Evangelist Idirashe Dongo, the founder of the Pastors for Economic Development (ED) movement, faced difficulties giving a speech about the state of the 23-24 August 2023 harmonized elections in Zimbabwe. The movement, officially launched by Zanu PF Midlands provincial chairperson Senator Larry Mavima in November 2022, claimed that it aimed to engage religious leaders in politics while supporting President Mnangagwa’s vision.
Back then, Dongo stated that Zimbabwe’s population was predominantly Christian, with 85.5 percent of the population belonging to this faith. She believed that church leaders should encourage their members to actively contribute to the country’s economic development, aligning with the goals of Vision 2030.
During her speech, Dongo encountered difficulties and failed three times to deliver her address. Despite her attempts, she was unable to complete her speech and eventually gave up. The reasons behind her inability to proceed were not specified.
Dongo, however, seemed to be trashing preliminary reports by international observers who concluded that Zimbabwe’s elections had failed to meet regional and international standards. Watch the video below for more:
There exists a complex relationship between religious leaders, politics, and the role of the church in shaping the socio-political landscape of Zimbabwe. Certain prominent preachers have been accused of using their religious platform to advance the agenda of the ruling party, ZANU PF, at the expense of the general population. These preachers have been known to make predictions or prophecies that are favourable to the ruling party, which raises concerns about their impartiality and the influence of politics within religious contexts.