‘Churches Promoting BVR’

BULAWAYO — AN increase in Bio-metric Voter Registration in churches has occurred as a result of cooperation in registration of congregants by various local Churches, according to local Civic Society Organizations. 

BULAWAYO — AN increase in Bio-metric Voter Registration (BVR) in churches has occurred as a result of cooperation in registration of congregants by various local Churches, local Civic Society Organizations (CSOs) said earlier this week.

‘‘The Christian community has allowed us to conduct the BVR in local churches. Churches like Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) have played a significant role in allowing the congregants to take part in the BVR," Reverend Useni Sibanda, director of the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA), said at a press briefing held at the Bulawayo Press Club on Monday.

‘‘The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) should start to think of having gospel concerts so that they increase the number of registering Christians in the BVR.’’

Last week local CSOs held a gospel concert at the City Hall which led to masses of people registering to participate in the 2018 elections.

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Tawanda Chimhini, director of the Election Resource Centre (ECR) said ZEC should mobilize the BVR process in churches to encourage large portions of people to register.

‘‘ZEC should continue the registration within churches as this has had a great impact on the increase of people registering to vote. Churches which do not allow their members to participate in the BVR should be enlightened on BVR and the importance of voting as some of these churches have a huge influence on their congregants.’’ 

Samkeliso Khumalo, the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) director said they have faced difficulties in some churches with a huge number of congregants that have doctrines that do not allow them to register to vote and people have to be enlightened and encouraged to register and vote in the upcoming elections. 

Sibanda added: ‘‘‘Prophetic’ churches with a huge following like those of Magaya and Makandiwa will be consulted to encourage their congregants to register to vote.’’— @The_CBNews 

Editing by Julia Thomas and Divine Dube