The Church, national healing and reconciliation in Zimbabwe: A womanist perspective on Churches in Manicaland (CiM) By Molly Manyonganise (u13284186) A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD in Biblical and Religious Studies in the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies University of Pretoria Faculty of Humanities Supervisor: Dr. Elijah Mahlangu September 2015 i Dedication This study is dedicated to my late father, Boniface Juru Mhuru. I am convinced that you would have been proud to see me acquire this qualification because education was always your passion. To all the women victims and survivors of political violence in Zimbabwe, this study is also dedicated to you so that you know that you are not forgotten. This study has broken the silence on your experiences and for once, it has given you a voice; a voice which should never be muted again. ii Acknowledgements The study would not have been a success without the support and participation of a number of people. First and foremost, I would like to thank God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit for seeing me through this study. The journey was not for the faint-hearted. The courage to continue emanated from the invisible hand of the supernatural Being who is none other but God himself that held and supported me throughout the course of the study. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to my promoter, Dr. Elijah Mahlangu who journeyed with me throughout the research process. His guidance shall forever be cherished. I also would like to acknowledge the support of Professor Ezra Chitando from the University of Zimbabwe, who throughout this study sacrificed his time to read through the chapters and offered insightful comments. His selflessness is incomparable. Many thanks also go to my family. Throughout the study, my mother, brothers and sisters were pillars of strength. I would not have managed to accomplish this without the support of my family. I am grateful for their prayers and encouragement. To the study participants from Churches in Manicaland (CiM) and those from the communities in Mutare Urban and Mutare Rural, this study was possible because they accepted to give their stories. This thesis would not have been possible without their invaluable input. iii I am also thankful to my beloved husband, Kingstone, my adorable son, Ed Panashe and lovely daughter, Shammah Vongaishe. You were there for me, encouraging me throughout the study. At those times that I felt like giving up, you cheered me on. The success of this study is a result of your love and support. I am also thankful to Ms Angeline Madongonda for editing this document. Last but not least, I would like to thank the University of Pretoria for granting me a bursary that enabled me to meet the financial obligations of this study. Without it, I would not have managed to pull through. The same appreciation goes to the Association of African Universities (AAU) for awarding me a research grant for carrying out field work. I am truly grateful. iv Declaration I declare that the dissertation on, The Church, National Healing and Reconciliation in Zimbabwe: A Womanist Perspective on Churches in Manicaland (CiM) is my own work and that all sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Signed Date MOLLY MANYONGANISE v Abstract Given that women are the major victims of any conflict, their lived experiences should be the starting point of any post-reconstruction process. Proceeding from this premise, this study looked at the role of the church in national healing and reconciliation in Zimbabwe from a gendered perspective focusing specifically on Churches in Manicaland (CiM), a forum of churches operating in Manicaland province. While academic scholars have written about the activities of the church and church organisations in Zimbabwe (in the national healing and reconciliation process), there have been limited attempts at examining the intersections of gender and post- reconstruction processes such as national healing and reconciliation especially in as far as the church’s participation in the process is concerned. This study comes in to fill this gap in the existing scholarly literature by proposing a new model for national healing and reconciliation on which the church can lean. The aim of this study is to provide a womanist perspective to CiM’s activities in the national healing and reconciliation process in Zimbabwe by finding out if the Forum prioritises women’s experiences of political violence. The study is qualitative in nature and it utilised documents and interviews as tools for data collection from CiM officials. Input from women survivors of political violence as well as some men and women who witnessed political violence in the communities in Mutare Urban and Mutare Rural provided the raw data from which an analysis was drawn. The study found out that though CiM has been active in trying to bring healing and reconciliation to communities in Manicaland, it has not focused on women’s experiences of political violence as requiring special attention. From the responses of study participants, the study probed the possible reasons behind this neglect. Drawing from the experiences of women in Manicaland of political violence, the study proposed the adoption of a womanist model for national healing and reconciliation. The study argued that from this model, the church in Zimbabwe can come up with an all-inclusive African Womanist Theology of vi national healing and reconciliation, a theology which pays particular attention to how women experience conflict. Key words: women, political violence, church, healing, reconciliation, transitional justice, forgiveness, social intergration, womanist model, African Womanist Theology vii Acronynms AEE African Evangelistic Enterprise AFM Apostolic Faith Mission AICs African Initiated Churches AIDS Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome AIPPA Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act ARLPI Acholi Religious Leaders Peace Initiative ATRs African Traditional Religions BCU Boys’ Christian Union BSAC British South Africa Company CCJP Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace CCM Christian Council of Mozambique CCSF Church and Civil Society Forum CiM Churches in Manicaland CMC Christian Marching Church CSM Church of Sweden CYL City Youth League DANet Destiny for Africa Network DRC Democratic Republic of Congo EFZ Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe ESAP Economic Structural Adjustment Programme FGD Focus Group Discussion Fr Father FTLRP Fast Track Land Reform Programme viii GCU Girls’ Christian Union GNU Government of National Unity GPA Global Political Agreement GtH Grace to Heal HIS Heart in Service HIV Human Immuno Virus HOCD Heads of Christian Denominations HOME Hand of Mercy ICC International Criminal Court ICTR International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda IG Inclusive Government IOM International Organisation for Migration JOMIC Joint Monitoring Command LMS London Missionary Society LRF Legal Resources Foundation MCU Men’s Christian Union MDC Movement for Democratic Change MDC-N Movement for Democratic Change-Ncube MDC-T Movement for Democratic Change- Tsvangirai NCA National Constitutional Assembly NPCs New Pentecostal Churches NPRC National Peace and Reconciliation Commisssion NTJW National Transitional Justice Working Group ix NVDD National Vision Discussion Document ONHRI Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration PaCDEF Peace-building and Capacity Development Foundation PCR Programme to Combat Racism PHD Prophetic Healing Deliverance POSA Public Order and Security Act RAU Research and Advocacy Unit SADC South African Development Community SATRC South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission UANC United African National Council UCCZ United Christian Church in Zimbabwe UDACIZA Union for the Development of African Churches in Zimbabwe UDI Unilateral Declaration of Independence UFIC United Family International Church UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation WCC World Council of Churches WLMAP Women of Liberation Mass Action for Peace ZADHR Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights ZAFM Zion Apostolic Faith Mission ZANU PF Zimbabwe African Union Patriotic Front ZAOGA Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa ZAPU Zimbabwe African Patriotic Front x ZCA Zimbabwe Christian Alliance ZCBC Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference ZCC Zimbabwe Council of Churches ZCC Zion Christian Church ZEC Zimbabwe Electoral Commission ZNPC Zimbabwe National Pastors’ Conference ZPP Zimbabwe Peace Project ZUD Zimbabwe Union for Democrats ZUM Zimbabwe Unity Movement xi TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………..i Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………...ii Declaration………………………………………………………………………………….iv Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………..v Acronyms………………………………………………………………………………… vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND ORIENTATION 1.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………. …….. 1 1.1 Area of investigation…………………………………………………………… …….. 2 1.2 Background to the Study………………………………………………. …………….. 2 1.3 Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………… 4 1.4 Aims and Objectives………………………………………………………………….. 5 1.5 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………… 5 1.6 Justification of the Study…………………………………………………………….. 6 1.7 Methodology………………………………………………………………………….. 6 1.7.1 Theoretical Approaches……………………………………… …………….. 7 1.7.1.1 The History of Religions Approach………………………………... 7 1.7.1.2 The Phenomenological