BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
Agreement on the 15th September 2008 by the principals of the three
parties. Moreover, this paved way to the formation of the Government of
National Unity (GNU) on the 13th of February 2009 in which the presi-
dent of the MDC-T Morgan Tsvangirayi assumed the office Prime Min-
ister of Zimbabwe and president of MDC-M Professor Arthur Mutam-
bara assumed the office of Deputy Prime Minister, while Robert Mugabe
the president of ZANU PF was sworn in as the president of the Inclusive
Government being deputized by Joice Mujuru and Joseph Musika repec-
tively. The new political dispensation we witnessed a radical shift both in
tone and deeds from ZANU PF court prophets. Most of them appraised
the GNU as the will of God as well as the people of Zimbabwe, a total
departure from the campaigning slogan flavored by Rom 13:1-7. One
wonders why there was a seemingly change of heart among these
staunch supporters of tyranny. Some political analysts contend that the
shift is not genuine but just a temporary withdrawal because their
dreams were thwarted and overtaken by the defeat of their icon in the
March harmonized elections. They argue that such theorists will not
easily give-up on their agenda because they always benefit from their
support of the government, in other words they cannot afford to bite the
hand that feeds them. For instance, the majority of them benefited from
the fast-track land reform hence they seize to be objective in their analy-
sis of government policies. A case in point is that of Bishop Kunonga (of
what is now a faction of the Anglican Church), who apparently colluded
with the land grab by occupying a farm about 10km from Harare, and
also divided the Anglican Church, running it like a political party. He
too, like the powers that be, holds on tenaciously to power. It is common
knowledge that Kunonga is the closest ally of President Mugabe, he has
been used as a religious practitioner at most state events such as inde-
pendence and heroes holidays as well as on funerals at the national
shrine. Of interest was his presence at the July 2008 presidential inaugu-
ration at the state house where he offered the opening prayer. The prayer
was full of relics from Rom 13:1-7 and this baffled many because the
election itself was one of the worst elections ever in the history of Zim-
babwe. In simple terms by endorsing the results of a sham election he
condoned the brutal acts that were associated with it. Thus is being
heartless and worthless as a religious leader.
As observed above, Rom 13:1-7 has been grossly misinterpreted and at
times controversially used to authenticate the status quo. Some religious
leaders have interpreted the text out of context mainly because they are