More than 40 undocumented burials were conducted by apostolic communities in Hurungwe, with the graves turned into sweet potato and tomato beds, a report claims.
A report presented by the Mashonaland West medical director, Dr Celestino Dhege, during the Government’s provincial heads meeting held in Chinhoyi recently, shows that over 40 secret burials were conducted in Hurungwe District.
This has been happening in Maronda/Mangate, Shumba, Village 5, Chakaraya and Dzokamushure Villages.
The report says villagers have been seeing vegetable gardens and beds sprouting each morning unaware that underneath the fertile soils lies a dead child denied medical attention. Said Dhege (via <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/sect-conceals-40-graves-under-sweet-potato-beds/">The Herald</a>):
<blockquote>
We are told that over 40 secret burials were conducted in the Hurungwe area, where parents would then plant sweet potatoes and tomatoes on top to conceal evidence of their bad acts. Investigations are ongoing and we will get to the bottom of this.
As a province, we are working towards giving the communities knowledge regarding the dangers of various diseases that the nation faces.
My office was briefed by health officials that in the Hurungwe area, where these deaths and secret burials occurred, there was an outbreak of diarrhoeal diseases, mumps and measles.
</blockquote>
Dr Dhege added that a household in Ward 22 had lost children aged 12, nine, seven, three, one and half years within a short space of time.
He called on lawmakers to enact laws that protect children from parents who shun modern medicine amid revelations that many were succumbing to measles, cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases.
Wards 4 and 22 of Hurungwe Rural District Council were the most affected by cases of mumps and measles.
Dr Dhege said it was high time punitive measures were put to deter would-be offenders to protect the children. He said:
<blockquote>
On a sad note, apostolic (Marange) communities hide these incidents.
Where we have outbreaks like cholera and measles, some apostolic members bury their children at night after denying them access to medical care.
To conceal the horrendous act, they plant sweet potatoes on top of the graves.
To them, the death of a child is not as significant as we think. They believe children are like bricks, more will be moulded.
</blockquote>
A 23-year-old mother, Tariro Gambe, was recently divorced by her husband, disowned by her parents and de-churched by the sect after she sought medical attention following the death of her nine-year-old child in March this year.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Apostolic Sect Conceals 40 Graves Under Sweet Potato Beds

The government of Mozambique has reportedly banned the Johane Marange Apostolic Sect in the Central Province of Manica for allegedly encouraging child marriage and disregarding health issues.
The Johane Marange Apostolic Sect first emerged in Manicaland Province in neighbouring Zimbabwe, where it has been operating for a decade.
Albachir Macassar, the National Director of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs, was reported as saying the Ministry has also banned some religious institutions with “obscure purposes” in the southern Province of Inhambane. Said Macassar:
<blockquote>
To discipline some behaviour and excesses of certain religious denominations, a draft Law on Religious Freedom and Worship is under discussion to regulate the exercise of this activity in Mozambique.
</blockquote>
During the interview with Radio Mozambique, Macassar insisted that the government of Mozambique is not interfering with religious worship.
He said the government only seeks to direct and discipline religious organisations.
Macassar said under the draft law, those who want to establish new churches must have a certificate in theology.
He added that if they are leaving an existing congregation, they must have a letter of disaffiliation or recommendation. Said Macassar:
<blockquote>
They must possess a letter of recommendation from the top leader of the previous religious grouping, attesting to their suitability to found another congregation.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-government-bans-doubtful-churches-including-johane-marange-sect-232276/">Club Of Mozambique</a>

