Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. —Mathew 28: 19-20.

This is one verse in the Bible that attempts to elucidate the role of church leaders.

It is understood in our society and in many cultures that members of the clergy are God’s representatives. However, recent reports of sexual abuse involving members of the clergy make sad reading. Women and girls remain most vulnerable to sexual abuse in church.

Lately, a number of men of the cloth have being accused of using their status as spiritual mentors to sexually abuse women and girls in their respective churches.

The trial of RGM Independent End Time Message church leader, Martin Gumbura, has generated a lot of debate and opened a Pandora’s box over the conduct of the clergymen.

The Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ), a grouping of churches, recently said they have handed over cases of suspected sexual abuse involving 10 church leaders to the police for further investigations.

The stories reveal a disturbing picture of how vulnerable women have turned to churchmen for pastoral help, only to be preyed upon.

Another problem facing abused women is that religious leaders who abuse them portray it as “an affair” and often blame the women for seducing them.

Women’s sexuality has traditionally been seen as perilous by society dating back to the time of the biblical Eve.

Abused women are always in a quandary. Their abuse by pastors, often during spiritual or marital counselling sessions wins little public attention and they are often held responsible for the relationship.

In the case of Pastor Gumbura, women alleged great pressure was brought on them to keep quiet about the sexual encounters.

In this case, Pastor Gumbura was seen as being above reproach and the victims are now viewed as the “seductress” who tempted the man of God into a sexual relationship.

One founding member of a Harare church, Duncan Kwambana, is also being accused of several counts of rape after he allegedly lured the victims into being intimate with him by claiming that it was the will of the Holy Spirit.

There are many cases where women are told of God getting angry if they dared to tell anyone, anything about the “relationship”.

They are told time and again that men of the cloth are special people and that the church depends on them.

Victims of sexual exploitation in church often suffer from loss of faith, loss of spouse and loss of support from family, congregation and community.

Society should treat sexual abuse in church for what it is — a crime of violence against women and children. There are dire divine consequences for any man who would engage in sexual immorality, let alone men of the cloth.

Any churchman accused of sexual impropriety by two or three witnesses, according to the Bible (1 Timothy 5:19-20) is no longer qualified to be in the church.

Perpetrators should face the music while victims should be given the opportunity to have their cases heard.

Society eagerly awaits judgement of the Gumbura trial and many others involving men of the cloth.

American celebrity Billy Carter once said there was no such thing as a bad beer. “It’s that some taste better than others,” he said.

In Zimbabwe, it’s turning out that there is a bad price for some beers and the country’s largest brewer, Delta Corporation, a unit of SABMiller, is admitting it.

The hike in its beer prices has pushed some consumers to cheaper and often illicit, brands — and into mushrooming churches where they are being called on to ditch beer altogether. In a trading update issued last week, Delta said it had witnessed “a significant slowdown in consumer spending and economic activity”.

“This was particularly pronounced in this quarter, the traditional holiday peak period,” the company said.

Delta controls 96% of the beverages market in Zimbabwe. The company said lager volumes had registered a 25% drop for the quarter to December 31 2013, or a 15% drop during the nine months to December 31 2013.

In its full year to March 2013, Delta had reported that lager beer volumes, led by its flagship brand Castle Lager, had reached a new record high of 2,06-million hectolitres and closed the year at 4% above the year before.

But a hike from 40% to 45% in duty on lager by a cash-desperate government in December 2012 has begun to take its toll on sales. It forced a marginal price increase at the manufacturer level, resulting in what the company said was a “disruption to retail pricing thus slowing off-take in the last trading quarter of the full year to March 31 2013. The effective excise rate is now higher than the regional average,” the Delta board chairperson Canaan Dube said.

In the year to March 31 2013, the sale of sorghum beer, also known as opaque beer, slumped 8% to 3 080 million hectolitres.

The reason for the decline in volumes was partly to the poor agricultural season and partly to a raw material cost-induced price increase. But it’s not all gloom for the brewery. Some of those who cannot afford lager are turning to the once-shunned sorghum brew, which is cheaper.

Sorghum beer is on the upsurge, recording a significant growth of 18% during the quarter to December 31 2013, or 12% during the nine months. This, the brewer reasons, is because of “strong consumer acceptance for the category driven by the success of Chibuku Super”.

Chibuku is a sorghum-based brew, similar to the traditional home-made beer and is packaged in a container called “shake-shake”.

But lager has been the bigger revenue earner and Delta is worried about the decline in volumes.

“We continue to engage the authorities on the adverse impact of the high levels of taxes, which drive consumer prices,” Delta said in its January 17 2014 trading update.

Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, in his budget presentation in December, did not tamper with the excise duty on clear beer, which was introduced by his predecessor, Tendai Biti, to ameliorate the harm caused by alcohol on society. Tobacco had also been slapped with a higher duty.

Since its introduction, the excise duty on clear beer has boosted the government’s coffers significantly. In fact, the revenue collector Zimra, at its taxpayers’ appreciation day, recognised Delta as one of the highest dollar-value contributors, particularly in the excise category. Last year, Delta made total tax remittances of $173 million. But, the drop in beer demand may not be attributed just to decreasing consumer spending.

Mairosi Mubvumbi, a pastor with Hope in Christ Ministries, said the lower beer consumption was the result of an increased number of people turning to the church for sanctuary — ironically from the economic hardships they are facing.

“We are assisting a number of new converts battling to stop drinking alcohol every week,” Mubvumbi said. “We give counselling and pray for alcohol addicts. People are coming to Jesus and, in church, we discourage beer.”

He said the church was “growing phenomenally” and taking away people from beer halls.

“We cannot hide from the fact that people are under economic pressure and are seeking deliverance in the church. Lunch-time prayer meetings are filling up with people trying to escape the economic woes and it’s always a point that we ask them to stop beer consumption for deliverance,” he said.

But there might be another explanation. Some people believe that beer drinkers have not stopped drinking, but are turning to home-made brews and illegally imported beverages that are cheaper and have a higher alcohol content.

Stripper-cum-singer Beverly Sibanda’s life is set to change after a life – transforming encounter with Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries’ founder Prophet Walter Magaya on Sunday.

Magaya told her that if “dirty dancing” was her source of livelihood, the church was going to open a business for her, together with other young women eking out a living through stripping and sex work.

Magaya called out Beverly’s name during the church service to give her a prophetic word but she was reportedly at home that time.

Beverly immediately came to the church opposite Zindoga shopping centre in Waterfalls and agreed to quit her line of work and commit her life to God.

“You need to stop what you are doing, it is not right. If you were doing it as a means of survival the ministry will help you find a better means by opening shops for you to sell whatever you desire be they clothes from China,” Magaya said.

Other beneficiaries included Veronica Zhuwawo (28), who has been a dancer since she was 16, Mildred Chigaba (28), a stripper for seven years, Nomalanga Baureni (24), a prostitute and stripper together with Irene Masaka and Agnes Maringai, who too were ladies of the night.

