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Zimbabwe: What’s Next? July 23rd, 2008

President Robert Mugabe, age 84, declared himself a winner in the second presidential runoff held on June 27, after the main rival opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) pulled out of elections citing Mugabe’s intimidation and violent attacks on citizens who voted for the opposition party. Mugabe was quickly sworn in as President for a sixth term. Politically motivated violence against the opposition members characterized the June 27th pre-election phase.

The international and African regional communities declared Mugabe’s election anti-democratic, arguing that it did not follow the African Charter on democratic elections and governance, and failed to uphold SADC election regulations. Church organizations also joined in condemning the violence and intimidation during the election period. Heads of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference, Zimbabwe Council of Churches and Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe issued a statement condemning the state-sponsored brutality and calling for transition authority in Zimbabwe.

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Zimbabwe: Campaign of Brutality June 19th, 2008

The second round of presidential elections in Zimbabwe will take place June 27th 2008. President Mugabe (ZANU PF) is pitted against Morgan Tsvangiria of the Movement for Democratic change (MDC). As Zimbabwe prepares for this second election, there are numerous reports from church groups and Non-Governmental Organizations of state-sponsored political violence and intimidation against opposition MDC members. Mugabe has vowed to wage war on the opposition party. He has also threatened never to hand over presidential powers to Morgan Tvsangiria should Mugabe loses again as he did on March 29.

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Day of Prayer for the People of Zimbabwe on June 22 June 18th, 2008

Sunday, 22 June has been set as a Day of Prayer for the people of Zimbabwe. Please include the Oblates in Zimbabwe in your prayers. The run-off election for the Presidency is scheduled for the following week. With all the violence in the lead-up to this, we pray that the election will be peaceful, that justice will be done and that the suffering of the people in Zimbabwe will come to an end.

South African Oblate Archbishop calls for End to Violence in Zimbabwe May 13th, 2008

Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, OMI – president of the South African Catholic Bishops Conference – calls for an end to violence and intimidation and the deployment of reliable international observers in Zimbabwe.

‘A run-off election in Zimbabwe will not be possible without an immediate end to intimidation, violence and torture and the deployment of reliable international election observers.’ (Download PDF of the Archbishop’s Letter)

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Zimbabwe Resolution passes US Senate May 1st, 2008

Washington D.C. – May 1, 2008 – The United States Senate passed a resolution on Zimbabwe calling on President Robert Mugabe to accept the results of the Zimbabwe parliamentary election. Mugabe, whose term of office expired in March 2008, was asked to step down from the presidency.

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Zambian Oblates Attend 25th Africa Faith and Justice Network Conference April 29th, 2008

Four Zambian Oblate scholastics from Sexton house of studies in San Antonio, Texas attended the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) 25th anniversary in Virginia on April 18-21. AFJN is a coalition of United States based Catholic religious congregations and diocesan organizations that have relationship to Africa. AFJN advocates for responsible U.S. policy towards Africa by engaging U.S. policymakers on human rights, peace building and sustainable development.

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