E. Vengeyi, The Bible as a source of strength among Zimbabwean women ...They can turn around bad practices into good.^35 Her message basically
was full of hope for the nation through women if they know their stand
before God.
While it is true that all the churches in Zimbabwe took sides with one
political party or the other, during the course of the political crisis, the
Anglican Church paid more than the rest. The Church split into two:
pro-ZANU-PF faction of Bishop Nolbert Kunonga and the pro-MDC
faction of Bishop Sebastian Bakare. During the factional infighting
Kunonga is accused of having the support of the police and military who
helped him consolidate his power as his supporters locked doors and
gates to the St. Mary's Anglican Cathedral in Harare so that the other
faction would have no access to the premises.^36
Since the Bakare faction sees itself as suffering political violence, it has
in response, held several prayer vigils in and around Harare encourag-
ing their followers not to despair. Since women were most affected by
political violence, on one occasion, Mrs Ruth Bakare, the wife of Bishop
Sebastian Bakare organized a prayer meeting (attended by Anglican
women from various dioceses countrywide), whose goal was to encour-
age women church followers to soldier on despite political persecution
they were facing.^37 In her message, she read from the book of Isa 43: 1-2
and 10 and the theme was, ‘You are my witnesses,’ which was cited from
verse 10, ‘You are my witnesses!, declares the Lord, and my servant
whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand
that I am he.’^38
In the following elaboration on the text, Ruth understood their plight,
persecution as almost the fulfillment of the scripture. In other words,
she argued that the Anglican Church, Harare diocese was being com-
forted by the words of God in the Bible in the midst of hopelessness and
despair. I will cite here her sermon at length. She said,
During these times of uncertainty and manifold challenges in our life as a
church and a nation, the Bible seems to have come alive to us in a new way.
You are my witnesses – what does this mean to us in Zimbabwe in 2008?
Indeed we have witnessed and continue to witness many things: we see so-
(^35) Cf. Eunor Guti, address to ‘Today’s Woman’.
(^36) ‘Supporters of pro-Mugabe bishop blockade cathedral’, ZW News, 4 February 2008,
From Associated Press, available online, accessed on 3 February 2010.
(^37) Cf. The Times, ‘The events of Lady Day 2008 celebrated on 19 April 2008 at St Michael’s
Mbare’, 23 April 2008. She made her speech on 19 April 2008.
(^38) Cf. The Times, ‘The events of Lady Day’.