Hundreds of expatriate Zimbabweans packed St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, for a service of prayer highlighting the plight of their homeland on Friday 11 July. The preacher was the Archbishop of York, The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu, who called on the expatriate community and UK citizens to use the service Restore Zimbabwe as a springboard for a concerted effort to restore constitutional democracy in the African country.

The Archbishop also drew attention to the plight of Zimbabwean asylum seekers in this country.

In his introduction to the service the Revd Robert Wright, Rector of St Margaret’s and Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, said: ‘We all share pain in the current troubles in Zimbabwe and we pray for peace, justice, reconciliation and prosperity for this proud and beautiful country.’

Collects were read by Fr Amon Gonte, Vicar-General of Matabeleland; and Fr Xavier Munyongani, Chaplain to the Roman Catholic Zimbabwean community in London.

The First Reading was given by Kate Hoey MP (Isaiah 61: 1-4) and the Second Reading by Chipo Chaya in Shona and by Luka Phiri in Ndebele. The Blessing was given by the Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall.

The service was sung by the London Zimbabwe Choir conducted by Chipo Chaya and the organ was played by Nicholas O’Neill.