Mozambique Govt Bans Johane Marange Sect Over Child Marriages | Report

The Grade 7 pupil from Katanga, Norton, a small town in Mashonaland West Province, who died while giving birth in Bikita on 04 October, was buried in Mt Darwin on Thursday.
Nokutenda Hwaramba’s body was ferried from Bikita to Mt Darwin on Wednesday and laid to rest on the following day.
Her father, Bernard Hwaramba, told <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/norton-teen-laid-to-rest/">H-Metro</a> that they will release the details related to the circumstances which led to his 15-year-old daughter’s death in due course. He said:
<blockquote>
We have laid Nokutenda to rest. We saw it best to lay her to rest early since we spent the night travelling.
Details surrounding her death will be released later since we are still mourning her.
Nokutenda died on Tuesday at an apostolic church shrine while giving birth.
</blockquote>
She had been taken to the shrine by her father for prayers as their church doctrine does not allow them to seek medical help at hospitals.
Some Katanga residents had threatened to beat up Bernard, and his church members, accusing them of causing the death of Nokutenda.
Speaking to H-Metro on Wednesday, Nokutenda’s mother, Loice Muparadziwo, said her daughter was impregnated by one of their neighbours, one Aaron. She said:
<blockquote>
Nokutenda was said to have been impregnated by one Aaron from our neighbourhood.
She got sick and would just fall down as if possessed by evil spirits.
Her father consulted prophets from his congregation and later took her to Bikita for more prayers.
He left Nokutenda in the hands of the intercessors and she died while giving birth at the shrine.
The church doctrine did not allow us to take Nokutenda to a clinic, or hospital, to give birth or for any medical treatment.
I failed to accompany them to Bikita because I was also due to deliver and I had a miscarriage at Norton General Hospital on the day Nokutenda passed away.
</blockquote>
Nokutenda’s death echoes the death of 14-year-old Anna Machaya who died while giving birth in Marange in July 2021 and that of 15-year-old Ferby Munyafi of Chiadzwa Village in Marange who died in January 2022 from excessive bleeding while delivering.
Hatirarami Momberume alias Evans Michael Momberume, a devotee of the Johane Marange apostolic sect has been charged with Anna’s murder.
Anna’s parents, Edmore Machaya (45) and Shy Mabika (36) were jailed for nine months each – wholly suspended – for lying to detectives about her age.
Ferby died on 12 January 2022 and police charged her “husband” 29-year-old Arthur Chitombo with having sexual relations with a minor.

Girl (15) Who Died While Giving Birth At Church Shrine Buried

Mothers who are members of Apostolic sects, who are referred to as madzimai, have resorted to sneaking to clinics behind their husbands’ backs to vaccinate their babies against measles.
Some Apostolic sects consider vaccination taboo and forbid members from getting medical care insisting that all their health problems are solved through prayers.
Adherents put their faith in prayer, holy water and other measures to ward off disease or cure illnesses.
Zimbabwe has been grappling with a deadly measles outbreak since April 2022 which has killed more than 700 children across the country.
Many were unvaccinated because of religious reasons, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said.
At Mbare Polyclinic in Harare, some women were taken to the back room to get their children vaccinated in secret, and in defiance of religious doctrine that forbids them from using modern medicines.
Lewis Foya, a nurse at the clinic told The Associated Press that the advent of the measles outbreak saw children dying so they are now coming secretly to get help. He added:
<blockquote>
They have a belief that if they get vaccinated, they become unholy so that’s the doctrine that they pass down to the women.
</blockquote>
Foya said the patriarchy in the church means women have “no power to openly say no” to instructions.
As a result, to save their children, some mothers visit clinics in secret, sometimes under the cover of the night and without their husbands knowing.
At the Mbare clinic, one mother who identified herself as Winnet Musiyarira said people had learned from the vaccine hesitancy prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said:
<blockquote>
A lot of people were misinformed during that COVID-19 period because they were told that when you get vaccinated there will be after-effects.
So due to that a lot of people lost their lives and it was important for everybody to take that seriously.
So when I heard about measles I just said I have to take my kids to the hospital and get them vaccinated.
</blockquote>
Musiyarira said she wasn´t a member of a religious group but some were women wearing matching white headscarves to indicate they are part of an Apostolic church and were at the Mbare clinic to get their children vaccinated secretly.
The women, however, declined to speak to The Associated Press for fear of reprisal from church leaders. | <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-11238093/Secret-vaccinations-help-Zimbabwe-mothers-protect-children.html">MailOnline</a>

