Curtain comes down on 2021

Veronica Gwaze

Since 2019, the world has been grappling with the coronavirus, which has claimed more than five million lives across the globe.

This has come with massive economic and social shocks due to disruptions in business and trade, including retrenchments and shutdowns.

As the curtain comes down on the year 2021, we highlight some of the events and developments that made the headlines.

Church Squabbles
AFM debacle

In 2021, several church disputes and splits were major talking points.

For the better part of the year, the Apostolic Faith Mission hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons.
Instead of spreading the Word, especially during troubled times for humanity, church leaders spent much of their time in court, where they bitterly tussled for the ownership and control of both church properties and finances.

The dispute led to a major split, which left part of the church under the leadership of Reverend Amon Madawo.

Cossam Chiyangwa led the rival faction.
The dispute spilled into the Supreme Court.

Violent incidences involving the two “warring” factions were reported after some church members refused to surrender vehicles and vacate church premises.

The major highlight were recent skirmishes at the church’s Marlborough property, where security guards allegedly hired by Chiyangwa’s faction fired gunshots at Reverend Madawo’s group as matter came to a boil.

The African Apostolic Church (AAC)

Succession disputes also haunted the AAC this year, with the founding Archbishop Paul Mwazha and some senior members of the church brawling over succession.

Apparently, the 102-year-old Mwazha failed to resolve a raging succession dispute pitting one of his sons, Alfred Kushamisa Mwazha, against a faction that was being led by Ernest Nhambare.

Yet again, the Supreme Court had to be involved, as it ruled in favour of the founding leader, who, despite his advanced age, was declared fit to lead the church.

However, while the matter might have been settled in court, the battle for control is still continuing.
In October, Alfred was hauled before the courts for contempt of court after he allegedly conducted a pilgrimage in contravention of a previous High Court ruling.

Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church

It was the same story with Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church, which was founded by Elijah Mugodhi in 1932.

His successor, Tadewu, died in 2019 at the age of 79.
Before his death, he had, however, anointed his son Washington to take over the reins.
This did not go down well with one of the church elders, Tonny Sigauke, who, citing the church’s constitution, took Washington to court.

The High Court subsequently ruled in Washington’s favour.
Sigauke appealed, but the superior court still upheld the High Court’s decision.

Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA)

Another leadership wrangle has reared its ugly head at ZAOGA, where a faction is allegedly pushing the 98-year-old church founder, Archbishop Ezekiel Guti, to appoint his successor.

Another faction, nicknamed G40 and allegedly being led by his wife Apostle Eunor Guti, is said to be angling to take over control of the church after Archbishop Guti’s demise.

Reports indicate that Archbishop Guti has since moved out of the Chisipite family home for safety reasons.

While it is officially claimed that he is on a church mission, a source privy to the goings-on said he had to be moved out of the house because of the volatile situation.

Death

A number of prominent religious leaders died during the course of the year.
Sekuru Friday Chisanyu

Sekuru Chisanyu, a traditional healer and founder of the Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association (ZINPA), died of diabetes.

A traditional healer since he was in primary school, Sekuru Chisanyu was the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (ZINATHA) organising secretary and national secretary for special events between 1998 and 2000.

He went on to establish ZINPA, an association that represents the interests of traditional and faith healers, herbalists and midwives.

Sekuru Chisanyu later became the Traditional Medical Practitioners Council (TMPC) chair.
He was also a member of the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s Cancer Forum Committee.

Father Emmanuel Francis Ribeiro
A long-serving Roman Catholic priest, he died on June 17 at St Annes’ Hospital.
He was 86.

Born in Chivhu, Fr Ribeiro attended Kutama and Gokomere High Schools before studying Theology at Chishawasha Mission.

He was ordained as a diocesan priest in 1964.
He played an important during the war of liberation.
Most notably, he rose to become a celebrated music composer in the Roman Catholic Church, with more than 17 songs to his name.

Father Emmanuel Francis Ribeiro

During his colourful life, he also wrote several novels.
One of the Catholic songs that was composed by Fr Ribeiro was “Gamuchirayi Mambo Mupiro Uyu”.
The priest also led the committee that penned the national anthem and the committee that designed the national flag.

At the time of his death, he was serving under St Mary’s Queen of Peace parish in Highfield.

Sekuru Elisha Mutanga
Later in October, another traditionalist, Sekuru Elisha Mutanga, also breathed his last.
He was known for his flamboyance and outspokenness.

Unlike most traditional healers, Sekuru Mutanga wore designer suits, put on fancy hairstyles and consulted his clients whilst seated on an expensive couch.

Sekuru Elisha Mutanga

He was among some of the first traditional healers who established a modern surgery.
He was outspoken and fought for the recognition of traditional healers.

Ever-increasing murder cases

Throughout the year, a number of gruesome murders were reported, resulting in the Zimbabwe Republic Police raising alarm.

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) Quarterly Digest, in 2011, 764 murder cases were recorded in Zimbabwe before the figures rose to 1 067 in 2017.

By 2018, the figures had increased to 1 453 and 1 733 by 2019.
While some of the murders were fuelled by family disputes and drug abuse, among others, some of them were committed for ritual purposes.

In July, a Banket teenager was arrested for the suspected ritual murder of a five-year-old girl.
Barely a month later, two Nyanga minors, Melissa and Daniel Benza, were murdered in a suspected ritual killing and dumped in a disused toilet at an abandoned homestead with deep cuts on their necks.
Earlier this month, police arrested four men in Tsholotsho who were suspected of being behind a spate of ritual murders.

Another suspect, Philemon Chikata, was arrested in Nyanga for a suspected ritual murder involving a minor.

These murder cases also served as a reminder of the gruesome murder of Murehwa minor Tapiwa Makore last year.