Many ordinary Zimbabweans express disappointment that hoped-for
changes are yet to be felt, in access to employment and cash. Once again, our
currency operates with multiple exchange rates, an illegal situation that
appears to be tolerated and allows easy profits for the unscrupulous few.
The Elections: Opening a New Door
[3] Now that the elections required by our Constitution have been
announced, we write to reflect with you upon their significance at this point of
our history. For Zimbabweans, elections have been occasions either of great
hope and excitement or of fear and anger ending in disillusionment. It is true
that elections are never, in themselves, the answers to problems. But, as part
of a wider programme of transformation, they can be moments of national
recommitment.
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We believe, we hope and we pray, that the coming elections of 30 July 2018
will be such a moment for us all. Genuinely free and fair elections will return
us to constitutionality and the 'will of the people' will clarify what happened in
November 2017.
All Zimbabweans must therefore put any fear and disillusionment of previous
elections behind them and prepare carefully for generous participation in the
electoral process that is central to our democracy. Recent isolated events of
violence and bomb attacks are regrettable, unacceptable and unfortunate for
the country.
[4] As Catholic Bishops, we have set out before major national elections in
the past the conditions for free and fair elections and offered our reflections on
criteria for Christians and others to make the free choice that is guaranteed by
our Constitution. In our letter Only When Power Stands Under God's
Blessing Can It Be Trusted (December 2007, before the 2008 elections), we
wrote that “…we urge Government and all the contesting parties, to create a
social, political and economic climate that enhances moral integrity.”
We advocated for free and fair elections which would have local and
international recognition. In doing so, we were aiming at building the
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