Magaya asked them if they were willing to change their lifestyles and they agreed. Bev, in particular, looked shocked and kept answering “Amen, Man of God.”

Her manager, Harpers Mapimhidze, who had come with her, sat quietly in the church.

During the service, former Vahombe Queens dancer, Yvonne Javachava, gave a testimony of how she was delivered from dirty dancing and seducing men after receiving spiritual deliverance at PHD Ministries.

Javachava said she would dance in a mini skirt to lure men as a way of survival and fending for her children since she was unemployed. She confessed that she would visit white garment apostolic churches to get love portions to lure men of which most of them would be married.

“The first time I went to PHD Ministries I felt the power of God move in the congregation and I knew I had to change my lifestyle. I then bought a DVD and received a bottle of free anointing oil to use at home and the first time I took the oil, I vomitted and knew that I was being delivered,” she said.

In an interview, Magaya said Beverley had not yet gone through the deliverance process since she was still in shock. He said deliverance was a process that Beverly and the other girls would undergo soon.

PHD Ministries has become a hub for many local celebrities with Madzibaba Nicholas Zacharia who has since become part of the praise team.

Others who have been spotted in audiences include Douglas Chimbetu, Lawrence “Bhonzo” Simbarashe, Jesesi Mungoshi and Alick Macheso’s wife, Nyaradzai.

I just don’t understand why nuns and priests should practice celibacy because human beings are born with urges that have to be fulfilled; they have to eat, drink and procreate so as to guarantee that life on earth goes on.

But why then suppress these urges in the name of God? These people should behave normally, get married, have children and manage their urges like everyone else.

This, I have written in response to a story about a nun, Sister Roxana Rodriguez, who gave birth to a baby boy and named him after the Pope, and said that she felt more like a mother than a nun.

The nun, who hails from El Salvador, gave birth to a baby boy in Italy last week who she described as “a gift of God” and pledged to take care of him as she faces expulsion from the convent.

Sister Rodriguez (33) a nun with the Order of the Little Disciples of Jesus, was rushed to San Camillo de Lellis hospital in Italy with acute stomach pains in the town of Rieti, 80km north of Rome, on Tuesday last week apparently unaware that she was pregnant. A few hours later a baby boy, weighing nearly over 4kg was born and named Francesco. The story has created so much buzz locally and abroad as questions are continually asked why these people should not be allowed to lead a normal man and woman life in holy matrimony.

This story has, however, reminded me of my college days when I was an art student at some journalism and art college in Zambia over three decades ago.

I arrived at this tertiary institution three days after school had started and I was allocated a room that I shared with some Tanzanian nun. There was, apparently another man of the cloth, a Catholic priest who had also come for journalism training.

One of the Zimbabwean male students at the college was to share with this priest, but little did we know that this man was actually more man of the flesh than spirit. We all felt betrayed.

The nun is the one who actually raised concerns about the nocturnal activities by the priest who apparently had a sexual relationship with some Catholic student, who was also housed at the same hostel with us. One day around midnight, as I was walking towards the ablution block, which was located at the far end of the building, I found the Zimbabwean male student sitting on the steps along the corridor, hands crossed over his chest. He was shivering with cold.

I asked him what he was doing at that time of the night, in the cold. The response was: “Chola (not her real name) is having mass with father.” I and other youthful students somehow believed the story because we were not Catholics . . . but the nun I shared my room with was livid about that development.

This went on for many months and it soon became an open secret as everyone at the institution talked about this relationship.

The Catholic student, who is now late, had suddenly stopped sharing the shower with us in the mornings. We always raced to the bathroom to get the first bath before the hot water ran out. She chose to come to shower long after we had left the bathrooms.

By the time we graduated, she was fully pregnant and now wearing maternity dresses. She delivered the baby shortly afterwards. We were to learn later that the priest had wanted to leave priesthood, but his diocese had turned down his application.

I was to learn many years later, that she died of depression stemming from this relationship. She was heartbroken, lonely and left with a daughter she was to raise alone. The El Savadorian nun I mentioned earlier is obviously now being treated like a pariah; reprimanded and forced to leave her convent. But a priest can sexually molest young children and the matter ignored or covered up. . . . see a double standard there?

Celibacy is a difficult way of life that is definitely not for everyone or even for most people. It is not the norm, although it is a spiritual path that has existed since time immemorial.

I would not be so quick to judge. Rodriguez did not engage in sex with minors. This shows the humanity in any religion or faith. She is assuming her shortcomings, and moving to her next stage in life with dignity — motherhood.

Apparently, Pope Benedict XVI defrocked nearly 400 priests for raping and molesting children in his final two years before stepping down as the head of the Catholic Church in 2013 according to a report by The Associated Press.

The Catholic Church was publicly dressed down for its handling of sex-abuse scandals around the world, facing harsh questioning over its implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the Holy See signed on to in 1990.

Back home in Zimbabwe, I know of a nun who fled a local convent after she constantly turned down sexual advances from some priests.

“Whenever we complained to our Mother Superior, she would react angrily saying that we are tarnishing image of the church,” said the former nun who is now working as a social worker at a local public hospital.

The wave of hip-hop gospel music seems to be on the increase in Zimbabwe as more and more young artistes continue joining the fray to display their lyrical prowess for the gospel. One of these artistes is a young talented Zimbabwean rapper who goes by the stage name T-Nash.

The artiste (real name- Tinashe Wutete) is a member at United Family International Church and says was baptized in 2008.

He said most young music consumers who are Christians these days enjoyed hip-hop gospel because many of them grew up accustomed to secular rap music.

“Hearing hip-hop music presented in a Christian way has drawn a bigger listenership for the new genre which is spiced for their taste.

“Hip-hop is however not a favourite with adult listeners many of whom either do not appreciate the language of hip-hop or have never taken the time to listen to the music.”

In one of his amateur videos taken while he performed in front of a youthful crowd at a church function, it was noticeable that the artiste is well gifted on stage — something that most of his fans at the event appeared to greatly enjoy.

He also appeared very energetic, stylish and composed and these are some of the ingredients or characteristics that go in to make one a successful rap artist.

I listened to his debut seven-track CD album titled “Hatibatike” which he released last year in December and all I could notice in him was potential and talent. This, however, could be complemented by a more substantial teaching of the bible for the benefit of his audience.

“God gave me talent with full potential to preach the word through hip-hop gospel music. So far I have performed at the Family Gospel Show at the City Sports Centre and UFIC Youth Concert.

“I acknowledge that I need some direction but I do also believe that with God I will not get lost” he said.

Songs on his CD album include tracks such as “Our God”, “Hatibatike”, “Kuchurch Kunonakidza”, “Tinopa Mbiri”, “Tinokurumbidzai”, “Amen” and “Handidzokere Shure”.

