The Sunday Mail
Tendai Chara
Forget about Simon Chimbetu’s song “Tenda”, the unofficial New Year party anthem. Vadzidzi Wimbo, the 94-year-old revered religious mystic – who leads the Johane Masowe Vadzidzi VaJesu sect – does things his own way.As if taking a cue from Montel Jordan’s party song “This is how we do it”, Madzibaba Wimbo, born Aaron Mhukuta, demonstrated to those in attendance how a typical New Year’s eve should be celebrated.
At his shrine, which is located in Pfute Village under Chief Madziva, about 20 km from Mount Darwin, the religious leader had the rare opportunity to be merry as he mixed and mingled with the sect leadership.
Vadzidzi Wimbo spends most of his time praying for hundreds of his followers. The songs “Takachengetwa nemweya mutsvene” and “Zimbabwe Africa” sent the often misunderstood spiritual leader into a frenzy.
Joy was evidently written all over his face. If he was a bit younger, he definitely would have leapt into the air like a rabbit. After a year in which the sect was involved in a serious leadership wrangle, Madzibaba Wimbo had every reason to dance and sing along to the songs that give him joy and promises of a better future.
In 2016, it was falsely reported that the religious leader had been allegedly abducted by church members and at one time lived in captivity at the sect’s shrine in Shamva, Mashonaland Central province.
It was also reported that he was living in a toilet under captivity. However, 2016 was not all bad.
“We managed to formalise the institution. Among other things, we managed to construct dormitories, sank boreholes and engaged in various developmental projects. We have every reason to be happy,” said Mr Chingwena, the secretary-general of the sect.
For Vadzidzi Wimbo, the gathering marking the end of 2016 was indeed a time to put aside the difficult times endured during the year. Mr Chingwena explained why Vadzidzi Wimbo was ecstatic.
“For us, Christmas is not that important. Mudzidzi was born on Christamas Day and we kind of celebrate his birth.
“Otherwise the day would have passed unnoticed,” he said.
For the sect, the New Year is the “real deal.”
“It is a time to be merry, a time to reflect on the past year and a time to set targets for the coming year. As you can see, everyone is immersed in these festivities,” Mr Chingwena said.
Two beasts were slaughtered and food and non-alcoholic drinks flowed freely, just like the waters of the river Nile.
Vadzidzi Wimbo first shot to prominence in 1980 when his 1957 prophecy was fulfilled.
Back in 1957, he had said that independent Zimbabwe would be led by a man with the name of an angel – Gabriel – and in 1980, President Mugabe was elected into office. Recently, he has made several other prophecies, which, however, remain a subject of debate.
