The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Features Reporter
THE Church has always been a safe haven for women and other vulnerable members of the society. It provides a platform where they pour their emotions out, and where hope is renewed, and spiritual upliftment is expected; it is a place where people find inner peace and are seldom disturbed by ‘worldly’ forces.
And nowadays, the church is no longer a place of worship only. People have taken the church beyond the sermons, confessions, prayers, miracles and the praise and worship.
Economic activities are taking place in church too. Projects that are meant to empower women and other congregants have become a point of convergence too where women are taught baking, dress-making and other self-sustaining short courses.
There is therefore no doubt that the church is revolving from being merely a religious and social institution to an economic one, and it prompted Zimra at some point to want to get taxes from the church.
The question however is: If religious, social and economic activities can be done in church and there is no problem with it, is there anything wrong if the growing numbers of women in political participation (WPP) take their activities to church where they can safely discuss politics undisturbed owing to its nature of being a safe house for women?
Is it wrong for one to suggest the church as a possible place for women to gather and discuss issues of a political nature from where they can support each other?
And if this is permissible, the church can be a safe place for women to freely discuss politics as political rallies are sometimes not friendly places for women and those that take an active participation role are easily stigmatised.
Dr Rocky Moyo the Council for Churches in Africa president says the church is a holy place where people have to go and get entertained spiritually and must feel free, but it should not be a space for political discussions.
“In my view the church will never be a safe place to discuss politics. A church has never been a safe place to discuss politics.
Yes, there are things that we need a political hand as a church, and we cannot run away from that. If you are a church minister and you are politically affiliated, you need to strictly discuss church business.
Politicians do come to church to discuss with church leaders when they are having problems and they seek spiritual guidance,” he said. He spoke about the recent by-elections held in Zimbabwe.
“Take for instance the recent by-elections that we had in Zimbabwe, say one party feels they did not perform well or are disgruntled, they then cannot go to the church and start those discussions, it does not work.
If someone has political ambitions of being a Member of Parliament or Councillor, we cannot have those discussions in the church, one may privately visit their pastor to seek guidance over a political move that they want to make and should never openly do that with the congregation,” he said.
Dr Moyo said the Bible itself does talk of politics but does not speak of people having to congregate in church and discuss politics.
He however said women can approach the church and seek advice on their political careers in their personal capacities.
“The church plays an advisory role for politicians and any other person if they wish. When you start politics in church you will then be splitting the church.
Some people are not interested in it although they do go and vote, they would not want to go to Church and start hearing political messages there,” he added.
Asked on where women can go and discuss politics, he said they need to meet on other platforms away from the church.
“A woman who is called in politics can be a church leader but must not make that a platform for her to speak about her political life as it may not be comfortable with others of a different political opinion. It then distorts the inclusivity of the church.
“Women are taking over on the political scene as we speak, look at Parliament, we now have a lot of women there. But the holding part is that we need to find ways to have these women taking part and talking freely about politics in the correct and safe spaces that are available but not at the church,” he added.
Archbishop Tsungai Vushe who is president of the Association of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe also echoed similar sentiments saying other avenues were available for women to find an audience in a safe space.
He however said party politics should not be discussed in church although the church could support government initiatives.
“Allowing party politics to be discussed in church is not good but if there is talk of supporting government programmes, churches should support.
Churches are the backbone of the government and should be in the front preaching peaceful coexistence. Biblically, the church must support the government of the day so in other words, the church must encourage people to unite because wherever there is conflict the church needs to be the peace maker,” he said.
He said women fail to participate in politics many a time because of different commitments where some are self-employed and need to fend for their families leaving little time to attend political gatherings or to learn more about it.
“Most women are self-employed and need to work to support their families. They are so occupied; they have little time to participate politically or to burden themselves with strategising on how to win elections.
However, the time set aside for church is also a platform that they can share on the benefits of supporting the government of the day and do their developmental projects.
“It is the duty of the church to pray for leaders and the country but party politics should not be preached in church, that is not the correct platform,” he said.
Reverend Useni Sibanda from the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance differed from the other clergymen and felt that the church can serve as platform for training women political leaders in terms of peace building and leadership.
“Politics is just one area in terms of civic leadership, so the church can work with women to develop their leadership skills in whatever capacity that they need to be in society.
A lot of women are marginalised because of wrong teaching. So, a lot of women need to be in a place where we as the church can emphasise the role of women in leadership.
I therefore submit that churches can teach politics in the sense of how women lead in the communities and how they can change lives, he said.
Rev Sibanda said it was vital to have women counted and assisted by the church to pursue their political aspirations.
“It is important that we also teach them on being part of political spaces where women can influence and bring a different agenda.
You find that violence happens in politics mostly because it is male dominated but when women come in, they are more into dialogue than men so it is very important to have them there as well,” he added.
However, Ms Loveness Maphosa a member of a Zanu-PF in Bulawayo said the church was indeed a place women
should feel free to discuss politics.
“I want to run for councillor in my ward and I feel that the church can be a place where we as women can congregate and get some messages of inspiration from the leaders as we need that guidance too.
“Men have many spaces that they discuss politics, even in the bar they meet and talk, why should we be left out, why can’t we go to our safe spaces too.
“We want to meet some of the female political leaders that inspire us and talk politics when we have our women’s meetings (manyano/ruwadzano) we do get inspiration from that,” said Ms Maphosa.
It however stands open for debate whether women can use the church as their safe space and as a platform where they talk politics in an open and honest manner.
@NyembeziMu