"Madzimai" Vaccinate Children Secretly In Defiance Of Church Doctrine

The Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church (MAFC) has urged its members to have their children vaccinated against measles.
Speaking at the church’s annual 10-day gathering in Dorowa, Murambinda on Sunday, MAFC spokesperson Mike Mukarati said the sect fully supports the government’s vaccination drive against measles. Said Mukarati:
<blockquote>
We urge the apostolic sect to accept the measles vaccination programme. We are in support of the government programme to vaccinate children against measles.
We value our health, hence we need to make sure that we get the necessary medication and treatment.
</blockquote>
On 16 August, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said that 157 children had succumbed to measles since the outbreak of the disease in Mutasa District, Manicaland Province, on 10 April this year.
Health and Child Care Ministry permanent secretary Jasper Chimedza blamed apostolic church sects (mapostori) for the surge in infections, saying measles was largely prevalent among those who had not received vaccinations.
Meanwhile, the Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church urged young women to shun and avoid child marriages. Added Mukarakati:
<blockquote>
This gathering is meant for youths and we are here to empower them with life skills. We are saying no to child marriages and this platform is meant to discourage them from rushing into marriages.
</blockquote>
The MAFC event was attended by Buhera North legislator William Mutomba (ZANU PF), Chief Chitsunge and several ZANU PF politicians from the district.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/08/apostolic-sect-accedes-to-measles-vaccination/">NewsDay</a>

Apostolic Sect Embraces Measles Vaccination

A number of children fell ill exhibiting symptoms of measles at an apostolic sect’s shrine in Zhombe recently.
Midlands Provincial Medical Director, Mary Muchekeza declined to comment on the matter but local authorities in Kwekwe said they were aware of the reports.
Kwekwe Mayor, Future Titora said investigations were ongoing, but the city has not recorded any cases. She said:
<blockquote>
As a city, we have not recorded any cases of measles or measles outbreak. However, we gathered that the outbreak occurred in Zhombe at an apostolic sect’s shrine and investigations are in progress to establish the veracity of the rumours.
As a city, we don’t have any outbreak so there is no need for residents to panic.
</blockquote>
A few months ago, a measles outbreak in Mutasa District, Manicaland Province, killed a number of children and the majority of the victims were in villages populated by apostolic sect adherents.
Most apostolic sect members shun immunisation of their children against child killer diseases.
More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/measles-outbreak-hits-apostolic-sects-shrine/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

Suspected Measles Outbreak Hits Apostolic Sect’s Shrine

A 62-year-old man from Muchatisi Village under Chief Tandi drowned in Rusape Dam on Sunday during a baptism ceremony.
Muzondiwa Jana, who was a new convert of the Nyenyedzi Nomwe Apostolic Sect, drowned while he was being baptised by Ashid Deda, a senior member of the sect.
Jana was a well-known cart-pusher in Rusape and was a member of the Guta RaJehovah (GRJ) church before he joined Nyenyedzi Nomwe Apostolic Sect.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) acting spokesperson in Manicaland Province, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed Jana’s death. He said:
<blockquote>
The body of Muzondiwa Jana was retrieved with the assistance of the Sub-aqua Unit near St Joseph’s High School and it has since been positively identified. The matter is still under investigation and the body awaits a post-mortem.
The incident happened on March 13, around 12 when the Nyeredzi Nomwe Apostolic Sect leader, Ashid Deda (65) of Cheneka Village was baptising church members in the dam. Deda baptised Jana who afterwards tried to swim to the banks and drowned.
Efforts to rescue him were in vain. Sect members formed a search party but failed to locate him.
They later notified the police who attended the scene but failed to locate the body. The Sub-aqua Unit attended the scene on Tuesday and retrieved the body.
</blockquote>
When Jana’s body could not be found on Monday, locals speculated that he had been taken by a mermaid, an imaginary supernatural creature that allegedly lives in water.
It is believed by some local people that there is a mermaid in Rusape Dam, known as Daniel, who sacrifices one person between March and August every year.
<h4>More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">The Manica Post</a></h4>

