Apostolic Churches Council of Zimbabwe
The Apostolic Churches Council of Zimbabwe is a body of 600 indigenous apostolic and Zionist churches in the country with an estimated membership of 9 million congregants headed by its president, Johannes Ndanga.
Background
The organisation was launched on 12 September 2010 by former vice president Joice Mujuru with the thrust protecting the interests of local indigenous churches.[1] It is said that the organisation seeks to educate the people of Zimbabwe about the essential nature of indigenous churches which were called derogatory names during the colonial period. The organisation is also said to be aligned to ZANU PF and its leader was quoted saying that leaders of the party had sacrificed themselves for everyone's emancipation the same way as Jesus had done. He also pointed out that this as in sharp contrast to the MDC-T which they alleged had foreign parentage.
The Banning of End Time Message
One of the most prominent moves ever taken by the organisation was the banning of Robert Martin Gumbura Independent End Time Message Church which was headed by the now incarcerated Robert Gumbura. The grounds for the banning of the organisation were that the church had abused its flock by exposing it to pornographic material and alleged acts of "satanism".[2]
Clash with Johanne Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect in Harare’s Budiriro
In an attempt to rein in on the Johanne Masowe sect in Budirio with the assistance of the police, the attempt degenerated into a fight involving members of the apostolic sect led by Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa and the police. Several members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police were injured in the violence as well as some employees of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. Johannes Ndanga was also injured in the fiasco. Madzibaba Ishmael and a section of his followers were later on arrested.
Altercation with Magaya
The president of the association, Johannes Ndanga had a fierce altercation with Walter Magaya with both parties accusing each other of misleading their congregants. In one of the videos circulated on social media, Ndanga accused Magaya of being a fraud with evil powers and a desire for earthly possessions as witnessed by his ownership of a football team and associations with people like Beverly Sibanda. Magaya had accused of the apostolic sects of being centres of sexual immorality. The altercation was also politically charged after Ndanga claimed that Magaya had been sent to wreck havoc among apostolic sects aligned the ZANU PF ruling party.
References
- ↑ Tendai Mugabe We represent churches of Zim, The Herald, Published: November 9, 2012, Retrieved: June 9, 2015
- ↑ Maxwell Mutupo End Time Message Church Banned over satanism, The Eye, Published: 2013, Retrieved: June 30, 2015
