ZIMBABWE
The Standard
Notwithstanding that Zimbabweans are of diverse religions and faith, our Constitution says we are a Christian nation.
CONELIA MABASA SUNDAY VIEW
The charter also provides for the right to freedom of worship. That we are a Christian nation makes the goings-on in churches matters of national interest.
Recently a group of men from an apostolic faith church made the news for all the wrong reasons after they beat up police officers who were escorts for an elder who wanted to ban their church for abuse of women and children.
While they have been granted bail on the case of assault, women’s groups and child rights activists are waiting for formal reports and investigations into the allegations of abuse, especially that fathers insert their dirty fingers into their daughters’ vaginas every week to test for virginity and give away daughters as compensation to men who married non-virgins. Virginity-testing is largely referred to as sexual assault, but I believe it must be upgraded to be treated as a form of rape.
Some sections of society also want to know if Johannes Ndanga [president of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe] had the mandate to ban the church and if he used the right channels to carry out the mandate. His actions could have been interpreted as provocation and an infringement on the right of the vapostori’s freedom of worship. If any crimes were committed, then it is the role of the police to investigate and get the perpetrators to be prosecuted.
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