New Convert (62) Drowns During Baptism

A self-proclaimed prophet who leads the Johane Masowe Chishanhu apostolic sect, Madzibaba Emmanuel Mutumwa, has come up with a concoction which he claims can cure COVID-19.
Madzibaba Mutumwa claimed that the Holy Spirit instructed him to make a boiled mixture of mubestrich tree leaves and honey to cure COVID-19 patients. He said:
<blockquote>
The medicine was an instruction to me by the Holy Spirit so that the people could survive and live long.
People should practice COVID-19 precautions that are to sanitise, mask up and practice social distancing at the same time drinking the medicine so that they recover from COVID-19.
I produced the medicine by boiling the tree leaves (of mubestrich tree) then mixed the solution with honey and prayed for the mixture before I gave people.
</blockquote>
He said he prepares the medicine every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and gives it to congregants who are willing to take it.
Madzibaba Mutumwa conducts church services at his shrine in Selborne Park suburb along Cecil Road in Bulawayo. He added:
<blockquote>
From 30 December 2021 to 1 January 2022, I will be at the shrine preparing the medicine and giving it to those who are willing to take it.
</blockquote>
Several congregants gave testimonies claiming that the Madzibaba Mutumwa’s brew has healing properties.
James Moyo (48) from Mahatshula suburb, Knowledge Hungwe (34), Munenyasha Takavimba (32) were among those who gave testimonies.
More: <a href="https://www.bmetro.co.zw/holy-spirit-gives-madzibaba-mutumwa-covid-cure/">B-Metro</a>

Madzibaba Mutumwa Claims To Possess Cure For COVID-19

Eight (8) self-proclaimed prophets drowned in Mazowe River on Saturday while competing to retrieve a “holy stick” in deep water.
Ten (10) prophets from Vadzidzi VaJeso apostolic sect were involved in the competition that took place in Mazowe River in Rushinga during a ritual to select a baptist when tragedy struck.
Only two of the 10 prophets survived.
The provincial development coordinator Timothy Maregere confirmed the incident and said the deceased are all male and the bodies have been retrieved.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/breaking-8-prophets-die-in-bid-to-retrieve-holy-stick-in-mazowe-river/">The Herald</a></h4>

8 'Prophets' Drown While Retrieving 'Holy Stick'

The Johane Masowe WechiShanu WeAfrica has applied for official affiliate status with ZANU PF and in return, the sect leaders would rally their followers to vote for the ruling party.
The apostolic sect’s leader, Bishop Andby Makururu, held a meeting with the ZANU PF secretary for finance and acting political commissar, Patrick Chinamasa, on 2 September.
Makururu was accompanied by 37 members drawn from the district and provincial leadership ranks, including members of the 250-large “prophetic counsel”. Chinamasa confirmed the meeting in a series of tweets. He wrote:
<blockquote>
The meeting explored modalities for collaboration between the church and ZANU PF, especially in the area of economic empowerment, agriculture, mining, touring etc … They applied for affiliate status with ZANU PF and I briefed them on the requirements.
</blockquote>
According to Chinamasa, some of the demands include sharing ZANU PF values, preservation and defence of the national interest, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Zimbabwe, resolutely opposing tribalism, regionalism, nepotism, corruption, racism, religious fanaticism, among others.
The church promised to fulfil ZANU PF’s requirements.
When contacted for his comment by NewsDay, Chinamasa said he was in a meeting.
ZANU PF acting spokesperson Mike Bimha and Tafadzwa Mugwadi, the party’s information director, refused to comment, referring the NewsDay to Chinamasa.
The ruling party has traditionally drawn massive support from the apostolic sects, especially during elections.
In February 2019, Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe president Johannes Ndanga said President Emmerson Mnangagwa was God-ordained while addressing mourners at the burial of United Apostolic Church Independent Church of God Archbishop Chiutsi Zihowa Motsi in Mt Darwin.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/10/mapostori-seek-to-affiliate-with-zanu-pf/">NewsDay</a></h4>

Apostolic Sects Latest News

Latest Jobs