President Emmerson Mnangagwa has invited church leaders affiliated with the Inter-Religious Council of Zimbabwe to attend the launch of the National Multi-Faith Economic Dialogue (NAMFED) on July 9, 2025, at the ZANU PF Headquarters in Harare. The event is expected to formalize yet another arm of support for Mnangagwa’s long-touted Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy within the next five years.
The meeting will take place in the main hall of the ruling party’s headquarters—a symbolic and controversial venue that reflects the blurring of lines between state governance and party politics. According to government-aligned organizers, the event will mark the beginning of an annual engagement platform between religious communities and the government, framed around economic empowerment and financial inclusion.
NAMFED is the latest initiative in a growing trend under Mnangagwa’s administration: mobilizing social identity groups under politicized banners that align with ZANU PF interests. Similar to earlier movements such as Vendors4ED, Teachers4ED, Nurses4ED, Mahwindi4ED (Commuter Rank Marshals), Sculptors4ED, and Traditional Healers4ED, the religious platform is expected to serve both a developmental and political function.
While it is being presented as an inclusive, multi-faith economic dialogue, critics see it as a clear continuation of Mnangagwa’s strategy to manufacture grassroots legitimacy by co-opting loosely organized, highly visible support bases. These “4ED” groups operate parallel to official government channels and have come to symbolize the ruling party’s effort to politicize everyday identities—be it professional, generational, or now spiritual.Announcing the upcoming event via social media, Obey Mapuranga, the national spokesperson for Vapostori4ED, celebrated NAMFED as a landmark moment. He declared:
“President Dr. ED Mnangagwa is ordained to rule, as we all move towards the attainment of his signature effort – Vision 2030. This NAMFED shall be a permanent platform and an annual event that will play a pivotal role in building an upper-middle-income society by 2030.”
Mnangagwa Summons Religious Leaders to ZANU PF Headquarters for Economic Dialogue
Among the major highlights of the event will be the launch of the Multi-Faith Financial Corporation, a new economic entity to be governed by an interfaith board of governors. The corporation is expected to offer interest-free loans, capital support, and entrepreneurial training to churches and faith-based organizations. Organizers claim the initiative will promote financial inclusion, job creation, and poverty alleviation—particularly within religious communities that often feel neglected by mainstream banking systems.
However, concerns have been raised over the sustainability and transparency of such an institution, especially in a country where public funds and political patronage often become intertwined.
Though the government presents NAMFED as a development-focused collaboration, critics argue it is a politically motivated attempt to align religious institutions with ZANU PF’s agenda. With the 2028 general elections on the horizon, analysts say the ruling party is increasingly seeking endorsement from influential social sectors—especially the church, which commands large and loyal followings across Zimbabwe.
This strategy, they argue, is part of a broader campaign to neutralize dissent, project a sense of national unity, and cloak Mnangagwa’s rule in spiritual legitimacy. The president has been under fire for widespread corruption, economic mismanagement, and heavy-handed authoritarianism—issues that continue to erode public trust in the state.
In this context, engaging churches under the banner of economic progress offers a powerful tool to deflect criticism and reshape public discourse. By aligning his presidency with religious authority, Mnangagwa not only amplifies his moral image but also restricts the space for spiritual institutions to act as independent voices of conscience and social justice.
Observers note that this is not the first time the presidency has turned to religion to bolster its image. Over the years, Mnangagwa has frequently attended church gatherings, received prophetic endorsements, and emphasized biblical themes in his speeches. Yet the level of formal institutionalization evident in NAMFED marks a shift from symbolic gestures to structural entanglement.
By hosting the event at the ZANU PF Headquarters instead of a neutral venue, the administration is sending a clear message: politics and religion are no longer parallel tracks—they now move together, under one roof.
Whether NAMFED will deliver tangible economic benefits to faith communities remains to be seen. But what is already evident is the increasingly blurred boundary between political loyalty and civic identity in Zimbabwe.
As the country inches toward 2030 with an economy still under severe strain, initiatives like NAMFED will likely serve as both policy platforms and political instruments—designed to give the ruling party greater reach into every corner of Zimbabwean society.
