BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
and sanitary facilities. Indeed this was a national (man-made) disaster
because most of these victims were already succumbing to economic
hardships characterized by hyperinflation, intense poverty and unem-
ployment.
To make matters worse, some that decided to return to their rural areas
were either denied entry or forced to pay a token of money by alleged
ZANU PF village leadership because these victims were believed to be
linked with the opposition MDC. The government faced with the mess
embarked on a housing project called Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle. Unfortu-
nately this project lacked founding. But to be precise the houses that
were built under this project were inhabitable, they were mere
matchboxes way below the standard of the house that were now lying as
rabble. Moreover most of the houses are still uncompleted three years
down the line. Over and above that it is alleged that the beneficiaries of
the project were supporter of the then ruling party (ZANU PF) (ZCBC,
EFZ and ZCC 2006). When the UN envoy (Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka)
came to assess the effects of operation Murambatsvina, her report (18
July 2005) was thorough and honest. The report influenced the United
Nations Security Council to condemn and order an immediate stop to
Operation Murambatsvina. Be as it may, the likes of Obadiah Musindo
continued with their appraisal of the government policies which were
detrimental to the lives of the poor populace. Instead of condemning the
city fathers for their failure to allocate people adequate residential stands
and constantly monitor the rise of the so-called illegal stands they spear-
headed a scathing attack on the victims. The state media was litter by
interviews and press statements geared at justifying the government
policy. All these efforts rest upon the marshalling theories of sovereignty
that are partially derived from Rom 13:1-7. The housing project was used
as a campaigning gimmick in preceding elections. However, a critical
analysis of Operation Murambatsvina is that it was a political move
aimed at punishing the urban electorate for voting resoundingly for the
opposition party in the just ended 2005 parliamentary elections. In
which case therefore, Paul’s claim in Rom 13:3 that the rulers are not a
terror to the citizens becomes logically problematic in the Zimbabwean
context.
It is important to note that, the history of Zimbabwean elections as from
2000 to date has been associated with regrettable and traumatic experi-
ences that range from politically motivated violence, intimidation, tor-