Of particular interest is the track “Hatibatike” which is more on the side of the much debated or controversial prosperity gospel.

“In ‘Hatibatike’, I was trying to point out that with God in your life there will be no poverty, demons, fear of witchcraft or anything that seeks to threaten or harm you. It’s a song about prosperity in Christ” he said.

He said, his third track “Kuchurch Kunonakidza” is more pointed at encouraging people to have an interest in attending church since people experience different inspiring events such as healing services, happiness and messages on prosperity.

“At the end of the song you can hear my spiritual father Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa declaring prosperity” he said.

T-Nash said he was motivated to sing hip-hop music because as an artist he felt time has come to use the music genre for the gospel since in the past it was popularised only by secular artistes.

“I started singing hip-hop gospel last year in January and I chose hip-hop because I had felt now is the time to preach God’s Word through hip-hop.

“Hip-hop gives us the opportunity to change youths’ lives.

“This is different from the past when I would sing about million dollar houses that I didn’t have or singing about drugs.

“All that contributed nothing tangible that benefited our generation. On the contrary it actually destroys lives” he said.

He added that his music pointed the sinner to Christ who alone has the solution to all the problems of this world.

He also said there was a need for repentance and a complete conversion of the heart when time is still there to do so because Jesus is coming back soon to judge the world.

T-Nash said he was a graphics designing student at Macmaine School of Computing in Harare and that music was his second occupation.

He also said he learnt to be a musician and borrowed ideas from his mother Linia Wutete who is also a gospel musician.

Celebrated gospel star Olivia Charamba says she and her equally venerated husband Charles won’t be releasing new albums anytime soon.

Olivia, better known as Mai Charamba, is convinced that her last album The Gospel (2009) and her husband’s latest offering Pashoko Pangoma (2010) are still competitive on the market.

“Music has a life span and every album must have its own adequate life time,” Mai Charamba told the Daily News.

“Releasing albums every now and then undermines the value of music.”

The Hakuna Chombo hit-maker added that the celebrated gospel pair’s three-year drought should not be misconstrued for lack of new material.

“We are in the studio almost every day doing music. Because we minister to people through music it is important for us to take time perfecting our music,” she said.

Mai Charamba has three albums to her name namely Amen, Daily Bread and The Gospel that have won her a string of honours including Best Female Musician, Best Gospel musician, Best Gospel album and Most Outstanding Female Musician.

Her blockbuster debut album Amen released in 2000 contained such hits such as Ndirangarirei, Ndoraramira Jesu, Universal Winner and Bazamuphendindula that went a long way in making her Zimbabwe’s foremost female gospel singer.

The album Daily Bread released in 2002, with popular songs like Pasi Idandaro and I surrender to Jesus cemented her position as one of Zimbabwe’s best gospel entertainers with a huge following in the country and among Zimbabweans scattered in the Diaspora.

Charles Charamba, who spectacularly burst onto Zimbabwe’s music scene in 1999 with the hit Mhinduro Iripo, has garnered many Zimbabwe Music Awards, National Arts Merit Awards and various other honours that have made him arguably the country’s best gospel musician ever.

Madzibaba using milk to baptise followers (photo: S. Mlambo).

Southern Africa HIV and Aids Information Dissemination Service (SAFAIDS) is set to work with the apostolic community as it scale up its efforts to reduce the spread of HIV and Aids.

Zimbabwe is among the countries with high HIV prevalence rate. According to the 2010-11 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS), there has been a slight decrease in Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence since 2005-06. “15 percent of Zimbabwean adults are HIV-positive compared with 18 percent in the 2005-06,” reads part of the report.

SAFAIDS senior programme officer, Renias Mundingi, said his organisation got funding for the next three years to scale up the programmes in the hard to reach populations- the apostolic sect, farming areas and the mining areas.

“The apostolic community is a very important community as far as addressing HIV issues is concerned for young people,” Mundingi said.

He added: “Most of them do not go to hospitals and clinics and the result is that there is loss of life for the mother and loss of life for the child.”

In many African countries, apostolic sects have been formed by local Christians who broke away from mainline churches such as the Methodist or Anglican churches. They are called apostolic sects since the leaders call themselves apostles and the group is usually named after its leader.

Members are prohibited from seeking treatment in hospitals or taking conventional medicine when they fall ill.

The radical sects believe conventional medicine is evil. Members who seek modern medical care risk punishment from church leaders including suspension or excommunication.

Mundingi said SAFAIDS will work together with the apostolic so that they need to allow children to go to school and do other developmental activities in their lives.

“We feel that if we work with the apostolic to say that we need to modify some of the religious practices such as early marriages so that young people get married at the right time.”  

Members of the apostolic faith believe in divine healing for all forms of sickness and disease. This message is repeatedly preached to the church’s members, encouraging them to obey the message religiously throughout their lives.

They are to rely on the holy water (muteuro) and prayers from the church elders to cure illnesses and diseases. It’s tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation within the church.

Mundingi added: “We have realised that most people get married at an early age. There is child pledging and what is happening is that most of these young people get into these marriages out of their own will.

“There are a lot of birth complications because the birth canals of the girls would not be ready for labour.”

 According to a research carried by Unicef called Apostolic Religion, Health and Utilisation of Maternal and Child Health Services in Zimbabwe: the religious teaching, doctrine and regulations of ultra-conservative Apostolic groups (e.g. Johanne Marange, Johanne Masowe Sabbath (ye Sabata), Madhidha), because of their emphases on faith healing and strict adherence to church beliefs and practices, tend to undermine modern health-seeking or use of modern health services.

 See related reading: 

Health hazard looms as Madzibaba baptize members using polluted water

Churches derailing attainment of MDGs on Health 

Zimbabwe upcoming gospel outfits have bemoaned lack of sponsorship as a hindrance in resuscitating the once vibrant music industry.

Despite the accumulating numbers of new gospel groups showing on the scene, many are dying prematurely before making it into the mainstream music industry.

In an interview with RelZim, Innocent Mafunga who is the front man of a newly formed group, Kwekwe Praise said that lack of sponsorship is negatively affecting upcoming gospel outfits. 

“Many upcoming gospel groups are crippled financially. This can be said of us (Kwekwe Praise); we are struggling to raise money to meet the costs of hiring venues, music equipment and transport. Without sponsorship, it is difficult to make a name for ourselves in the music industry.

“However, in a bid to market ourselves, we have resorted to perform on funerals, weddings, parties and having some joint live shows with musical gurus such as the Charambas, Blessing Shumba only to mention a few,” said Mafunga.

Mafunga said gospel music must not be taken for granted because it has the ability to transform people’s lives for the good.

“Our mission is to spread the word of God through music. So for us to realise this, we need all the support we can get and that includes financial support,” he said.

