Christians in Zimbabwe are calling for prayer in advance of the results of the presidential election.

The country's election commission has declared the Zanu-PF party, in power for 40 years, the victor in the parliamentary election. However, there are rising tensions over the result of the competition for the presidency between Zanu-PF's Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Movement for Democratic Change's Nelson Chamisa.

The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) had election monitors at polling stations throughout the country.

Rev Dr Andrew Williams participated as an international observer in the elections, representing the World Council of Churches and joining participants from the Church of Sweden, the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), and South Africa.

'In visiting polling stations on election day, the process seemed to run smoothly and be conducted carefully according to the rules,' he said. 'We saw no violence, but rather people who were willing to come out early and sometimes wait for a considerable time to exercise their right to vote.'

However, he added: 'Not everyone will accept the results. The ZCC continues to ask for prayers for Zimbabwe, to call for peace and calm and to look for a coordinated platform for solutions to the political problems that the country will face in the coming days. Please keep Zimbabwe in your prayers.'

Adebayo Anthony Kehinde, a member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, said Zimbabweans themselves believed in the election process, evidenced by the large turnout in many polling stations.

'The enthusiasm of the people and the role played by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches with accompaniment of other ecumenical actors has helped greatly in building more credibility into the electoral process,' he said.

'As a witness to the final rallies of the two main political parties, both offered great hope to the population. However, we still need to keep Zimbabwe in our prayers as we await the final results.'

Earlier this month, bishops and pastors from ZCC member churches led an ecumenical service at the Anglican Cathedral of St Mary and All Saints in Harare to pray for election observers.

On the eve of the election, the ZCC issued a pastoral pronouncement that said, in part: 'The words of our Lord Jesus Christ – "Let not your hearts be troubled" give assurance to an anxious nation. Some are anxious whether the peace we have enjoyed in this pre-election period will hold. Others are worried if their voice will be heard through the ballot. Still some wonder if the nation will find each other after so much divisive campaign period.'