foundation of the Kingdom of God here on earth, a Kingdom of peace, love,
justice and freedom. This is a fundamental role of the Church.
[5] In March 2013, in our letter entitled Zimbabwe Elections and the God of
Second Chances (before the 2013 elections), we wrote that “We call upon all
contesting parties to sign up for The Zimbabwe Political Parties Code of
Conduct.” All political parties should be free to campaign within the limits of
this Code, to set out their manifestos for the free and reasoned choice of all
voters. In particular, “Political parties that contest in the forth-coming
elections should have equal access to State media coverage. The electorate
have a right to be fully informed before they make their political choices.” At
this time, we need to emphasise this right which is guaranteed by the
Constitution: an uninformed choice is not a free choice.
We acknowledge the progress made in preparing the Voters' Roll, particularly
the use of new technology. Everything that makes for greater transparency
will contribute to the credibility of the election and its result both inside and
outside Zimbabwe. The process of casting and counting votes on the day of
the election needs to be well-organized, safe and efficient, protecting both the
confidentiality of the individual voter and open to the proper scrutiny of
authorized observers.
[6] To individual voters, we repeat what we said in our letter of February
2002, A Call to Work for Unity, Peace and Harmony (before the 2002
presidential election), “We call upon all of you once again to make the
optimum use of your vote for the good of the country. Use your vote, it is your
right and nobody can take it from you. Make your choice in the freedom of
your conscience. Do not be afraid, it is a secret. Act as a free citizen...”
As Christians we understand our role of building the Kingdom of Heaven on
earth, of shaping according to the values of the Gospel the societies in which
we live, work and pray and in which we raise our children. Jesus proclaimed
the Kingdom of God as God's rule in human lives begun here on earth and
completed in Heaven. The Kingdom Jesus speaks of is not just the afterlife but
an expression of how God wants the world to be and live (Mk. 4:26-34).
In March 2013 (Zimbabwe Elections and the God of Second Chances,
before the 2013 elections), we listed qualities to be looked for in our leaders
3