The new Anglican Bishop of Harare, the Rt Rev Sebastian Bakare, said this week that lawlessness and violence is threatening elections due on 29 March, and has called on Zimbabweans to pray for an end to the conflict and chaos.
Bakare was part of three-member committee of church leaders who met President Robert Mugabe and main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in 2007 in a bid to broker dialogue between the political rivals.
“The environment of lawlessness is destroying [the country],” he declared on 25 February.
Catholic bishops and civil rights activists have said that the national elections cannot be free and fair at the moment, and gave called for their postponement.
The elections are for a new president, parliament and local councils. Supporters of Mr Mugabe, who has crushed internal opposition, say that those questioning them are “acting treasonably”.
Anglican and other clergy have said they will step up their bid to facilitate national dialogue, “in view of the evident failure of South African President Thabo Mbeki’s bid to broker a lasting solution to Zimbabwe’s deepening political and economic crisis” – reports Zimbabwe News Online.