Tafara Mahachi, leader of a Gweru based gospel group ‘The Worshipers’ reiterated that most new gospel groups   are in dire need of sponsorship.

“It is now more than seven months since we have formed ‘The Worshipers’, but during this period we have failed to get a sponsor. Many sponsors distance themselves from upcoming groups or musicians,” he said.

A Kwekwe based music promoter Nicodemus Manyame said, “It is more profitable to channel your resources to already established groups. It takes time for these new groups to be recognised by people”.

A people’s norms and values are contained in their cultural expectations. Religion has a regulatory effect on society as it moulds the national consciousness. However, culture and religion seem to be oppressive to the individual as his/her aspirations may be thwarted due to societal expectations.

Women especially find themselves at the receiving end of such expectations as embraced in culture and religion. Although men may also be at the brunt of societal expectations, they are not always victims as they take advantage of cultural norms and values outlined in culture and religion to oppress women.

But really what constitutes a people’s culture or religion?

Religion, as posited by Durkheim (1988), as cited in Kirby et al (2000:186) is: “A united system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things that set apart and forbidden beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community”.

The central ingredient in religion is belief and therefore comparisons and differences should be allowed to exist. Religion does not consider or question the truthfulness of beliefs. The existence of a supernatural being is beyond question to the religious.

Because of the existence of a supernatural being that is a manifestation of cultural beliefs, it is folly to consider a particular religion to be holistic or superior. In as much as there are different cultures, there will always be different religious beliefs.

However, the problem is that: “The religions sometimes have the audacity to think that everyone must see the world as they see it themselves. Anybody who does not share their beliefs is considered heathen … In an attempt to make the world uniform, mono cultural and mono everything else” (Hove, 2002:11).

Such is the destructive nature of religion which causes a lot of suffering to those who think or feel otherwise.

Though religion may be “the opium of the people” as said by Karl Mark as it helps people cope with their problems, it hides the true nature of society and the causes of suffering.

Over reliance on religion is sometimes detrimental to progress as solutions to the problems affecting the family unit and the nation are not sought. Religion should not also be imposed on the individual. There should be accommodation, tolerance and compromise in religious circles.

Culture is a people’s way of life; and though it is dynamic, it should not be prone to manipulation from other cultures as this is tantamount not only to physical colonization but psychological as well.

Colonisation of the mind is the worst weapon of mass destruction used on the African mindset by imperialists and their machinations-like western education.

Chinua Achebe implores writers to be responsible citizens in upholding the cultural beliefs obtaining in their societies.

A novelist should “indicate to his readers, (and) put it crudely that we in Africa did not hear of culture for the first time from Europeans”.

Europeans did not bring God to Africa, He was already there and they worshipped Him in their own way as embraced in their respective cultures. As observed by Mbiti (1969), “Africans have their own way of worshipping the creative activity of God”, because “in their traditional life, African peoples are deeply religious in a religious universe. That is the philosophical understanding behind African myths, customs, traditions, beliefs, morals, actions and social relationships … Traditional religions must yield more and more their hold in shaping people’s values, identities and meaning in life” (Ibid,1969:256).

Because of the influence of Western education, African societies are divided into two dominant religions-Christianity and Traditional African Religion.

Science may also be considered a religion, though to a lesser extent, because the modern “mind” is based on the ideologies of science and not magic, (Wilson, 1966).

Shimmer Chinodya, like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, espouses the rational of religious co-existence and tolerance in “Chairman of Fools” (2005) through Farai, Sekuru Tumai, Veronica and Garai.

Although Farai is not religious, he is not an atheist. He believes in the existence of God, but what he distastes are the Pentecostal churches to which most of the middle class belong, as he says it himself; “I believe there is a God. Maybe I lost faith in churches”.

Twice he seeks divine intervention into his problems and twice he feels the soothing effect of prayer. Sekuru Tumai is a traditionalist and Garai believes in science.

There is so much hypocrisy in religious circles. These hypocritical tendencies are fostered by individualism and materialism.
Finite resources are squandered as “tithe” paid into church coffers and used by hypocrites like Pastor Wiseman Philip Matambo (“Chairman of Fools”), to buy luxury cars while the majority writhe in poverty.

Society is awash with such hypocrites who con people and rape gullible and passive women through indoctrination. Women usually find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place as they grapple with poverty and matrimonial woes on the one hand, and religion on the other.

The Bible tells (1 Timothy 2v11-12) that: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man but to be in silence.” The Koran also places a burden on the woman as she is expected to be submissive and cover her head in public.

In Traditional African Religion women are also expected to submit to their husbands.
Religion places a burden on the woman as she is expected to suffer in silence and men take advantage of this. Marriage as enshrined in the Bible is a good thing whose sanctity should be respected, and in most cultures a woman who is not married or is divorced is usually frowned upon and if the marriage does not bear fruits, the burden is exacerbated.

Women suffer in silence as they usually have to rely on men for their upkeep.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie explores the oppressive nature of religion on the individual psyche, the need for tolerance and compromise as well as hypocritical tendencies inherent in religious circles in “Purple Hibiscus” (2004), in the same way that Mongo Beti does, though satirically, in “Mission to Kala” (1957).

It is the story of Eugene, a learned philanthropic businessman told through his 15-year-old daughter, Kambili. Eugene is intolerant of failure and “heathens” as he is a Christian-catholic to be precise.

He hardly speaks his mother tongue, Igbo, and the narrator tells us: “We had to sound civilised in public … We had to speak English.”
His sister Aunty Ifeoma thinks “he is too much of a colonial product”.

Adichie examines how Christianity creates individuals who shun their own traditional beliefs, yet at the same time oppress those close to them, which is averse to the teachings of the Bible which emphasises the essence of love and forgiveness.

By drawing analogies between Catholicism and Traditional African Religion, the writer pokes at the hypocrisy inhering in man. She effectively does this by pitting a son against his father.

Eugene is at loggerheads with his father Papa- Nnukwu whom he calls a “heathen” because of his beliefs. It is because of this hard-handedness that he is reminded by his sister that he “has to stop doing God’s job. God is big enough to do his own job. If God will charge our father for choosing to follow the way of our ancestors, then let God do the judging”.

But Eugene remains adamant to the extent of barring his children from being close to their grandfather.
When Kambili and her brother Jaja visit their aunt knowing that their grandfather would be there they were punished by having their feet scalded with hot water for “sleeping in the same house as a heathen”. He does this because “that is what you do to yourself when you walk into sin. You burn your feet”.

When his father dies Eugene declares that he “cannot participate in a pagan funeral” unless they “can discuss with the parish priest and arrange a Catholic Funeral”, to which his sister responds, “Was our father a Catholic?”

At the end he buys seven cows for the funeral and all else but his family and himself attend.

As an extremist Eugene does not condone weaknesses in others and believes in meting out punishment on offenders without remorse.

