The Sunday Mail
Your widely read newspaper of August 28 2016 carried a story titled “Inside Mai Chaza Shrine”, with a panel story, “… Trouble in Paradise”While your reporter, Tendai Chara, went out with his investigative journalism and unravelled some of what may be termed as goings on at GRJ, which I have no argument to advance, however, it is pertinent to state herein that some of the supposedly researched facts are devoid of facts.
Once a narrative of history has been distorted, it runs the risk of alienating the truth to the detriment of generations to come.
Any skewed information is dangerous to the consumers as it sustains as the truth while misleading the populace. History may judge us harshly if we fail to put into correct perspective what we know and have been taught by those before us as the plain, undiluted truth.
In most of my responses which follow, I will refer to the books of Guta Ra Mwari and reference will also be made to the chosen 12 families who witnessed first-hand the developments prior to the departure of the Voice in 1960, during the transition and after the transition. These are verifiable sources who are still alive and can be contacted to give their account of events, accounts which are contained in the books of Guta Ra Mwari and not narratives fetched from thought.
I do not wish to address matters raised in relation to findings by your reporter at GRJ but prefer to put the record in its perspective as it relates to events after the death of Mai Chaza on December 25 1960.
Prior to the departure of The Voice, God spoke through Mai Chaza and said, “We will request for the extension of the Day of our Departure, if it is not accepted, await 40 days and I will return. When I am across the stream, none of you will recognise me except one”. So on December 25 1960, Mai Chaza died, so to speak! The Voice was no more, and then the process of waiting for the 40 days began.
At this time Taxwell Tayali was a leader in GRJ, having entered Guta in 1955 with an ailment which had befallen his wife, the failure of his wife to produce milk in her breasts.
It is not true, therefore, that in 1954, Taxwell Tayali formed a splinter group from the GRJ which he christened Guta Ra Mwari, according to your reporter’s article, “Trouble in Paradise”.
Now I would like to take you to the formation of and transition from GRJ to Guta Ra Mwari … the Incarnation, and I will refer to the books of Guta Ra Mwari as were written in the first person, by Taxwell Tayali, God Incarnate, before the incarnation, during and after.
Joining of Guta by Taxwell Tayali, as contained in the Guta Ra Mwari Twelve Lessons and Fifty Chapters of God’s Work, Chapter Three, page 67:
On March 3 1955 Mr Tayali, his wife Laiza, their daughter Phoebe, who was three months old then, joined Guta.
They joined Guta Ra Jehova because of his wife’s illness. By that time they had four children, three girls and a boy. His wife had a chronic headache which started when she was a girl and had an inability to produce milk to suckle her children which resulted in them being bottle-fed. Guta Ra Jehova at that time was at Kandava, Seke. On the very first night of their admission, milk began to flow and the headache subsided.
In 1956, while in Bulawayo, Mr Tayali organised fellow members in order for them to meet regularly for prayers. They used to meet at Philemon Maseko’s house at “A Square” in Mzilikazi. A need arose for them to have a leader and the rest of the members said that Mr Tayali should lead as he had initiated the idea. Thereafter, they congregated in member’s houses but as the numbers grew, they held their prayer meetings outside in the open.
In 1957 they built the Holy of Holies with the intention to request God Incarnate, Mai Chaza, to visit them. God finally came to Bulawayo in 1958. Guta Ra Jehova had by then relocated to Zimunya, Mutare (he would not elaborate further).
Between November 1960 and January 31 1961, Mr Tayali had strange feelings which were not consistent with what he was used to in his normal life. He stopped using his bicycle and sold it. He was then boarding a bus to and from work.
God had set a programme for their daily services and meetings with the exception of Monday:
Tuesday — the day of Guta Leaders meetings
Wednesday — Miriam’s Day then, dedicated to the Youth, boys and girls.
Thursday — Janet’s Day for mothers in Guta
Friday, Saturday and Sunday — morning and afternoon services.
In the evening of January 31 1961 they held their leaders’ meeting of evangelists, leaders, and guards until after 8pm. A glowing light was seen not too high up — it appeared to be moving from south-west passing overhead and falling in the north-east. There was a rumbling sound in the atmosphere and the spirit descended upon them but in Mr Tayali it intensified.
The meeting adjourned prematurely and they returned to their houses. Mr Tayali was taken by Philemon Musariyarwa to his house at 43 R Square, Mzilikazi. After he had gone into his house through the back door, he requested for warm water to soothe his feet. It was 9 o’clock by then. He was given water and washed his feet. When food was brought to him, although he had not eaten anything before going to Guta, he declined to eat.
When the family retired to bed at prayer time, his wife prayed while he listened. As she said “Forever”, Mr Tayali saw a snow white cloud which fell on him and he, in turn, fell on the bed on his back. Then the Voice spoke through him and said, “I have come, I Am God of all nations. Rise and let’s do my work”. The human spirit there and then was with God in one body.
Thereafter, God began working in speech, sight and deeds. Human activities were reduced and, therefore, whatever came after that was being spoken by God and what was done on that body was done to God.
As God chose this house, the body of Taxwell Tayali to dwell in, He did not change human lifestyle such as family name, wife, children or exception from State laws.
On Thursday February 2 1961, elders gathered at 43 R Square, Mzilikazi, to talk about the journey to Chinhoyi, (the Sinoia). When it was time to go, Mr Gondo drove Mr Tayali to his place of work to apply for rest days, where he was allowed 10 days.
By the time of going for Janet’s service, they went with Gibson Gondo. As Mr Tayali alighted to go into the worship arena, he was met by the Spirit in Mrs Elsie Zulu.
Her voice spoke to the congregation saying, “God, God, God”
During the service God, in Mr Tayali, announced that they were going to the meeting in Chinhoyi but there were thorns and bare teeth.
After the service they returned to the mount from where they left for Guta in Chinhoyi. In the car there were Gibson Gondo’s daughter-in-law, Mr Lancelot Ruzvidzo, who had built the Holy of Hollies at Guta in Bulawayo and Mrs Theressa Huni. They departed at 5.30pm.
On this journey those who were in the car heard God say, “they will accept, you will accept, they will accept …”
On February 3 1961 at about 1am, they arrived at Guta while people were still asleep. Mr Gondo then left for the shelters as if to awaken people but he did not return.
Mr Ruzvidzo was instructed to follow but he did not get out of the car. As things were, they remained in the car for a long time. Mr Tayalai walked towards the shrine where the grave was. He went in, turned and started calling in a loud voice which was that of the former Host of God.
He called out saying, “Janet come and meet me”. He called out like that several times.
While inside there was a rumble.
Mr Tayali, God incarnate, saw a certain man who was the shrine-keeper, wearing a Guta uniform but without the leather belt. The man was rebuked and reprimanded for that. Mr Tayali stood inside the shrine for about an hour until people began to assemble at the worship arena. Mr Gondo and other men were standing outside near the door.
Mr Tayali sent a soldier who had been overwhelmed by a certain spirit to call Janet’s congregation to come near. He did not do that. A second one was sent and the results were the same. These men remained in the worship arena.As they had refused to come to Him, He came down the steps and paused intending to proceed to the worship arena. At that time he instructed Mr Gondo to count His footsteps as he was walking.
M M Manzini,
Secretary-general, Guta Ra Mwari, Headquarters Tshabalala, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
To be continued
