Leaders must repent for Zimbabwe to progress: Mbofana

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By Ruben Mbofana

This service, themed “Our Country, Our Opportunity – Celebrating the Progress and Acknowledging the Potential of Our Country, Zimbabwe,” is said to provide a vital platform for believers to connect with the country’s leadership in prayer for the nation, a gesture deemed essential for any society’s advancement and prosperity.

As a devout Christian, I wholeheartedly agree that it is good for a nation to ceaselessly pray for its leadership and its future.

Indeed, the Bible reminds us in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 to make “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

Prayer for our leaders is vital, as we seek God’s wisdom and guidance for them.

However, prayer alone is insufficient without true repentance, a cornerstone of any healthy, productive relationship with Jehovah God.

The Bible is unequivocal in Proverbs 28:13, which states, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

It is pointless to gather to thank God for the past year and pray for progress and prosperity for the coming year while approaching Him with unrepentant hearts and unclean hands. This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production.
Jehovah God demands worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24), and anything less is fake and disingenuous.

This brings me to the so-called “National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service.”

While it is commendable for political and religious leaders to come together for such a purpose, sincerity must underpin their actions.

It is hypocritical to take the name of God in vain while perpetuating injustice, corruption, and oppression.

The gathering will only have meaning if those present, particularly the ruling elite, genuinely confess their sins, exhibit contrite hearts, and pledge to become leaders who prioritize God’s will above all else.

What is the point of leaders who have deliberately presided over the impoverishment of nearly 70% of Zimbabwe’s population coming before God expecting His blessings?

Over half of this population lives in extreme poverty, earning less than $2.50 a day.

Can such leaders sincerely stand before God without confessing and repenting of their sins, especially when their policies and actions have turned Zimbabwe into a nation of beggars reliant on handouts?
This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production. The looting of national resources, estimated at $3 billion annually, has enriched the few at the expense of the majority.

This theft has deprived millions of Zimbabweans of access to basic services and a dignified life.

As Isaiah 10:1-2 warns, “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people.”

What blessings do these leaders expect from God when they are the very architects of the suffering they claim to lament?

Consider the thousands of Zimbabwean women who die needlessly each year from cervical cancer due to inadequate access to diagnostic and treatment facilities.

According to the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe, over 2,000 women succumb to this disease annually because the government has failed to procure sufficient cancer machines.

Similarly, an estimated 2,500 pregnant women die each year during childbirth, primarily due to the absence of proper maternal healthcare.

How do those in power believe Jehovah God feels when faced with such preventable tragedies caused by their neglect and corruption?

Our children, particularly in rural areas, are denied a quality education.

Schools, particularly in the Matabeleland provinces, repeatedly record 0% pass rates because they lack adequate learning materials and qualified teachers.

This educational failure renders an entire generation unemployable and without hope for a better future.

Can God bless a nation whose leaders deliberately deprive its youth of knowledge and opportunity?

Moreover, chronic malnutrition afflicts 23.5% of children, with over half a million suffering from stunted growth.

Many families cannot afford three decent meals a day, and hunger has become a norm for countless Zimbabweans.

Yet, the ruling elite, who are supposed to lead with integrity and care, have instead looted the nation’s wealth for personal gain.

As Jeremiah 22:13 states, “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice.” What are these leaders thanking God for at this so-called thanksgiving service?

For their immense wealth, acquired through looting and corruption, while the people they lead wallow in abject poverty?

For their ability to access world-class healthcare abroad, while Zimbabwean hospitals lack even the most basic medicines?

For retaining power through electoral fraud, voter intimidation, and the abuse of state institutions, despite being rejected by the people?

The God I serve is a just and righteous God who abhors sin and wickedness.

Leaders who oppress the poor, deny justice, and steal from the vulnerable cannot expect His favor.

Unless they repent and turn from their sinful ways, their prayers and thanksgiving are meaningless.

As Amos 5:21-24 declares, “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me… But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”

The Bible is abound with several examples of leaders whose sinful ways led to their rejection by God or whose offerings were deemed unacceptable.

One notable example is King Saul, who disobeyed God, and as a result, rejected him as king, declaring through the prophet Samuel, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

Repentance must precede any attempt to seek God’s blessings.

Leaders must confess their sins before God and the nation, take responsibility for the suffering they have caused, and commit to righteous governance.

Anything less is an insult to Jehovah God and a mockery of His Word.

If the ruling elite believe they can manipulate God with empty words and insincere hearts, they are only deceiving themselves.

As Galatians 6:7 warns, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” This is an Ignite Media Zimbabwe news production.
Zimbabwe will go nowhere under leaders who refuse to repent and continue to oppress the very people they are supposed to serve.

True progress and prosperity for Zimbabwe can only come when its leaders humble themselves before God, seek His forgiveness, and dedicate themselves to serving the nation with integrity, justice, and compassion.

Until then, any thanksgiving or dedication service is nothing more than a charade, and the nation will remain trapped in a cycle of suffering and despair.

As a Christian, I pray for Zimbabwe and its leaders.

However, my prayer is that they will recognize the gravity of their sins, repent sincerely, and lead the nation in accordance with God’s will.

Only then can Zimbabwe truly celebrate its progress and potential under the blessings of Jehovah God.