gained independence and changed its name from Rhodesia. Since that time, the ZANU-PF political party has kept a stranglehold on Zimbabwean politics. The party has remained in control for all 43 years of its independence and has had only two leaders—Robert Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Organizations from around the world, including the European Union Election Observation Mission and Amnesty International, have highlighted the climate of fear that continues to surround Zimbabwean elections. The EU EOM released a statement on Friday saying that “fundamental freedoms were increasingly curtailed” during elections, and noted “acts of violence and intimidation” at the polls.
This is just one more sad step downward in the past several decades of Zimbabwean history. Zimbabwe has one of the highest inflation rates in the world, with only a few countries like Venezuela with higher rates. Only about 25% of Zimbabweans hold formal jobs. Poverty, voter-rigging, and a climate of fear have all become a way of life.
Mnangagwa’s primary challenger, Nelson Chamisa, said in a statement: “They stole your voice and vote but never your hope. It’s blatant and gigantic fraud. The vote will be challenged, it was fraught with unprecedented illegality.”
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) also observed problems with transparency, independence, fairness, and credibility during the electoral process, just one more organization that condemned the intimidation and disruption that has surrounded Zimbabwean voting for decades.
Gerald Chosawa, a Zimbabwean security guard at a grocery store, said in an interview: “It’s done. It never changes. I had some hope. Now it’s better to prepare to join the others who have left the country. That’s the best option.”
Christianity teaches that government should have limited power. They should be accountable, in some part, to the will of the people. Nations can ensure accountability by practicing regular fair elections, freedom of the press, and term limits.
Scripture supports this idea in both the Old and New Testaments. King Rehoboam was a bad king because, according to 1 Kings 12:15, he refused to listen to the people. Dictators and emperors oppressed the people of Israel because they ruled without any consent from the people, like the Pharaoh of Egypt (Ex. 3) and King Nebuchadnezzar (2Kings 25).
In contrast, Moses was chosen by God through the assent of the leaders and the people of Israel in Exodus 4. The people had a part in choosing Saul in 1 Samuel 10 and Samuel as judge in 1 Samuel 7. King David gained public consent from the people in 2 Samuel 2. The same is true of NT leaders in the church. Acts 6:3 says, “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.”
When Zimbabwe turns to the precepts of Scripture and affirms accountability through open, fair elections and freedom of the press, their nation will begin to succeed. This is true for all nations because all truth is God’s truth.
And that’s it for The Africa Review in Five on this Tuesday, August 29th in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe to the Missionary Minds podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts. I’m Yamikani Katunga, a citizen of that resilient nation, Zimbabwe. Please, keep her lifted in prayer. Until next time… Be not weary in well-doing.
Amen Paul, well said brother.