Cossam Chiangwa, the leader of the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe (AFMOZ), has reportedly ordered his church members and administrators to exclusively buy and consume Lobel’s Bread products.
AFMOZ was formed by former members of AFM who broke away after losing control of the church and its properties following years of internal conflicts related to leadership, finances, and governance.
Chiangwa did not explain the reasons for his directive which has raised suspicions among congregants.
A church member, Olivia Chiwara, told NewZimbabwe.com that the deal between Lobel’s Bread and Chiangwa and part of the church’s leadership has shut out competition from other companies. She said:
We know that Chiangwa and his colleagues were offered jobs and benefits in exchange for granting exclusive rights to Lobel’s Bread.
Lobel’s will be the sole product sold at AFM functions and events, with other sections advised to purchase it for domestic use.
Another church member who declined to be identified said is it dangerous for a religious leader to determine how congregants spend their money. Said the AFMOZ congregant:
We cannot afford to have another Madzibaba Ishmael here. We cannot be told what to eat and what not to eat in a religious institution.
We have nothing against Lobel’s, but allowing a religious leader to determine how we spend our money is dangerous. This is how cults and cult following start.
Madzibaba Ishmael Chokurongerwa is the founder and leader of a religious cult based in Nyabira called the Johanne Masowe Penyera Nyika sect.
Chokurongerwa spent considerable time in jail after he attacked police officers at his shrine in Budiriro. He was granted bail by the High Court on Friday, 27 April, after spending almost two months in remand prison following his arrest for allegedly violating the Burial and Children’s Act, respectively.
Efforts by NewZimbabwe.com to get a comment from the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) were fruitless as the commission’s chief executive officer (CEO) Zororo Muranda directed all questions to his director of research and public affairs, whose phone went unanswered.
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