Don’t force people to vote for your candidates—Nice
The National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust has appealed to faith leaders to desist from forcing their followers to vote based on religious considerations in the May 20 tripartite elections.
The appeal comes against the background of reports that some pastors are telling their members to vote for candidates who share their religious affiliations.
A Blantyre-based Pentecostal pastor [name withheld] recently asked members of his church to offer support to candidates who belong to their church.
The pastor said the triumph of born-again Christians in the tripartite elections would bring glory to God.
“God wants to establish his dominion right from government to the church. As believers, we don’t have to let his arrangement slip away,” said the pastor.
Speaking at a civic and voter education rally at Chikuli Trading Centre last Sunday, Blantyre Rural Nice assistant district civic education officer, Vonkey Phakamisa, said it is illegal for faith leaders to mobilise their members against some candidates on the pretext that they do not share their faiths.
Phakamisa warned of possible church break-ups if pastors do not show impartiality when providing civic and voter education to their members.
“Pastors must never impose their political preferences on followers. The electoral law demands that every voter must make his or her own decision regarding the candidates to vote for,” he said.
