MADZIBABA MNANGAGWA

This qualifies as one of the top of the images from the 2018 Zimbabwean election.

The various Mapostori Christian sects in Zimbabwe number more than a million. The Johanne Marange sect, whose Passover celebrations President Mnangagwa is seen here attending is by far the largest, followed by the Masowe sect.

Now, just wondering: we all know about the rivalry between these two sects and the many others scattered all over Zimbabwe. Does this mean the other sects will now boycott Mnangagwa and vote someone else because they hate the Marange faction?

Not entirely sure if all of them are registered to vote, but this sect has become a stomping ground for ZANU PF leaders and they have tended to support the ruling party. Getting this bloc to support you and vote for you is a prize coveted by every politician in Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa, seen here sitting right in the middle of the throng, sitting on the dusty ground like everybody else, has taken this to another level. Mugabe and Chiwenga have both attended gatherings of Mapostori before, but no politician has ever taken it to this level, sitting down and identifying with the massed gathering as one of them, bang in the middle of everyone.

What has struck me about this election is the difference in styles by Nelson Chamisa and Emmerson Mnangagwa.

All this has reminded me of one of Mugabe's famous witticisms, when he said he knew that some praying for his death, praying to God so that he dies.

"Don't you think that I also pray?" he asked. "And don't you think that God also listens to me? Why would you think that God will listen to your prayers and not listen to mine?"

It points to a fundamental human problem, especially for God-believing Christians.

They have tended to ascribe their own prejudices, biases and hatred to God. They make the mistake of thinking that whatever they support is supported by God as well and whatever their foe supports is not supported by God.

So they assume because they think so and so is evil, God also thinks that person is evil and they use that as the departure point for how they deal with their own lives.

Some of us can not be bothered trying to read God's mind. Otherwise we would struggle to understand why Hitler even existed, was allowed to kill millions and inflict a lasting legacy of humiliation on the German people who innocently supported him as he rose to the leadership of their country.

Or why God would watch as a Martin Luther King was assassinated.

Which leads us to the current election: Both Chamisa and Mnangagwa invoke God in their campaigns and their lives.

Mnangagwa sings hallelujah at his rallies. Chamisa says God is in it (and presumably God is not in Mnangagwa's campaign).

It is going to be interesting to see who between them has read God's mind correctly.