Catholic Bishops Mobilise Against Proposed Abortion Law as Senate Vote Looms

Zimbabwe’s Catholic bishops have urged citizens and lawmakers to oppose the proposed Medical Services Bill ahead of a Senate vote (image source)

The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops’ Conference (ZCBC) has called on Catholics and the wider public to actively oppose the proposed Medical Services Bill, which seeks to liberalise abortion laws, warning that the legislation undermines moral values and constitutional protections for unborn children. The Bill is expected to be debated in the Senate this week, intensifying a national conversation that has sharply divided religious leaders, lawmakers and human-rights advocates.

In a pastoral statement titled “A Call to Prayer: Defending Innocent Lives,” the bishops urged congregants to mobilise against the Bill and to directly engage senators ahead of the vote. “We call on all Catholics, men and women of faith, and citizens of this country to pray and get in touch with their Senators and urge them not to vote for it,” the statement reads. Signed by seven bishops, including Archbishop Robert Ndlovu and Bishop Paul Horan, the message frames the proposed law as a moral reversal, particularly coming a year after Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty.

The bishops warned that legalising abortion would amount to a failure to protect society’s most vulnerable. “History will judge us harshly for failing to defend the lives of the weaker members of our society,” they said, arguing that the right to life extends to the unborn and is embedded in both Christian teaching and Zimbabwe’s constitutional ethos.

At the centre of the controversy is the scope of the proposed Medical Services Bill. The legislation would allow termination of pregnancy on request up to 20 weeks for both adults and minors, without requiring parental consent. It would also remove spousal notification requirements and permit a single medical practitioner to authorise an abortion. Church leaders argue that these provisions could enable abuse, including the concealment of sexual offences, sex-selective abortions and terminations based on disability.

The Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD), an umbrella body that includes the ZCBC and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, has echoed the bishops’ opposition. In a separate statement, the ZHOCD said its stance was rooted in theology rather than politics, maintaining that the Bill contradicts long-standing national consensus on the protection of unborn life.

Supporters of the proposed law, including some legislators and reproductive-rights organisations, argue that restrictive abortion laws do not prevent terminations but instead drive women toward unsafe and illegal procedures. They point to a 2024 survey estimating that around 219 pregnancies are terminated daily in Zimbabwe, often under conditions that pose serious risks to women’s health and lives.

As the Senate vote approaches, pressure is mounting on lawmakers from both sides of the debate. Religious groups are mobilising congregations to lobby against the Bill, while advocates for reproductive rights are urging legislators to prioritise public health and women’s autonomy. The outcome of the vote is likely to have far-reaching implications for Zimbabwe’s reproductive health framework and its broader social values.