Zimbabwe church leaders vow to publicly condemn violence on citizens

Zimbabwean church leaders have vowed to publicly condemn and act against violence on Zimbabwean people regardless of who the instigators are.

This is one of the declarations made by church ministers from various denominations who met at the Anglican Cathedral in Harare on Thursday afternoon‚ a copy of which was obtained by Tiso Black Star Group Digital on Friday.

The meeting comes after Pastor Evan Mawarire‚ the man credited with spawning an effective viral subversive internet campaign against President Robert Mugabe‚ was arrested and released this week for inciting public violence and disturbing the peace under the hashtag #ThisFlag.

The meeting was organised by Bishop Ancelimo Magaya‚ founder of Grace Ablaze Ministries International.

In the three-hour meeting‚ church ministers spoke on how the church had‚ in the past‚ failed to stand up and speak out on state-sponsored violence‚ torture and abduction.

The ministers also declared that the church should engage in a year-long drive of empowering church leaders across the country to rise up and boldly advocate against violence‚ torture and any form of inhumane or unjust treatment of citizens.

Outside the cathedral‚ there was tension as three military trucks filled with riot police and two water cannons primed themselves to subdue any potential unrest from the congregatio