Zimbabwean church leaders have urged the formation of a government of national unity to end the nation's post-election crisis, and asked to be involved in finding the solution.

The Heads of Christian Denominations of Zimbabwe expressed concern about political violence and offered to join in partnership with the parties to the dispute - the ruling ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, whose main grouping is led by MDC founder and former presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai.

The religious consortium includes the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference.

Its spokesman, Father Frederick Chiromba, told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's  Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the religious consortium has received the approval of South African President Mbeki, mediator in the crisis, to submit recommendations on ending the crisis.

More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...