THE Council for Churches in Africa (CCA) has pledged to mobilise votes for the ruling Zanu PF party in Bulawayo after it was given a stand to build a church in Cowdray Park.
Zanu PF has struggled to win seats in Bulawayo since the turn of the millenium with the formation of the opposition MDC.
CCA president Rocky Moyo said their membership would repay the ruling party with votes in the general elections after a ribbon-cutting event for the stand in the suburb yesterday.
CCA is an umbrella body for pentecostal, apostolic sects and Zion denominations, among others.
“Our call has been heeded and we are on cloud nine. The stand that was given to one of our churches is in Cowdray Park. We got the stand through the help of a Zanu PF councillor in the area,” Moyo told journalists during a visit to the sprawling suburb.
“We are happy that Umkhumbi weNkosi Church of God in Zion which is led by the Archbishop Mqalisi Sibanda now has a place of worship here in Cowdray Park, away from bushes. On our part as CCA, we pledged to work with Zanu PF, and we will mobilise votes for the party.”
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Cowdray Park is the only suburb in Bulawayo with a Zanu PF councillor.
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube is eyeing the constituency on a Zanu PF ticket.
According to Moyo, at least 60% of churches under the CCA banner do not have proper structures of worship.
Bulawayo City Council has been conducting raids on open-air worshippers.
“We are very happy that the government and ruling party are working with churches, giving them land for places of worship which was a challenge for the churches. We thank them for fulfilling the promises that they had made,” Moyo added.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has targeted churches, especially apostolic sects, for support in his re-election bid.