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VP Emmerson Mnangagwa reads the plaque on the refurbished ward at Masvingo General Hospital during a tour of the institution yesterday

Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
CHURCHES in Zimbabwe should pray for peace and unity as the country will soon be preparing for harmonised elections scheduled for next year, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa said yesterday.

Addressing Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) congregants, Zanu-PF members and Government officials during a handover ceremony of a refurbished private ward at Masvingo General Hospital to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, VP Mnangagwa called on the SDA and other churches to pray for peace during the elections.

VP Mnangagwa who was also the guest of honour hailed the SDA for supporting Government’s Zim-Asset aspirations through refurbishing health facilities.

He said the country’s leadership is happy when churches preach to promote peace, love and unity.

The church refurbished the ward into a state-of-the-art structure at a cost of $40 000, provided new linen that include three blankets for each bed, sheets, pillows and electrical fittings.

The church provided satellite television, put a new ceiling, repaired window panes and painted the private ward as well as landscaping.

The SDA drilled a borehole at the hospital, donated prison uniforms to Mutimurefu Prisons, baptised 120 inmates and trained over 200 of them in Bible courses.

“We are happy that the SDA and other church denominations prayed for the rains and God gave the country the rains which have seen us having successful Command Agriculture. I also implore the SDA and other churches to pray for the nation as we are approaching 2018 harmonised elections. We want our people to have peace and unity during these elections. It is in this spirit that I challenge all churches and religious denominations to preach peace, tolerance and productivity for our great nation,” said VP Mnangagwa.

He said the Government embraces the concept of Public and Private Partnerships (PPP) where churches like the SDA have assisted the Ministry of Health and Child Care in the improvement of health delivery system.

He said the church has since 1980 been actively promoting the provision of health care.

“The new private ward here is a success story of collaboration and development. I am advised that this kind of gesture by the SDA church has become an annual event. In 2015 for example, a ward was refurbished at Harare General Hospital. In 2016, a similar partnership introduced a private ward at Gwanda Provincial Hospital,” he said.

He hailed the SDA for their devotion to the service and well-being of Zimbabweans. He said last month the SDA held a successful health expo at the civic centre in Masvingo offering free treatment to the community where about 3 000 people benefitted.

“I also want to point out that our country’s supreme law, Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No: 20) Act acknowledges the supremacy of the Almighty God, in whose hands our future lies. In addition, the constitution extols the centrality of unity, peace, hard work and tolerance as critical building blocks for development,” he added.

Speaking at the same occasion Masvingo Minister of State for provincial affairs Cde Shuvai Mahofa hailed the SDA for helping the Ministry of Health and Child Care in refurbishing health facilities. She said the SDA should also help abused children.

SDA Zimbabwe Union Conference president Pastor Dr Micah Choga said the church has established 57 preaching sites in and around Masvingo to promote the concept of evangelism which is their engine.

Present at the occasion were SDA secretary general Dr Enock Chifamba, Masvingo MPs, Minister of Psychomotor Activities in Education Cde Josiah Hungwe, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Cde Davis Marapira, Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Dr Amadeaus Shamu, Masvingo General Hospital staff, SDA congregants, Zanu-PF members among others.

— @walterbmswazie3