The Sunday Mail
Tafadzwa Kadhani
LAST Saturday marked the beginning of a new and amazing journey in the local religious community which has been described as the miracle of our time in Zimbabwe and the world at large.
All roads led to the City Sports Stadium in Harare where the Harare metropolitan province Interfaith Day of Prayer was being held.
Abandoning the somewhat divisive long garment of denominations, people from different faiths gathered in unison and prayer.
Different regalia decorated the venue with Muslims, Christian denominations such as the Salvation Army, Apostolic sects, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police among others who graced the event.
The Interfaith Day of Prayer saw also Members of Parliament, officials from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services gathering under one roof for the love of fellow man and the nation.
The event ran under the theme “Peace and Prosperity in Zimbabwe”, and the key scriptures were Jeremiah 29:7 and Chapter 5:16 of the Qur’an.
Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province, Reverend Miriam Chikukwa, was the visionary behind the event which she hopes will not be a once-off thing but rather a fixture on the religious calendar. Rev Albert Muleya, chairman of the organising committee, said the event was an inaugural programme which would then spread to the country’s 10 provinces.
“This is just the beginning. God-willing and if people from different provinces take up the initiative we will be more than willing to host such events nationwide,” said Rev Muleya.
The programme was and is an initiative to bring unity and accord between different religious groups in Zimbabwe, Government and the general citizenry of Zimbabwe.
“The theme today (last Saturday) explains the main objective of this event, we are here to pray for peace and harmony in our nation, and that is why you see that people from all walks have attended.” Minister Chikukwa said it was the duty of ministers to use their influence to create peace and prosperity in Zimbabwe and most importantly intercede for the country.
“Unity in Government will unite the whole nation, and since the event was held in Harare which is the capital city it will have a cascading effect to all parts of the country” said Minister Chikukwa. She condemned Satanism saying all religious groups in Zimbabwe ought to work together to subdue it for the sake of the nation.
Weighing in with his sentiments, secretary-general of the Federation of Islamic Propagation Organisations, Abudhabi Asali, said the Muslim community welcomed such progressive programmes with open arms.
“This is an opportunity to show that Muslims and Christians can co-exist unlike the situation in Central Africa and Nigeria. We all hail from one God,” added Mr Asali.
