Zimbabwe church leaders seek peaceful resolution to political turmoil
Evan Mawarire, a pastor and pro-democracy activist, was arrested in a crackdown on peaceful protesters. The following month, churches convened a dialogue with the president’s administration and others.
A pastor in Zimbabwe who helped mobilize the movement that ousted longtime dictator Robert Mugabe in late 2017 is now facing 20 years in prison for opposing the new regime he helped usher in.
Evan Mawarire, 41, of His Generation Church faces charges of incitement to violence and subverting the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa—the same charges Mawarire faced under Mugabe before the president was deposed.
“We thought that things would change after Mugabe, but we replaced Mugabe with another Mugabe,” Mawarire said. “It breaks my heart . . . but we will fight on.”
