THE CHURCH IN ZIMBABWE CAUTIOUSLY WELCOMES GNU

The churches in Zimbabwe met yesterday and cautiously welcomed the Government of National Unity. It was after the Zimbabwe Council of Church ZCC, the Evangelical fellowship of Zimbabwe EFZ, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference ZCBC and Christian Alliance ZCA met with priminister designate Morgan Tsvangirai that the Church agreed that they should support the new government. Morgan Tsvangirai had asked the Church to meet him so that he explained what was going on. After the meeting the Church prayed for the success of the new arrangement.

It was also agreed that prayers would be conducted before and after 11 February when the PM will be swon in. Sunday 15 February was set aside as the day the Church in Zimbabwe will thank God for having taken us such far. The mood at the meeting was so positive despite the fact that delegates were not amused by the reported calls by Frank Chikane and President Montlante of South Africa for the immediate removal of sanctions. The question was asked who gave them the mandate to call for the removal of sanctions. They are on record that they are not in a position to prescribe anything for Zimbabweans. "Zimbabweans are mature, they know what they want," has been their clarion call. Instead delegates thought the priority was the release of political prisoners who should not be in custody a day longer.

Mr Tsvangirai showed confidence in the new set up. He was however aware of the challenges because of the expectations of people who had been brutalised for such a long time. The prirorities he had set out were education, health, food and revival of the economy. "I know once you finish one aspect of peoples' needs the bar of expectation is moved up," Said Tsvangirai. He thanked the church for the confidence it also had in him. He asked the Church to continually remember him and the new government in its prayers.