“Consider debt cancellation to alleviate the economic burden”: Christian Leaders in Zimbabwe

Harare, 28 September, 2025 / 9:49 PM

Members of the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) have marked the International Day of Peace with an appeal to the international community to cancel Zimbabwe’s debt, saying such a step would help revive the country's economy, reduce poverty, and build lasting peace.

Zimbabwe is struggling with an 8.3 billion U.S dollar debt, mostly in arrears, which blocks access to affordable international financing and slows economic recovery. 

In a joint statement published on Twitter by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), the ZHOCD body which consists of the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC), Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), and the Union for Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA), the Christian leaders stressed that peace cannot be separated from social and economic well-being.

“On this International Peace Day, we urge international partners to consider debt cancellation to alleviate the economic burden on our nation and local leadership to alleviate the situation and arrest the social evils that threaten the very fibre of our society,” members of ZHOCD said in their collective statement dated September 21.

“Such a step could enable Zimbabwe to redirect critical resources towards vital sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure development, addressing poverty and inequality,” they added.

The Christian leaders from reflected on the state of peace in the Southern African nation, saying that despite the country's good security, the people of God are still experiencing injustices and inequalities.

They noted that while Zimbabwe is not embroiled in outright violence or war, the situation of the country can be characterized as “negative peace”, a concept they said highlights the “absence of direct violence but presence of underlying structural injustices and inequalities.”

The Church leaders said Zimbabwe is grappling with economic hardships, political polarity, and social injustices.

They specifically pointed out social ills like drug and substance abuse, gross domestic violence, and armed robberies that they described as “a worrisome phenomenon” that impacts the well-being of the people, particularly vulnerable groups like women, youths, and persons with disabilities.

The members of ZHOCD called upon all political leaders in Zimbabwe to prioritize peace, justice, and the human rights of Zimbabweans, especially the vulnerable.

“Let us work together to promote dialogue and understanding, address root causes of conflict, and protect human dignity and rights,” they said in the message on the International Peace Day, which was realized under the theme ‘Act Now for a Peaceful World.’

The Christian leaders in Zimbabwe referred to the words of Mahatma Gandhi on poverty, and wanted structural issues addressed to restore positive peace “marked by justice, equity, and human dignity for all Zimbabweans.”

“Let us work together to build a more peaceful, just, and stable society in Zimbabwe and contribute to global peace efforts,” they said.