Congregants Abandon Madzibaba Sirage’s Shrine
At least half of Johane Masowe eChishanu members who used to worship at Madzibaba Sirage’s shrine at Negombwe Village in Hwedza, have left and are now meeting at new shrines.
Chrispen Kanerusine, popularly known as Madzibaba Sirage, was among three people who were shot dead in cold blood by former detective Jaison Muvevi (Muvhevhi) in January this year.
Before his death, Sirage allegedly foretold about a “special” death, and that his shrine will be abandoned. He said:
Ndaona muonde uyu waoma zvikakatyamadza vanhu (I am seeing this cactus drying). I am seeing a flag at half-mast symbolising the death of someone special, I am seeing sect members leaving this shrine, scattered and joining other apostolic sects.
Some of Madzibaba Sirage’s followers believe he foretold his own death and accurately prophesied about what will happen to the shrine after his demise.
NewsDay reported that the shrine in Negombwe Village, along the Wedza-Mutiweshiri highway, used to attract a huge crowd before Sirage’s death but it is no longer the case now.
Madzibaba Sirage’s shrine is almost deserted with a few people still meeting at the place.
A new shrine is currently being cleared about 100m away, confirming that Kanerusine’s shrine has been abandoned.
One of the sect’s supreme board members, popularly known as Mudare in apostolic sect circles, Elisha Chingwaru (55), said:
It took us three months to return to the shrine after that fateful day. At first, only men would come to hold prayers and go back home. There was no gathering.
As you know, we are guided by the holy spirit, we were told to move to a new place.
Moreover, we were called by Headman Negombwe, who advised us to look for another place of worship.
Culturally, it is not advisable to continue occupying a place where blood was spilled.
The new shrine is now being led by a prophetess identified as Madzimai Ellen.
Chingwaru also said that some members had left to join other sects. He said:
It is not a secret, we have members who left after the death of Madzibaba Sirage and formed their own sects.
There are now two sects in Ruswa and Barnabas, whose leaders were from this sect.
If a thing of that nature happens, people take it differently. Two prophets have also left, and we also lost two vadare. I can say half of the members have left.
We accepted what happened at the shrine, but some interpreted it differently. I am confident that as time goes on, the sect members will troop back and fill the shrine again.
Sirage was shot dead during a session at the shrine by Muvhevhi, who also killed a top police officer and a bartender at a local shopping centre later that day.
More: Pindula News
