Zimbabwe’s Catholic bishops urge citizens to resist a bill expanding abortion access, calling it a moral crisis threatening the nation’s values.
Newsroom (21/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) In Zimbabwe, the Catholic bishops’ conference has issued an urgent pastoral appeal, calling on citizens to unite in opposition to the Medical Services Amendment Bill — a proposal they warn threatens the sanctity of human life and the moral foundation of the nation.
The legislation seeks to repeal the 1977 Termination of Pregnancy Act (TOPA), which permitted abortion only under narrowly defined circumstances, such as when the mother’s life was in danger. The proposed bill would liberalize those restrictions, allowing abortion upon request up to 12 weeks and extending the limit to 20 weeks in cases where the pregnancy endangers the woman’s health, mental well-being, or socio-economic stability.
Under the new bill, access to abortion would be simplified. It removes the current requirement for a magistrate’s approval, transferring decision-making power directly to patients and medical practitioners. Certified midwives would also be authorized to provide abortion services, particularly in rural regions where medical resources are scarce. Significantly, the bill stipulates that informed consent alone — even from minors — would be sufficient for the procedure.
A Pastoral Alarm over “Sanctity of Life”
In a pastoral letter read at Sunday Masses nationwide, the bishops condemned the bill as a grave moral and cultural threat.
“As the Church, we are totally against abortion, and we would like to appeal to all people of faith and all those who value life to pray and speak against this evil,” the statement declared.
Invoking the biblical appeal to “choose life,” the bishops described the proposed legislation as sanctioning the “massacre of the innocent.” They drew a sharp moral contrast between the nation’s recent abolition of the death penalty — celebrated globally as a victory for life — and the current move to expand abortion.
“How sad it is that the whole world celebrated with us last year as the country abolished the death penalty, and today it watches as we take a back step and sanction the massacre of the innocent,” they said.
The pastoral statement urged lawmakers to act with conscience: “Is it money, political correctness, or seeking relevance that sees you choose to worship at the altar of human sacrifice? As Moses commanded the Israelites, we urge you to choose life.”
Moral and Cultural Dimensions
The bishops’ letter underscored that opposition to abortion is not solely a Church doctrine but also rooted in Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage. “As the Church, we uphold the sanctity of life from conception to natural death — a value mirrored in our Zimbabwean cultures that nurture life,” they wrote.
They called upon senators to reject the bill, warning against political expediency or external pressure, and asserting that history will judge the current generation’s willingness to defend the vulnerable.
International and Political Undercurrents
Their warning has found an echo in Human Life International (HLI), a U.S.-based Catholic advocacy network, which contends that external forces may be influencing African abortion policies. HLI spokesperson Thomas Ciesielka referenced what he calls a historical precedent — the 1974 Kissinger Report, a U.S. National Security Council study that identified global population growth as a potential threat to American security interests.
According to Ciesielka, the report linked population control efforts in developing countries to the protection of U.S. economic interests, particularly access to essential minerals. He claims the report recommended expanded access to abortion, contraception, and sterilization, alongside conditioning aid on compliance with population policies. “The Kissinger Report is still the official population control policy of the United States government,” he told Crux.
Public Health Framing and Societal Debate
Zimbabwean authorities, however, have defended the proposed reform as a necessary public health measure. Government officials argue that restrictive laws do not prevent abortions but instead drive them underground, with often fatal consequences. Official data identifies unsafe abortion as Zimbabwe’s third leading cause of maternal deaths, with an estimated 70,000 cases annually.
Nonetheless, the bishops maintain that legalizing abortion is a misplaced solution to deeper societal challenges. “Our prayer is that sanity will prevail, and many innocent lives will be spared,” they said.
Faith, Conscience, and the Road Ahead
The bishops warned that moral discernment, not political alignment, should guide lawmakers as the bill advances through Parliament. They implored senators to “examine their consciences before casting their votes,” insisting that the defense of unborn life transcends ideology or international pressure.
In an earlier pastoral letter dated November 29, 2025, the Catholic hierarchy expressed concern over the “significant distress” the bill had caused among Christians and parents. They argued that it subverts a long-held national consensus on protecting unborn life — a consensus they believe was reflected in the country’s constitutional consultations.
As debate intensifies, the issue has come to embody a broader struggle within Zimbabwe’s public life — between evolving public health policies and enduring moral convictions. For the Catholic bishops, the message remains resolute: for a nation that once celebrated the defense of life, to now expand abortion access would mark a step backward in both faith and conscience.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
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