His wife and children are always at the brunt of his beliefs. Mama, his wife suffers silently as she is always caught in the crossfire.

She suffers a miscarriage as a result of her husband’s blind brutality and Kambili suffers injuries for minor demeanors like eating 10 minutes before mass.

She also has to write her examinations in hospital after getting a thorough hiding from her father for trying to save her grandfather’s painting.

Eugene does not only oppress others using religion but he also suffers as a result of it. He never smiles after prayers and he always cries each time he punishes his wife and children for disobeying the will of God.

In the end he also dies at the hands of his wife who poisons his tea because she has had enough of suffering in silence.

Jaja, her son, offers himself up for incarceration by lying that he is the one responsible.

Kambili’s observation that Papa Nnukwu smiles after prayers in his traditional way and that he forgives his son and prays for his prosperity probably puts religion in perspective: “Chineke! Bless my son, Eugene. Let the sun not set on his prosperity. Lift the curse they have put on him…Chineke! Bless the children of my children. Let your eyes follow away from evil and towards good.”

A Gwanda-based policeman Samuel Sokosi is set to release a second gospel album titled Siya Zvenyika early next month.

The six-track album is set to be played on the State broadcaster ZBC before being made available to the general public in the streets, Sokosi told Southern Eye Lifestyle.

“My second album will be released on radio and from there CDs will be made available for sale nationwide as we are trying to reach out to every believer and non-believer in the country, as God commissioned,” he said.

The album was recorded at Lagg Beats and Vibes Studios. It carries tracks such as Ndichamunamata, Sei Usingade Kumunamata featuring Seku B, Munoziva, Danai Jesu, Nguva Ikupera which he worked with Clay Moja and the title track Siya Zvenyika which he compiled with Sam Chasakwa.

“Munoziva talks about my life and how God knows what my life holds for me tomorrow and to appreciate that everything that happens to me is God’s plan in my life.

“Siya Zvenyika is all about giving your heart and soul to God and not to worship worldly things. Man should not love earthly things over God, even if one has money, a good job and family — that is not enough before you find Jesus. For it is said that seek first the kingdom of God and everything shall be added unto you,” Sokosi explained.

The cop-cum-musician said it was his wish and prayer that the album would make a major impact in lives of many Zimbabweans.

“I am praying that this album touches everyone’s heart and conscience. It is my wish that people be healed and repent through this album,” he said.

Sokosi, who has been in the police force for the past four years, said he loves doing his police duties as well as praising the Lord at the same time.

“I do music after work and I always make use of my off duty days, this is how I have been managing to handle the pressure that comes with being a musician and a cop,” Sokosi said.

The Kadoma-born Sokosi grew up in Masvingo before moving to his current base in Gwanda. His first album Ivai Nesu rocked the airwaves last year.

Robert Martin Gumbura, the leader of RMG End Time Message, was Friday convicted on on four counts of rape and another count of possession of pornographic material and his sentencing will be on Monday.

He was found guilty on four of five counts of rape and on the porn possession charges.

The court was packed to capacity as members of the public were closely following his case.

His defence lawyer Ms Rekai Maposa is now mitigating on his behalf and Gumbura is awaiting his sentence.

See related reading:

Gumbura’s videos played in court

Gumbura case: Top cleric testifies 

Back in the village, in the land of milk, honey and dust or Guruve, if you like, prophets are like village girls, each time they come up with new cosmetics to outbid each other, all to win the heart of the suitor. With time, the cosmetic beauty disappears and reality dawns on the suitor, exposing the girl actually has a scullery of dotted pimples and when that happens, one by one, the suitors abandon the chase.
In latter day Zimbabwe, a multifarious array of self-styled prophets have mushroomed and prophecy has become the order of the day, a sort of cosmetic for the face of religion and religiosity, the art and belief.

The gospreneurs, whom others call prophets, are leaving no stone unturned to cash in on the desperate and gullible flock, pretending to have the suffering people at heart, yet their heart is with the dollar somewhere in the poor person’s pocket.

At times it is the last dollar in that poor person’s pocket. Cruel, cruel, cruel!

Like or hate this villager, the prophetic antics have become too much – from enlargement of tiny manhood, raising the dead, selling anointed water and bricks to soccer results prediction. Fetid!

This villager writes the article knowing fully well that he will be “committed to the devil” by the affected fake prophets and gospreneurs.

But this villager will defend this position to the last stain of his blood. This villager comes from a background that believes in calling a spade a spade and in never hugging a hyena to make peace. Never! Is God not for us all?

But on second thoughts, this villager respects these latter-day businessmen or gospreneurs, for coming up with a business model that abuses the white man’s Bible to swindle the poor and the suffering, something that spirit mediums Karitundundu, Svembere, Dumburechuma, Nyamapfeni, Nyamasoka, Chitehwe and Chidyamawuyu, among others, have failed to do.

While the gospreneurs have lined their pockets, and bought flashy cars, fancy clothes, out-of-this world- homes and dated beautiful women, the spirit mediums have remained modest and vanguards of poverty and African humanism. The spirit mediums walk barefoot, live in mud-and-pole homes and consult for free.

Zimbabweans in their broad totality woke up recently to a prophecy on dangling bits, by Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa where a Namibian man, not so endowed with his adult manhood, decided to go for an enlargement, which the man of cloth granted over three months. “One month grow . . . next month grow . . . third month grow . . . fourth month Mmmmm, stop!” the man of God pronounced.

If God created that man with that size of manhood, so who is a prophet to change God’s grandeur?

And yet, do village elders not say, every man brags about his manhood, no matter how tiny? Which African village did this man come from?

This villager, known for saying what he thinks without giving a hoot, was also later shocked to read about the same prophet, claiming he would soon raise the dead. He needed someone who has been in the morgue for two weeks. Yes, the dead!

Yet, if this villager’s memory serves and saves him right, the same prophet had a miracle baby born by one Harare woman, whom the man of cloth eventually failed to save from death. In the innards of the silent cemetery the child still lies lifeless.

By the way, the child was buried under the curtain of secrecy. And so who is fooling who here? This is a loud and far-fetched antic but in village intelligence, even the loudest of all farts does not tear apart the pant.

When the time is up, no one can stop death, even the loudest of all pleas. Was it not the legendary script writer William Shakespeare, who said “death, a must, must come, when it must?”

Our people have become gullible to these antics and like sheep without a clue to survive, they sheepishly flock there.

This villager challenges the man of God to die, stay in the mortuary for two weeks, then rise. Then this villager will join his congregation for life. Jesus died and rose!

The city of kings and indeed queens, Bulawayo has its fair share of this religious mediocrity, where one flamboyant prophet, the not-so-blessed Blessing Chiza took his gospreneurship to the football arena, mis-predicting a win for our gallant Warriors. The poor soul did nothing but mess up his credentials by trying luck the wrong way. He shot himself on the hip.

