Story by Tamuka Charakupa

THE church continues to speak against violence and disruptive behaviour ahead of this year’s harmonised elections, with the Zion Christian Church leader, Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi urging the nation to preserve unity as a vehicle for economic development.

Bishop Mutendi was addressing church members during a service held at Sterksroom Secondary School in Chipinge this Thursday.

“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. We should work with our own hands using resources around us to our benefit,” he said.

“This is not the time to be seen loitering and demonstrating in the streets. We should work together and remain united because already we have other wars to fight. We are striving against the sanctions, so why should we waste our energy on issues that do not build our country?”

Traditional leaders praised the church for taking a proactive role in denouncing violence, saying there is a need for a collective approach to promoting unity in the country.

“As traditional leaders, we are very happy that the church is reiterating the message we have been preaching all along. We need peace and unity because that is the only way we can build our country,” said Chief Chikukwa.

Meanwhile, the ZCC is set to erect a plaque along the Jopa-Skyline Highway in memory of the 36 bus disaster victims who perished last year during the Easter holidays on their way to the Mbungo Shrine in Masvingo.