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CHRISTIANS SILENT DURING CALLS FOR ELECTIONS BOYCOTT – ALPHEOUS

09/07/2023 18:25:00 Mfanukhona Nkambule

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MBABANE – Government has observed that the Christian community was silent when some disingenuous and sinister voices were calling upon emaSwati to boycott the general election.

Alpheous Nxumalo, the Government Press Secretary, said government was, however, in support of the prayer services even though they were sanctioned a bit late. He said the Christian community was silent during the time when ferocious and strange voices were calling for the boycott of the national election exercise. Citing Exodus 17:11-13, Nxumalo, a theologian and pastor, said Moses’ hands were held up in support by Hur and Aaron while the battles and the war were raging on and not when it was finished. He said Israel was winning when Moses’ hands were lifted up to heaven. But, he said, when his hands were down, Israel was losing the battle. He said it took two of Moses’ trusted associates, namely Aaron and Hur to hold up Moses both hands so that the children of Israel could win.

In the same way, he said the Kingdom of Eswatini appreciated ‘genuine and productive prayers’. “Prayer had been working and it is still working,” he said. The government press secretary said heroes were not born by fighting at the end of the battle but at its inception. “Nonetheless, to be late is still preferable than never,” he said. He pointed out that Christians should be as wise, bold and pro active in all matters which impacted on society. “Standing on the sidelines of history has no legacy at all,” he advised. He said Christians should respond to their calling to serve God, their country and society. Nxumalo said they shouldn’t just be voters but should rather stand to be elected if their calling ‘is to serve in politics’. He then mentioned that the call for the Christian community to pray for the country at this point in time was quite appreciated because the country needed God’s intervention to stop the ritual killings. He said God is needed to stop the ritual killing of children, women and men who were in the past murdered by some people who obviously wanted to climb the political echelon through demonic stunts.

The government spokesperson said the ritual murder of emaSwati for purposes of climbing to political office and power constituted violence. “It may be soft violence in the sense that it occurs in obscurity and in silence, however its effects, destruction and loss is equally the same with all other open, crude and visible violence,” Nxumalo said. All in all, he said government supported the calls by the country’s Christian community to hold prayers for the peaceful national elections. He said government was in full support of the prayers because they sought to encourage Christians to vote. “This is no doubt a noble cause,” the government press secretary said. “However, it comes a bit too late because if the registration for voting was closed weeks ago and if you aren’t registered you can’t vote,” he said.

We are not silent – Bishop Hlatjwako

Bishop Samson Hlatjwako, the Chairperson of the League of African Churches, said Nxumalo talked sense but has unfortunately issued an irresponsible statement this time around.
He said they talked through prayer in their different denominations. “We pray every day for the country and it’s not true that we are silent,” he said. He said they had been praying for the country, sometimes holding public prayers since the emergence of COVID-19. He said the country’s newspapers and electronic media reported on their public prayers on peace and stability in the country. Hlatjwako said there was a time when he was also threatened with death during the peak of the civil unrest. The chairman said the forthcoming prayer service would also be dedicated to the 55th Double Celebrations in September 2023. The nation will celebrate His Majesty’s 55th birthday and 55th independence anniversary. Hlatjwako urged Christians to be strong and not give up as they have been earnestly praying to God to end violence in the country.

conjunction

In February 2023, the Council of Swaziland Churches in conjunction with the African Women’s Peace and Development Foundation publicly announced a prayer service for peace, end violence and stop the killings. It was held at Bosco Skills Centre in Manzini. It must be said that Nxumalo, the government spokesperson, mentioned that such prayers were necessary.
Eswatini News reported yesterday that pastors, at a press conference, announced prayer services to be held on July 15, 2023. Arch Deacon Bhekindlela Magongo said people disappeared every time there were elections in the country. In the presence of the Minister of Home Affairs, Princess Lindiwe, the men of the cloth from the three main church bodies made the announcement after His Majesty the King had allowed them to hold the services.

Magongo said they would be praying for peace and stability. It was reported that Bishop Hlatjwako invited the Christians to attend the services without fail. The main day for the election is September 29, 2023. The country’s nominations will be held on July 22, 2023 and July 23, 2023. Primary elections would he held on August 26, 2023. Candidates would begin their official campaigns between August 27, 2023 and September 27. The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) is responsible for overseeing and supervising the registration process, facilitating civic and voter education and reporting on elections. The Prayer Institute of Texas, USA, says God has always been concerned about who governs His people. It encouraged Christians to listen prayerfully to the candidates and ask the Holy Spirit to show them who they need to vote for.

In 2017, at the height of political trouble in Kenya, Christians held prayers throughout the country. The Kenyans intensified prayers for their country as the tightly contested August 8, 2017 general election was drawing closer. Citizens across the East African nation sought divine intervention in the election as they prayed on the streets, in churches, in public rallies and in their houses.