The name of Chiza’s church, Faith in God, Eagle Life Assembly, alone tells a story. Whatever it means to the self-styled prophet to be the religious matrix of eagles, life, faith and assembly – all put together – sounds more ridiculous.

“It’s very painful, but I still give glory to God for taking the Warriors that far. I admit that I didn’t see well but I have always said my prophecies are not 100 percent accurate because I am not God,’’ lamented Chiza after being left with egg splashed on his face after failing to predict the Warriors results.

The point is there are too many people making money from religion. They have largely been able to hoodwink many people into believing in even silliest of all things.

The introduction of the multi-currency system opened the winch gates of gospreneurship, a very serious money spinning venture that has seen many liars, masquerading as prophets, making money overnight.

Meanwhile, the poor remain poor and are even getting poorer in soul and finance. There is now need for Government regulation to avert rising cultism in the country. At this rate, many taboos are being committed.

When all is said and done, this villager scolded, rebuked and cursed, the truth shall prevail. Reality, like a silent fart, soon announces itself in smell. I retire to the village for more wisdom from the autochthones.

Zimbabwean gospel artiste Raymond Chakanyuka is in South Africa where he is set to collaborate with 2012 South African crown gospel winner Thinah Zungu and Nigerian best song writer of 2013 David Dayo.

The collaborations are on his fourth album Maiti Ndiyani recorded at Diamond Studios. The upcoming musician works with a ten-member band, Royal Family, under the record label Raycha Music Studios.

His first collaboration will be with Thinah Zungu and their song is expected to be released in South Africa at the end of this month.

Chakanyuka will then collaborate with Nigerian gospel star Dayo in February when the singer will be back in South Africa after his brief return to Zimbabwe.

Chakanyuka has also been signed by fellow Zimbabwean Thembani Mubochwa’s Teez-M clothing label that has worked with renowned South African musicians like the late Vuyo Mukoena and Sifiso Ncwane among others.

His music manager Peter Ndoro identified his potential and has since embarked on taking his gospel music all over Africa.

Chikanyuka has so far released three albums Kanganwa Zvekare in 2008, Mwaka in 2010 and Chikopokopo in 2013.

Warriors coach Ian Gorowa has no time for prophets in football and is disappointed that the leader of the Faith in God (FIG) Eagle Life Assembly in Bulawayo is partly blaming him for the penalty shootout exit in Wednesday’s semi-final against Libya. 

The Warriors lost 4-5 in sudden death penalties despite goalkeeper George Chigova making successive saves to keep Zimbabwe in the game.

Prophet Blessing Chiza had predicted a 3-0 win for the Warriors on the eve of the match but was forced to admit he “didn’t see well.”

Putting his head on the bloc, Prophet Chiza even told football followers that midfielder Peter “Rio” Moyo would score twice in the 3-0 win. When time for reality came, the Highlanders midfielder blazed his penalty over the bar during the shootout.

Gorowa said he was aware of the story.

“I heard that story but people always talk. This has nothing to do with football I think, listen there are things that have to do with football and those that have nothing to do with football. I don’t believe in that, if we take our chances we take our chances. Penalties, we didn’t take them well. So it’s something I choose to ignore.”

The former Black Rhinos, Dynamos and Ajax Cape Town striker was not worried that Prophet Chiza was communicating with six Warriors players.

“I was communicating with some players who appreciated my prayers and support. I’m still convinced the Warriors were supposed to win that match,” Prophet Chiza told Chronicle.

Gorowa says it is something he had no problems with and will not attempt to stop.

“I think if that can be made clear. These players are mostly from Highlanders so he has been in touch with them. I think he was the one who prays for them, you cannot stop that. So they continue doing that which is good for them.

“So if he was then it was good, if he was doing it for the best of the country, if he was helping the players then that’s good I don’t see any problem with that,” he said.

However, Prophet Chiza seemed to blame Gorowa for the Warriors’ exit.

“I told the coach that we had to walk together for them to win the match but he was not forthcoming. It was of paramount importance for me to talk to him and give him a few instructions, such as making sure that no player enters the stadium with juju,” Chiza told Chronicle.

Gorowa took exception to that: “Then he must be the coach . . . if he said that it’s rather unfortunate, it’s very unfortunate.”

Looking back to Wednesday’s game, Gorowa said they were victims of their own shortcomings in the final third of the pitch as they dominated enough to win the game in regulation time.

The Warriors coaches actually knew what to expect from Libya.

“We had to win, we knew these were going to defend, we had planned to play in a certain way and I think the boys tried but obviously different circumstances, different conditions of the pitch as well but you can’t always make those excuses and I thought in the final third that’s where we lacked again a bit. So if you don’t score you don’t win matches.”

Having played all their previous matches at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, the Free State Stadium was new to the Warriors and the showers during the game also unsettled the players somewhat.

Gorowa introduced Donald Ngoma and Simba Sithole in the second half in place of How Mine’s Simba Sithole and Masimba Mambare.

“It was for us to have more players upfront, more strikers upfront so that we can create more chances with more bodies upfront but it was never to be.”

Explaining why he didn’t make the third substitution, Gorowa said: “At that time there was nothing more, if I look at the bench, who could have done. We could have thrown anybody but to me it didn’t make a difference. I think at that moment we were still okay, we tried to push and that was it.”

There had been speculation that the coaches were reserving the third slot to reserve goalkeeper, Tafadzwa Dube who is renowned for saving spot kicks.

Following misses by three left-footed takers, there were concerns that the coaches had relied too much on players who are not good with penalties.

Gorowa said they had practiced penalties at training and let the players decide on the line-up of takers on Wednesday.

“They chose the takers themselves because we have been practicing and they chose themselves,” said Gorowa.

He is not treating the third-place play off against Nigeria as dead rubber and will go all out for victory against a Nigeria side still coming to terms with not reaching the final.

As such, Gorowa will not throw in all the players who have not had game time for the sake of giving everyone a run at the tournament.

There are seven players who have not been in the starting line up for the Warriors at the Chan finals and four of them are yet to kick the ball.

Goalkeepers Tafadzwa Dube and Munyaradzi Diya, Augustine Mbara and Themba Ndlovu have not featured in the tournament — even for a second.

Oscar Machapa and Felix Chindungwe were late substitutes once each while Nelson Maziwisa featured as a sub on three occasions.

“We have to balance the two. I have just spoken to the players and we have to balance between us  giving those who have not been playing and winning the game. So that means we have to put our best players. We will try as much as we can to give the other guys a chance but also you don’t sacrifice that for winning.

“We want to win, finish this tournament in style. Playing Nigeria is never easy I’m sure they also want to win. So you cannot sacrifice winning because you want to give everyone a run. If you have to put the same team again you have to because you have to win. But we will see, I said to some of them I will give them a run,” said Gorowa.

