A faction within the African Apostolic Church, founded by Archbishop Paul Mwazha, sought police protection for its upcoming gathering to be graced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, reported ZimLive.
This faction is led by Reverend Nyika Murisi and is scheduled to convene at the Ndarikure Shrine in Midlands Province from August 30 to September 1, 2024.
The faction has accused a rival group led by Enerst Mhambare and Kurauone Sibanda of planning to disrupt the event by destroying Blair toilets at the Ndarikure Shrine.
Through their lawyers Rubaya and Chatambudza, Murisi’s faction has written a letter dated August 23, 2024, to the Commissioner General of Police Godwin Matanga, copied to the President, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya, and the Home Affairs and Justice Ministers.
In the letter, they state that they have been given the green light by the church’s supreme leader Archbishop Paul Mwazha to convene the conference, which the rival faction leaders allegedly want to hinder. The letter reads:
Our clients are of the firm view that Ernest Mhambare, Kurauone Sibanda and his cabal want to cause mayhem and pandemonium and in the process, disturb the prevailing peace in Zimbabwe.
In the letter, the faction leaders, through their lawyers, detailed alleged violent incidents that they claim occurred at the Ndarikure Shrine on August 19. Reads the letter:
Kurauone Sibanda and his co-accused person connived to unlawfully and intentionally destroy the numerous Blair toilets which belong to all the members of the Vapostori VeAfrica Church.
They proceeded to Ndarikure Shrine with a JCB machine as well as a grader wherein they proceeded to razor down the church toilets which were functioning well in a bid to prevent the church gathering that is scheduled for the 30th of August 2024 to the 1st of September 2024.
He has allegedly proceeded to dig trenches across the roads leading to the shrine in a bid to block our clients from accessing the shrine.
Kurauone allegedly discharged a firearm to disperse some of our clients who had proceeded to the shrine to commence preparatory works.
He proceeded to point the firearm to other church members who tried to negotiate with him.
The faction, through their lawyers, has further alleged that their rivals support those opposed to President Mnangagwa’s rule, and therefore want to disrupt the upcoming gathering at the Ndarikure Shrine. Wrote the lawyers:
Our clients suspect that Ernest Mhambare, Kurauone Sibanda, and his cabal are sympathetic to other political actors who are opposed to the Presidency, of His Excellency Cde. Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa since he is the one earmarked to attend as the Guest of Honour.
In the letter, the faction requested urgent police intervention and deployment at the Ndarikure Shrine to allow them to continue with preparations for the upcoming gathering.
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