President Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged religious institutions to take on a more active role in national development, urging them to go beyond spiritual matters and contribute to economic and social progress. The President made the remarks while addressing delegates at the National Spiritual Conference.
Mnangagwa emphasised that the church has a critical role to play in supporting government initiatives aimed at achieving Vision 2030, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy. He noted that churches possess extensive networks and moral authority that can be leveraged to promote education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure development.
“The church cannot remain on the sidelines while the nation pursues its developmental goals,” the President said, calling for stronger collaboration between government, faith-based organisations, and the private sector. He highlighted that such partnerships would help address social challenges, including poverty, unemployment, and moral decay.
The conference brought together church leaders from various denominations to discuss ways of strengthening their involvement in national affairs. Mnangagwa reiterated his administration’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to build a prosperous and united Zimbabwe.
Church leaders welcomed the call, with many expressing readiness to align their programmes with national development priorities. They acknowledged that the church has historically played a key role in education and healthcare and can expand its contributions to other sectors.