The Warriors returned to Cape Town last night.

Eagle Life Assembly leader Blessing Chiza used his church’s Sunday service to defend himself after he wrongly predicted that Zimbabwe will reach the just-ended African Nations Championships (Chan) finals.

Chiza had reportedly predicted that the Warriors would beat Libya 3-0 in the semi-finals played last week in South Africa.

He has been labelled a false prophet on social media after Zimbabwe was dumped from the tournament by eventual winners Libya.

But Chiza appeared to be blaming the media for misquoting him saying he had even prophesied as early as last year that he would be vilified by journalists.

A video that was reportedly made on May 19 2013 where Chiza made the prophecy about the persecution in the media was played at the fully-packed church in Bulawayo’s Thorngrove area yesterday.

In the video Chiza says: “I know there are some of you who see things, yet you don’t see things properly.

“There are journalists here who are going to say things. They are not going to say good things about me and this church.”

He also tells his followers that the negative publicity would only make him stronger.

“I encourage you to pray and remain steadfast. I will be in all the newspapers. I will be on page one, two and even on page three,” he said.

“In some newspapers there will be full-page articles with big pictures of me. I say this because I have been shown.”

After the video was shown, Chiza told the congregants that last week’s events were a fulfillment of the prophecy.

“It is not something new, we have seen it coming,” he added.

Some congregants told Radio Dialogue that they attended the church service where Chiza made the “prophecy” about the media coverage.

Before the false Libya prophecy, Chiza had correctly predicted that Zimbabwe would beat Mali in the quarter-finals. Last year he predicted that Highlanders would beat How Mine to lift the Mbada Diamonds Cup. After the Libya debacle he conceded that his prophecy was wrong.

“I admit that I didn’t see well, but I have always said that my prophecies are not 100% accurate because I am not God,” he was quoted saying.

See related reading:

Prophets have no place in soccer Warriors coach 

Upcoming gospel musician Abigail Mwebe has defied all odds by composing music in the Tonga language for her debut album.

The aspiring gospel musician is set to release her 10-track album early next year.

In an interview with Southern Eye Lifestyle, the promising musician said some of the tracks that will be featured include Wabafwifwi Jehovah, Tata Leza, Leza Mubootu and Amuze Kulileza.

She said she was happy about the album. Mwebe, however, said she was still deciding on the recording company with either Bulawayo or South Africa the likely places.

“This album is going to be a hit and I am working with different producers such as Kera production.”

Except for Joyce Mukoko and the group Mokoomba from Binga, few artistes have dared compose songs in the previously marginalised Tonga language.

However, Mwebe vowed to continue composing songs in Tonga in an effort to promote the language spoken in Matabeleland North’s Binga district and beyond borders – in Zambia and Malawi.

Mwebe revealed that some local Tonga artistes wanted to record music in the language, but lacked funding to start their music projects.

The musician is set to release a solo video Moya Usalala during the festive season — dedicated to the Tonga people.

The video will be shot in Bulawayo and Binga. Mwebe is a member for Bulawayo Women’s Gospel artistes and has shared the stage with the city’s gospel musicians like Pastor Joyce Mungofa, Thobekile Nleya and Mai Ida Mangwiro.

“A true prophet will be 100% accurate. There is no margin for error.”

There is no time in history that Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular have experienced an upsurge in the number of churches and prophets as today. Zimbabwe finds itself in the grip of a religious frenzy that has seen people claiming to be prophets predicting things ranging from soccer matches to deaths of prominent people.

When the outcomes are as predicted or nearly as predicted there are wild celebrations in their congregations. By the way, Harare now has an estimated seventy-six (excluding wives who are often prophetesses) prophet-led gatherings. These prophets are literally everywhere now – small and big towns.

The trend was popularized locally by popular Nigerian preacher TB Joshua after he predicted the death of a southern African president in 2012. Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika subsequently died within the named time-frame. Little regard is given to the embarrassment and discomfort caused by “prophesying” someone’s death. Musician Oliver Mtukudzi once fell victim to a “prophecy” encouraging people to “… pray for Mtukudzi’s health”. The alleged prophet, one Ambassador Ishmael, had allegedly been shown Mtukudzi’s health failing. That was in May 2012. As you read this, Mtukudzi is on a musical tour in the US.

As recently as last week, one Tichatonga Mambo, “prophesied” the alleged death of the Head of State reportedly on 3 February 2014. In the same week, it was reported that “emissaries” of one German-based Zimbabwean prophet telephoned the President’s office late last year on a prophecy warning the First Lady of her death. Ladies and gentlemen, the truth is this: virtually, every one born of a woman will depart from this earth one day. Nothing in this world is more certain than death. I am sure neither Mtukudzi nor the President or their relatives are amused by these “prophecies”. It would appear that in their quest for recognition these men target prominent public figures as a launch pad to fame. Honestly, is a musician’s health the urgent message that Christianity needs today?

The Zimbabwe national soccer team has been making waves at the CHAN in South Africa. Social media, radio, TV and drinking spots reverberated with joy last Saturday as the boys made a grand entry into the semi-finals of the tournament. It really felt good to be Zimbabwean. The mere fact of gracing the semis brought joy into the hearts of Zimbabweans. Even our at-times-xenophobic neighbours found solace in rallying behind the Zimbabwe Warriors. As I noted, it would appear the prophets of our age are to be found wherever the spotlight is. Unlike the Biblical prophets who shunned glory and the lime light, today’s prophets seek it as one would seek a gold cave. A Bulawayo based (prophet) Blessing Chiza made the headlines moments before the Zimbabwe versus Libya game.

Chiza allegedly prophesied that the Warriors would win and beat Libya by, “… three goals to nil”. However, Zimbabwe lost the match on penalties. After the match, one humorous news site marked the prophecy:
Warriors to win = WRONG 0 marks
Warriors to win by 3 goals = WRONG 0 marks
TOTAL 0/10 marks= 0%
Tempers flared and many taunted him as a half-baked prophet. A hailstorm of insults rained on the hapless Bulawayo “prophet”. However, in my opinion, to his credit, at least he spoke ahead of the match unlike most “prophets” who claim glory after an event. Most livid people confessed that they had lost money and valuables to betting syndicates in the faith of his misleading “prophecy”. Others even called for his arrest.

Now, a Bible reader knows that there is no such thing as a half-baked or fully baked prophet. One is either a true prophet or a false prophet. That this “prophet” would later apologize to the nation saying, “I didn’t see clearly” is clear testimony that these men have rushed to say things but God has not sent them. A true prophet cannot “see” anything of his own but acts as a mouthpiece for God and as such there is absolutely no room for the slightest error. A real microphone can only echo what the speaker says. Second Peter 1:20, 21 removes any margin of error in prophecy because a prophet speaks for God as he or she is moved by the Holy Spirit. Now, imagine the Almighty even sending a messenger to tell the world that Mahachi will score in a soccer match. Imagine a supposed God sending a messenger to tell us of Mtukudzi’s health. Surely, isn’t this a mockery of the Person that God is?

Are these “death”, “soccer” and “passport number” prophecies the urgent need of this sinful world. Does God revel in soccer? 1st Cor 14:3-4- A true prophet will look to edify, comfort and uplift the church body by Jesus’ testimony. How does soccer edify the church? Is soccer really the issue in a world battling addictions and pornography? Surely, the Lord of Heaven is concerned with the salvation of man. Surely, our God wants the world to know of Jesus’ return more than he wants us to know of soccer matches. Can’t the world see that these men are simply fulfilling Biblical prophecy of the last days? (Matt 24:24)

Finally, I want you to listen carefully to this Bible verse on one important characteristic of a true prophet: “How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken? When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing follows not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken, but the prophet has spoken it presumptuously: you shall not be afraid of him.”(Deuteronomy 18:21-22). A true prophet will be 100% accurate. There is no margin for error. If the prophet’s predictions fail (in the slightest), they are exposed as not of God. This verse even quashes the common habit of claiming to have prophesied a person’s death after it has occurred. A true prophet speaks ahead of time. It’s really sad seeing as it is how the Bible is clear and how multitudes refuse its counsel instead insulting bearers of this message.

Pastor Robert Martin Gumbura was on Monday sentenced to 50 years in prison but could save an effective 40 years after ten were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

The RMG End Time Message church leader was last week convicted on four counts of rape and one count of possession of pornographic material.

Gumbura, who has 11 wives and 30 children, faced nine counts of raping six women and one of possessing pornographic material.

But magistrate Hosiah Mujaya cleared him on four counts of rape for lack of evidence when handing down his ruling last Friday.

Prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi, had recommended a lengthy prison term of more than 25 years saying this would serve as a deterrent.

“His moral blameworthy is very high in view of his position as a pastor,” said Murombedzi.

“He (Gumbura) preyed on the flock he was supposed to shepherd and took them as sex objects. He was selfish. He took the female congregants as his personal property which he would loan to other men.

“He would dictate which man shall marry a female congregant but at a price that he would be the first to be intimate with her.”

“A deterrent sentence will help society to have confidence in the justice delivery system.”

See related reading:

Pastor Gumbura convicted 

Gumbura’s videos played in court 

In a country where almost every sector of society depends on hearing what prophets are saying about it,Bulawayo has not been left out of the trend.

A young Bulawayo prophet has caused a stir in the city with strange miracles taking place at his services. This is Prophet Sisonke Ndlovu (25) affectionately known as the “Terrorist Prophet” by his congregants and close allies. What really is it that has made this Prophet such a unique and unusual one from the lot of modern day Prophets?

His signature gifting is strongly on dealing with witchcraft and wizardry and the areas of satanic oppression. The self styled prophet believes that Christians should not fear witches but witches should be in fear of Christians. He goes on to say tahat many times people believe after they are born again then satan leaves them alone yet that is only the acceptance into the battle with satan. In one of the service held in the afternoon at the church venue at Sizinda Vocational Center,last Sunday during the ministration of the man of God a certain woman in the congregation started feeling heat and screaming uncontrollably during service. A few seconds later as she was being brought to the front she vomited a SAFETY PIN that was about 5 cm long and about 3 cm wide. The prophet gave glory to Jesus as the people cheered as he believes it is Jesus working through him.

In another incident during the ministration of the Prophet a congregant rushed quickly to the front expressing she had received a call from home. It is reported that there were three women who were at her gate naked and covered in ashes crying”WE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED” all after the declaration the Prophet had made about arresting witches.

People are seen to be healed from varying sicknesses such as cancer,HIV and different a ilments as the young Prophet ministers. The Prophet is a spiritual son to controversial UK based Prophet, Prophet Uebert Angel of Spirit Embassy. When the Prophet was contacted for comment he said he cant explain what happens its Jesus doing His will upon His people. “Its not all about money,if it were for money i would have left long back,i dont even have a car,i use kombis with everyone else”,said the Prophet.

When approaching the new suburb of Hob House near Chikanga in Mutare you come across a small shopping centre where different people do their day to day business. Just after the shopping centre, driving Westwards on a rough terrain, one comes across a house secured by a brown precast wall.

A black gate leads to the main entrance of the house.

In this main room is a six-piece brown room divider with an LCD TV receiver and home theatre on it.

Kakhi sofas and a wooden coffee table are well-complemented by a khaki carpet is spread in the whole room.

This is the house of Mutare-based gospel musician Blessing Shumba.

The Herald Entertainment took a peep into the musician’s life and he opened up on different issues.

The musician who was born in Buhera 1979 under Chief Nyashanu started his career in 2008 where he recorded his first album “Ishe Wazvose”.

“I recorded the album and came back home where I stayed with it for close to two years not knowing what to do until a church mate advised me to present it to recording stables,” he said.

He added that he then visited a local recording stable that rejected his music.

“I tried my second chance with an album “NdiMwari” which then made an impact on my career,” he said.

Turning to the issue of another musician Mathias Mhere who snatched the musician’s band members he said that was blown out of proportion.

“I don’t want to comment on that issue because people will blow it out of proportion.

“I sometimes tell promoters to call him if I am busy because we are just missionaries and we work to preach the word of God,” he said.

He dismissed the theory that he was once arrested and that’s when he met Mhere.

“I was never arrested in my life. That theory began after I worked with musicians from Mutare Prison Services and people thought I was once incarcerated which is not true,” he said.

The “Mufaro” hit-maker added that he has decided to give the group’s name to their coming albums with volumes.

“Holy Psalms Volume 1” is the name of his album that will be unveiled at the end of February.

He said songs that will be on the seven track album are “Kureveteka”, “Kutenda”, “Chimwe Nechimwe”, “Ndomudzanira”, “Nyaradzai Vanhu”, “Ndine Chipikirwa” and “Chikuru Rudo”with some of the songs done by a South African producer Nancy Mpofu.

Recently the musician announced that his former keyboardist and producer Lyton Ngolomi will not be the producer of his coming album.

Music critics accused Ngolomi of creating confusion in the music industry after he did similar beats for Mhere and Shumba.

Mhere’s first album under Ngolomi was initially mistaken for Shumba’s release as pirates capitalised on the confusion.

However, Shumba insisted he had no problem with his producer and went on to work with him in the studio.

The gospel musician insists he has not dumped Ngolomi because of any differences, arguing he was offered free services by a South African producer.

“There is no bad blood between me and Ngolomi, it’s just that there is a South African producer who offered to do an album for me for free,” said Shumba.

He added that he is willing to work with Ngolomi in his next project.

See related reading:

Charamba,Shumba for Chinhoyi peace prayer